Chapter 144: Driving off

Ethan's POV

I couldn't believe it. I stood there, my heart burning from the sting of her rejection, my mind struggling to process what had just happened.

Did she really just shove me? In public, no less? I was still standing there, like an idiot, my hands wrapped around my chest, when I realized that a few curious glances had already been cast our way.

I couldn't let anyone catch a glimpse of what had happened-no way in hell was I going to let this get out, not now.

I didn't give anyone a second to react. I spun around, my boots hitting the pavement with purpose as I stormed out of the restaurant.

The air outside was cooler, a slight breeze rustling my jacket, but it felt suffocating, like the weight of everything that had just gone down was pressing on me from all sides.

I had to get control of this. I couldn't let Emily's anger consume me. I needed to fix this-somehow.

My mind raced, the adrenaline from the confrontation still coursing through me. The sting of her slap was sharp, but the fury bubbling inside me was far worse.

How dare Reuben pull me into this mess? How dare he use Emily like that? I wasn't some pawn in a game he was playing. I was supposed to protect her, not become part of the chaos.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket, dialing Fidelix's number without hesitation. He was my chief of security. If anyone knew how to get me out of this, it was Fidelix.

"Fidelix," I said, my voice hard, not waiting for him to greet me. "Tighten security at my homes. I need extra eyes on Emily. Don't let anyone take their eyes off her-no matter what."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Understood, sir," Fidelix said, his tone calm, measured. He always sounded like that, like nothing could ever rattle him. "I'll make sure it's done. Give me a moment, and I'll check on her."

I hung up and paced back and forth outside the restaurant, the night air cooling my skin. My hands clenched into fists, and I found myself grinding my teeth in frustration.

Emily had pushed me away.

She'd pushed me, and I didn't even know how to respond. I couldn't blame her; the situation we were in was a mess, but damn it, I wasn't the one who had orchestrated it.

Reuben was the one who had played both of us, and yet it was me standing there, taking the fall. I needed to find him. I needed to make him understand that he had fucked with the wrong person. He didn't know who he was dealing with.

But that's the problem, isn't it? Reuben didn't think. He didn't plan. He acted impulsively, like a rat scrambling to survive, and it made everything ten times worse.

I couldn't stand that son of a bitch, but I had to stay calm. If I let my anger take over, I would lose control.

That wasn't who I was-not anymore.

Just as I was about to step into my car, my phone buzzed again. Fidelix's name flashed on the screen. I answered without hesitation.

"Report."

"Sir," he said, his voice clipped but professional. "Emily was followed. Reuben's car was tailing her not long after she left the restaurant."

I felt my blood run cold. My heart skipped a beat, the fury I had been holding back finally exploding to the surface.

Reuben was crossing a line now. He wasn't just playing games; he was putting her in danger. He was too damn arrogant to realize how far he was pushing me.

"Where is she?" I demanded, my voice low, filled with rage.

"We don't know yet, sir," Fidelix replied. "We're tracking the car. I'll send someone to find out her location."

"Do it now," I growled, slamming my fist against the door of the car in frustration. "And tighten the perimeter. Make sure he doesn't get anywhere near her."

"Understood."

I ended the call, throwing my phone into the passenger seat as I slid into the driver's seat of my car. My knuckles gripped the wheel so hard I was afraid they might break.

I needed to get to Emily, needed to make sure she was safe. I didn't care what the hell Reuben thought he was doing. If he thought he could get away with this, he was sorely mistaken.

I peeled out of the parking lot, the tires screeching as I accelerated down the road, my mind focused entirely on Emily.

I wasn't going to let anything happen to her. Not after everything we'd been through, not after the way I felt about her. This was personal now.

The drive was a blur. The streets passed in a haze of lights and shadows, but my mind was elsewhere. I replayed everything that had happened-Reuben's words, the damn recording, Emily's slap.

I should have seen this coming. I should have known Reuben would try something like this. But the way he was messing with her-messing with us-wasn't just petty. It was dangerous.

When I finally reached her house, my heart sank. The lights were on, but there was no sign of her. No car in the driveway, no movement inside.

I slammed the car into park, leaping out before the engine had even fully died. I moved quickly, not bothering with subtlety, pounding on the door with a force that could've broken the damn thing down.

But there was no answer. I tried again, harder this time, my fist making contact with the wood.

Still nothing.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Emily's number, my stomach twisting with worry. The phone rang and rang, but she didn't pick up. My jaw clenched as I listened to the steady beep on the other end of the line. Where the hell was she?

I stepped back, running my hand through my hair in frustration. This was a fucking mess, and it was only getting worse.

Reuben had no idea who he was dealing with. No one fucked with Emily and got away with it-not if I had anything to say about it.

Just as I turned to head back to the car, my phone buzzed again. Fidelix's number. I answered immediately, my voice harsh.

"Report."

"Sir," Fidelix said quickly, his tone more urgent now. "We've located Reuben's car. It's parked near a block about three streets over from Emily's house. We believe he's still nearby."

My chest tightened. "Keep eyes on him. Don't let him out of sight. I'm on my way."

I didn't wait for a response. I rushed back to my car, gunning the engine as I sped off in the direction Fidelix had given me.

This was it. This was the moment I'd been waiting for. Reuben wasn't going to run. He wasn't going to hide. He was going to pay for what he'd done. And this time, I was the one who was in control.

I arrived at the block, the streetlights casting long shadows across the pavement. Reuben's car was exactly where Fidelix had said it would be, parked just off the curb, its engine running low like a predator waiting to pounce.

I took a deep breath, my grip tightening on the wheel as I prepared myself for whatever came next.

I could see him now. He was standing by the car, his posture casual, like he didn't have a care in the world. But I knew better. He was here for Emily. And I wasn't about to let him get away with it.

I stepped out of the car, my boots hitting the pavement with a quiet thud. My eyes never left Reuben as I walked toward him, every step calculated, every muscle tense with anger.

He looked up when he saw me, his expression shifting from casual indifference to something darker-something I could read all too well.

"Did you really think you could get away with this?" I asked, my voice a low growl, barely above a whisper. "You've crossed a line, Reuben."

He didn't answer. Instead, he gave me a smirk, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You're not as smart as you think you are, Ethan."

"Don't test me," I warned, stepping closer. "I'm done playing games."

Reuben's smirk faltered, and for a moment, I thought he might actually back down. But then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys.

He smirked before driving off.