Chapter 36 Fear

Chapter 36 Fear
Ethan 

I loosened my tie, tossed my keys onto the counter, and stood there in the dark living room. I didn’t even bother turning on the lights; they never really changed much anyway. Memories of her rushed in, how her voice cracked in the dark, how her hands shook against mine. I could still see the fear in her eyes, mirroring something deep inside me.

I shut my eyes.

And just like that, the walls of my apartment seemed to dissolve.

I was back in that moment, small and trembling, trapped behind a locked door. My mother’s voice seeped through the crack.

“You have to learn, Ethan,” she said. “You need to be better.”

“I’m trying!” I remembered crying. “Please, Mama, I’ll be good. Just let me out!”

But it was always silence. Then the faint sound of her heels clicking away.

Even now, decades later, I could still feel that fear, the helplessness, the raw, terrified isolation.

Then another memory surfaced, Leo. Younger. Angry. But still my brother. He was the one who used to sneak me food through the vent. A sandwich, sometimes a cookie. He never said a word, just slipped it through and walked away.

Now, all grown up, he laughed too loudly, drank too much, lived too recklessly, but a part of me always remembered that boy. The one who made sure I didn’t starve. Maybe that’s why I still covered for him. Why I couldn’t quite bring myself to see him come to harm.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, rubbing my face with my hand. The room felt smaller somehow, heavier. I wanted to forget the memories, the voices, the echoes of the past that clung to the corners of the dark.

But memories don’t just vanish at the snap of a finger. They hang around, patient and hungry, like old friends you can’t quite shake off.

“Forget it,” I muttered under my breath. “It’s done.”

There was no need dwelling on the past. So I took a shower and headed straight for bed.



The next morning, I strolled into the office a bit later than usual, coffee in one hand, folders tucked under the other, only to find Daniel lounging in my chair, spinning around like a kid in a candy store.

I halted mid-step, pinched the bridge of my nose, and sighed. “Just because you have the key to my office doesn’t mean you should use it to give me a heart attack every morning.”

Daniel flashed a grin, leaning back with that annoyingly smug look he wore so well. “If I don’t remind you that you’re human every now and then, who will?”

I shook my head, placing my coffee on the desk. “You’ve got way too much time on your hands.”

He chuckled. “That’s rich coming from the guy who hasn’t slept properly in three days.”

I brushed off that comment and walked over to the window, taking in the skyline of the city below. I tried to concentrate on the reports Daniel was now reading aloud, something about the board’s upcoming audit, a potential client from Dubai, and a delayed shipment, but his words faded into a blur of static.

My mind was elsewhere.

Daniel must’ve picked up on it because he suddenly fell silent. When I didn’t say anything, he flashed a knowing smile. “Ethan,” he said after a moment, his tone light yet teasing, “you’re not even paying attention, are you? Let me guess… you’re daydreaming about a certain Miss Lawson.”

I shot him a glare, but his smirk only grew wider.

“I’m not thinking about her,” I replied, maybe a bit too quickly. “Just… worried.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Worried. Sure.”

I sighed, deciding to spill the beans. “Something went down yesterday. After that meeting disaster, the lights just went out. I heard screams, someone was freaking out, and when I went to check, I found Zoey all alone in her office, scared out of her mind.”

Daniel tilted his head, studying me intently. “And of course, your brilliant solution was to treat her to ice cream.”

I frowned. “You’re keeping tabs on me now?”

He shrugged, looking as smug as ever. “It’s my job to keep you safe, remember? And speaking of safety…” His tone shifted, becoming more serious. “I might need to bring up a certain security issue regarding your girl to your dad.”

That caught my attention right away. “What security issue? What do you mean, my girl?”

But Daniel was already making his way to the door, that infuriating grin still on his face.

“Daniel,” I called after him.

He didn’t even glance back. “Chill out, boss. You’ll find out soon enough.”

And just like that, he was out the door.

I stood there for what felt like an eternity, staring at the closed door, trying to make sense of what he had just said. My girl. Security issue. My dad. None of those words together could lead to anything good.

By noon, I had convinced myself to stop overthinking and get back to work, but, of course, that didn’t happen. Instead, I found myself standing in front of Zoey’s office door, knocking before I could talk myself out of it.

Honestly, there was no real reason for me to be there. I could’ve sent her an email. I could’ve asked Daniel for an update. I could’ve done a million other things. But I didn’t.

When I opened the door, she looked up, a bit startled at first, then her expression softened when she realized it was me. Her hair was loosely tied up, a pencil tucked behind her ear, and papers were strewn all over her desk.

“Mr. Thorne,” she said, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “Is everything alright?”

I nodded and stepped inside. “Just checking in. Wanted to see how the presentation’s coming along.”

She offered a faint smile. “Better, I think. I’ve been at it since this morning.”

“I’m glad,” I said. “You’ll do great tomorrow.”

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to look away. “If you need anything, resources, assistance, my office is always open.”

“Thank you,” she replied softly. Returning her attention to what she was working on. 

I took that as my cue to leave. She was fine, and I had other things to do. I told myself, even though I knew that wasn’t the reason I had come to her office in the first place.

As I turned to leave, my phone buzzed in my pocket. A message from Daniel.

Daniel: We need to talk. Now. It’s about her.

I stiffened, staring at the screen. My heart sank a little, an uneasy feeling creeping into my chest.

I glanced back at Zoey, her was head bent over her work, completely unaware.

Whatever Daniel had discovered… I had a feeling it was was very important.