Chapter 3 - SHATTERED FACADESMorning arrived with a pale grey light filtering through the linen curtains. Victoria woke up on Ethan’s worn sofa, wrapped in a fleece blanket. For a few seconds, she forgot where she was, expecting the cold glass walls of her penthouse. Then the scent of freshly brewed coffee and frying eggs filled her senses.
Ethan was in the small kitchen, moving quietly so as not to wake her or Maya. He was dressed in worn jeans and a faded navy sweater. He looked ordinary, yet to Victoria, he seemed larger than life—a man who had dived into a deadly river without a second thought.
"Good morning," Ethan said softly as he noticed her sitting up.
"Good morning," Victoria replied, her voice husky. She pushed her damp hair back. "I... I owe you an apology for last night. My behavior was... unprofessional."
"You were drowning, Victoria," Ethan said, setting a mug of black coffee on the coffee table in front of her. "In more ways than one. You don't owe me an apology for being human."
Victoria took the mug, letting the warmth penetrate her chilled fingers. "If the board of Vance Enterprises saw me yesterday, they would have stripped me of my position by midnight. In my world, weakness is a death sentence."
"Then your world sounds miserable," Ethan replied plainly, taking a seat on the armchair opposite her.
Before Victoria could answer, the small TV on the counter flickered with the morning news. The banner headline made Victoria’s blood run cold: "WHERE IS VICTORIA VANCE? CEO MISSING AFTER BOARDROOM SCANDAL."
The news anchor went on to report that Richard Vance, Victoria’s uncle and the vice-chairman of the company, had called an emergency shareholder meeting claiming Victoria was mentally unfit to lead following the sudden death of her father six months ago. Rumors were circulating that she had vanished to escape financial fraud allegations.
Victoria dropped her head into her hands. "It was him," she whispered. "Richard set me up. He forged documents to make it look like I embezzled funds... I went to the river yesterday because I thought I had lost everything. My reputation, my father's legacy..."
Ethan leaned forward, his expression hardening. "Did you take the money?"
"No!" Victoria snapped, her eyes flashing with genuine fire for the first time. "I would die before stealing from my own company!"
May you like
"Then you haven't lost," Ethan said firmly. "You're still breathing. That means the fight isn't over."
Victoria stared at him, stunned by the sheer conviction in his voice. In a world full of corporate snakes and sycophants, this stranger was the only person who believed in her without asking for anything in return.
Related Stories
