Facing the Threat

Cole's POV

I knew the past wasn't over with me the moment I saw Kaitlyn's name flash on Aria's phone.

Aria's doubts and the weight of all Victor had thrown on her like poison were evident in her eyes. Worse, I could see the fear. For me, not for her.

Before she could answer the phone, I grabbed her hand.

I said, "Don't."

Her finger lingered just over the screen as she hesitated. "She may have some information—"

She does. And that's precisely why we don't respond at the moment.

There was an unsettling silence between us as the conversation stopped on its own.

Aria gave me a look. Cole, your father is being serious. He is prepared to set everything on fire.

I mumbled, running a hand through my hair, "I know." "And he believes that the best way to achieve his goals is to threaten you."

"What happened in Geneva?" she inquired in a firm voice.

I briefly considered lying. To be nice. But that wasn't enough for her. She was deserving of everything.

So I told her.

About the unsuccessful investment venture I was forced into at the age of 24 by my father. The Montgomery Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports IT education for impoverished youngsters in Europe, and I attempted to fund it on the side. A good cause that quickly took a turn for the worse when it was discovered that the foundation's partner organization was engaging in money laundering.

I had almost been broken by the scandal.

My father hid the headlines abroad and bought off individuals. I would end the conversation and never bring it up again. However, I had always carried it with me.

"I made an effort to act morally. I said in a hushed voice, "I tried to use the Montgomery name for something other than greed." And it nearly ruined everything. My dad made sure I never forgot that.

Aria stretched out, stroking her fingers along my jaw. “You tried. That matters. That *still* matters.

I answered, "I was young and careless." It's what he's hoping for. He'll fabricate it for the press. Make me appear crooked, inept, and as though I'm concealing secrets that might bring Montgomery Enterprises to its knees.

Despite everything, Aria stood tall and crossed her arms. “Then let’s take away his leverage.”

I blinked. "What?"

With ferocious eyes, she declared, "We bring it into the light ourselves if he's going to use your past to control you." "You are in charge of the story. Not him.

I just stared at her for a while. The woman standing next to me, prepared to go to war, was the one my father referred to as a liability.

I said, "I don't want you to be pulled into this mess." "I've already caused you to go through hell."

She raised her chin and took a step closer. "Cole, you're not alone in this. I will not be leaving. So we face it. Together.

*together* That word struck a deep chord.

I grasped her hand and held it against my chest. “If we do this… it gets ugly. The press won't hold back either. Kaitlyn’s family has ties everywhere. And Victor? He’ll come at us harder than ever.”

She gave a nod. “Then let them come.”

\---

Two days later, we strolled into Montgomery Enterprises together in hand. The upper levels were already humming with the press conference we had scheduled. Executives were pacing with tense expressions on their faces, and PR teams were talking in corners.

Victor was nowhere to be found.

Still.

Aria wore a sleek black blazer, and her hair was pulled back in a low twist, giving the impression that she could tear down entire empires with a single look. I’d never been more in awe of her.

We stood behind the podium in the boardroom, live-streamed to every major media outlet that had formerly adored the Montgomery name.

I adjusted the microphone and cleared my throat. There was silence in the room.

I introduced myself as Cole Montgomery. "And I'd like to look into my past myself before anyone else does."

The crowd let out a few gasps.

I didn't wince.

I explained everything. The base. The controversy. The consequences. Every detail I had formerly buried.

I was honest.

Then Aria moved forward, her eyes steely, her voice composed.

“I’m not a socialite. I’m not an heiress. Victor Montgomery wouldn't have picked me to be his son's mother. But since Cole didn't go with legacy, I'm here. Truth was his choice. He made the moral decision. And I support him because of who he became as a result of his background, not because of it.

Silence for a beat.

Then, startlingly, there was applause.

Not everyone clapped. Some seemed bewildered. Some skeptical. However, there was a genuine wave of support.

We didn't run. We had to confront it. Together.

\---

Later that night, Victor came up to my penthouse.

As I opened the door, he spat, "You just made the biggest mistake of your life." "Now that you've acknowledged your weakness, do you think they'll respect you?"

"I didn't acknowledge my weakness," I said coolly. "I demonstrated that I have nothing to conceal. You've never had that much power.

He sneered. "You'll be sorry for this. She will, too.

I moved into his personal space and spoke in a low, deadly voice. "You won't need a scandal to end you if you threaten her once more. I will.

His eyes clouded, but he didn’t speak.

Without saying another thing, he left.

And as I turned back into the penthouse, Aria was waiting.

For the first time in years, I felt free.

Not from my history.

However, out of terror.

After facing the storm, we managed to stay upright. **