Chapter 294
Lucy's POV
I snuggled against Ethan on the couch as we watched "The Godfather"—his all-time favorite. Nestled against his chest, I savored his warmth and the subtle notes of his cologne. These peaceful moments are absolute heaven.
"This is my favorite part," he whispered in my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin as Michael Corleone walked toward his destiny on screen.
Just as I was about to respond, Ethan's phone rang with that distinctive tone—the one I immediately recognized as his emergency business line. Our movie night came to an abrupt halt.
"Storm," he answered, his voice instantly transforming into all-business mode.
I watched his jaw tighten and felt a knot form in my stomach. Something's wrong.
"How severe is the breach? What information was compromised?" He shot to his feet, pacing across our living room. "I'll be there in twenty."
When he hung up, his face had drained of color.
"What happened?" I asked, my heart already sinking.
"Alpine Group's systems were hacked. All client data has been leaked—financial records, personal information, everything." He grabbed his suit jacket. "Stock's already down fifteen percent."
"Oh my God, Ethan—"
"I have to go." He bent down to kiss my forehead. "Don't wait up."
After he rushed out, I turned on the financial news, my stomach clenching as analysts ruthlessly tore into Alpine Group's reputation on screen.
"This data breach represents a complete failure of management," sneered one suit-clad analyst. "Mr. Storm may have talent for acquisitions, but he's clearly a complete amateur when it comes to basic security protocols."
These assholes! My fists clenched as anger burned in my chest. How dare they talk about Ethan like that? What right did they have? I knew how many hours he worked, how much he poured into his company.
"Investors should seriously consider pulling out," another analyst added. "This level of incompetence suggests systemic leadership issues."
I turned off the TV, unable to listen to another second of their cutting remarks. Fear washed over me like ice water. What if Alpine collapses? Ethan had invested everything in that company. This wasn't just about money—it was about his dreams, his pride, his everything.
He'll get through this, I told myself. He'll find a solution. But the seed of worry had already taken root.
---
A week passed with Ethan barely coming home. When he did, it was only to shower and change before rushing back out. Each time I saw him, I was shocked—bloodshot eyes, dark circles underneath, his usually impeccable appearance now disheveled.
Today I decided to bring lunch to his office. I packed his favorite sandwich, fresh coffee, and cookies I'd baked myself.
When I arrived at Alpine headquarters, James looked relieved to see me.
"Thank God you're here," he said in a hushed voice. "He hasn't slept in three days."
I found Ethan in his office, surrounded by stacks of documents, multiple screens displaying red downward graphs. He looked up and saw me, a brief light flickering across his exhausted face.
"Hey," I said softly, setting down the food. "Thought you might be hungry."
"You're a lifesaver." He pulled me into a quick hug, and I could feel the tension radiating from his body.
"You need to rest, Ethan. You're going to crash."
"Not now." He rubbed his alarmingly red eyes. "Clients are withdrawing in droves. The breach exposed sensitive information about some very powerful people."
I sat across from him, pushing the sandwich closer. "Eat something, please."
As he took a bite, I carefully asked, "How bad is it?"
Ethan sighed deeply. "We need significant capital to stabilize and compensate clients." He forced a tired smile. "The company will survive, but it's going to be rough for a while."
"I have some savings," I blurted out, immediately realizing how ridiculous that sounded. "Not much, but—"
"Sweetheart," Ethan smiled, taking my hand. "We need at least five hundred million to plug this hole, but I genuinely appreciate the offer. I'm reaching out to potential investors."
Five hundred million dollars. The gap between my world and his had never felt so vast. My lifetime savings wouldn't even register against that number.
"Any prospects?" I asked.
"There's a European investment firm—Meridian Holdings—just entering the New York market. They have the funds." He ran his hands through his hair. "But their CEO won't take my calls. If we don't get an injection soon..."
He didn't finish, but I could read the unspoken words in his eyes—this could be the end of Alpine Group.
---
Back home, while absently organizing my bedroom closet, I discovered a small velvet box tucked away in a drawer. Inside was my grandmother's antique pocket watch—her most precious possession and the only item of value she left me.
I carefully lifted it out, running my fingertips over the engraving on the gold cover, feeling the cool metal slowly warm in my palm. The hands had long stopped moving.
"Lucy, there's something I need to tell you..." My grandmother's final words suddenly echoed in my mind. She had tried to tell me something important in her last moments, but I'd been pulled away by Ethan. When I returned, she was gone.
What did she want to tell me? Was it about this watch? She had clutched my hand so tightly, insisting I take it, urgency in her eyes.
"I should get this fixed," I murmured to myself, carefully returning it to its box, a sense of purpose rising within me.
---
The next day, I took the watch to "Time Treasures," a small shop on Fifth Avenue that specialized in restoring antique timepieces. The silver-haired proprietor promised to have it working within 24 hours.
When I returned that afternoon to pick it up, I immediately sensed something was off. The previously friendly shopkeeper now appeared nervous, sweating, his eyes darting toward the door.
"I'm terribly sorry, the watch isn't ready," he said, fingers drumming on the counter, despite having called me personally just thirty minutes earlier to say it was done.
"But you just called to say it was fixed," I reminded him, noticing how his gaze kept flicking to the entrance.
"There were... technical difficulties. Very rare mechanism." He wiped sweat from his brow. "Perhaps you could wait a bit longer? My assistant is bringing parts from another location."
I glanced at my phone, already running late for dinner with Ethan.
"I really need to go. Can I come back tomorrow?"
I stepped toward the door, but the shopkeeper moved to block my path.
"Please wait just a few more minutes. I insist." His voice was almost pleading, but there was something unsettling in his eyes.
A chill ran down my spine. Something is definitely wrong. The shop suddenly felt like a trap, and I was the prey.