Chapter 46 Alexander's pov
Chapter 46 Alexander's pov
I stared at Ethan like the air had been knocked out of my lungs.
The question had slipped out of me before I could stop it, sharp and raw and trembling at the edges.
yes I was fucking jealous of his doctor but that's valid.
But all of a sudden something my uncle said about Ethan having shares in Blackwood Empire crossed my mind. and that was what prompted me to ask the question.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had shares in Blackwood Empire?”
The silence that followed was loud.
Ethan just stood there, he didn’t blink and Didn’t move. His entire body went rigid, like I’d just hit something deep and buried. For a second he looked tensed, and when he finally spoke, his voice was calm—but too calm.
“I didn’t think it was necessary.”
I laughed, short and bitter. “You didn’t think it was necessary?”
He exhaled slowly. “Alex I...”
“No. Don’t start with my name like that,” I cut in. “You had shares in my family’s company. My father’s company. The company my uncle is literally trying to kill me over. And you didn’t think it mattered?”
“I wasn’t hiding it to hurt you.”
“But you were hiding it.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
I stepped back, shaking my head. “You promised me. You looked me in the eye and you promised, you said you wouldn’t keep things from me anymore.”
“I said I wouldn’t lie.”
“And this wasn’t a lie?” My voice cracked. “What do you call it when someone withholds the truth because it’s inconvenient?”
Ethan’s eyes darkened. “I didn’t bring it up because it had nothing to do with us.”
“ Are you serious right now? It has everything to do with us!” I snapped. “My uncle used it against me today. Do you have any idea what that felt like? Hearing your name come out of his filthy mouth like that?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
I scoffed. “ Keep telling yourself that, besides That’s your favorite excuse.”
He flinched. “That’s not fair.”
“No?” I crossed my arms, my chest tight. “You decide what I can handle. You decide what I deserve to know. You decide when the truth matters. Do you think that is fair?”
“I didn’t want you to look at me differently.”
“So instead you let me walk into a trap blind?”
“I didn’t think Joe knew.”
“Well, he did,” I said quietly. “And now I’m the idiot in the room.”
“You are not an idiot,” Ethan said sharply.
“Then stop treating me like one for heavens sake.”
Silence again.
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing once, twice. “I helped your father years ago. The shares were more like compensation compared to what I gave him. I didn't touch them, I don’t interfere. I don't even have interest in them. They mean nothing.”
“They mean something to me.”
“I didn’t think—”
“That’s the problem,” I interrupted. “You didn’t think about me.”
His eyes met mine, something wounded flickering there. “That’s not true.”
“How am I supposed to trust someone who keeps deciding what parts of themselves I’m allowed to see?” I asked, my voice softer now, more dangerous. “How am I supposed to love someone I can’t trust?”
That did it.
Something in Ethan’s face cracked.
“I love you,” he said quietly.
“And I don’t know if that’s enough anymore.”
The words hurt coming out. They hurt landing between us.
I turned away before he could see my eyes burn.
“I’m sleeping in the guest room tonight,” I said. “You take the bedroom.”
“Alex—”
“I need space.”
“This isn’t how we fix things.”
“I can’t fix things right now,” I snapped. “Not when I feel like this.”
I walked away before he could stop me.
The knock came less than ten minutes later.
“Alex,” Ethan said through the door. “Open up.”
I stayed silent.
“Please.”
I swallowed hard. “You said you wouldn’t hide anything from me again.”
“I didn’t lie.”
“You did,” I shot back. “You lied by omission.”
“Open the door so we can talk like adults.”
“I am talking,” I said. “I’m telling you I feel betrayed.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“By controlling the narrative?”
He was quite.
“How do you expect me to love someone I don’t know if I can trust?” I asked quietly.
His breath hitched on the other side of the door.
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“But you did.”
Another pause.
“I’ll be here when you’re ready,” he said finally.
I slid down against the door once his footsteps faded.
I felt shitty, but I had the right to. Hot stream of tears flow down my eyes. I didn't even make an effort to stop it.
After a while I stood up, went to the bed and lay down.
My phone rang just before dawn.
I answered without looking.
“This is Blackwood Medical,” a calm voice said. “Your father Mr Blackwood was rushed in an hour ago.”
My heart stopped. “What happened?”
“Allergic reaction. He’s stable, but we recommend you come immediately.”
I didn’t even respond. I just hung up and moved.
Ethan was already awake when I walked past the bedroom.
“I’m coming with you.”
“No.”
“ I want to...”
“I need to do this alone.” I cut him off.
He didn’t argue. He let Me leave.
The hospital smelled like antiseptic and old fear.
A doctor met me halfway down the hall.
“Your father is awake,” she said. “The reaction was severe, but manageable.”
“What caused it?”
“Medication interaction.”
I nodded, numb. “And the cancer?”
She frowned. “Cancer?”
“Yes,” I said slowly. “He told me he was diagnosed with cancer.”
She hesitated.
“There’s no cancer diagnosis on his file.”
I stared at her. “What?”
“No tumors. No oncology referrals. Nothing.”
My legs nearly gave out.
“Are you sure?" I asked again just to be sure I wasn't hearing things "You’re saying he lied.”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.
She left me standing there, as I stared at the door to my father's room.
Why was I surprised? I did have a feeling he was lying right from the moment he told me but know he actually lied like before made everything ten times worse.
I stood by my father’s bed, watching him sleep.
What crime did I commit in my previous life to get treated like this in this one? A question I kept asking myself.
Being betrayed and lied to by a lover is one thing. But being lied to by the person you said your coming into this world hits hard.
The universe is fucked up.
My life is more fucked up.