Chapter 189

Chapter 189

Sophia's POV

After I'd finally talked Ethan into it, something else went sideways with Flynn.

I stared at the revised contract they'd sent over, and the ache behind my eyes sharpened into a full-blown headache.

Ethan barely glanced at it before he tossed it aside. His expression went cold, his brows drawn tight, and he shut it down before I could even open my mouth. "I'm not agreeing to work with them."

I raised my gaze, quickly losing my tolerance. "Don't you recall the promise you made to me? How could you break your word like this?"
Ethan slammed both hands on the desk, the bang loud enough to make me flinch. "Did you even read what's in that contract? Am I the one backing out, or are they jacking up the price? They want forty percent. Forty. That basically puts the whole company in their hands. If this goes through, what do I get? I do all the work and hand the win to someone else."

I stared at him, my face going blank while something in my chest quietly caved in.

A deep, all-too-familiar sense of regret washed over me. I wished I hadn't picked him, hadn't placed my faith in him, and the worst part was that I no longer had the freedom to reverse my decision.

If I walked away now, I'd have nothing.

I tipped my head back and pulled in a slow breath, forcing the bitterness down until it didn't show in my voice. "Do you really have other options? If you don't take a risk, you'll end up with nothing anyway."

I stood up, walked over to him, and placed my hand on his chest, pushing firmly as if I could force the truth right into him. "Ethan, you shouldn't be thinking about anyone else right now. You should be thinking about you. This is the only chance we have to turn things around, and we have to grab it."

Ethan lifted his head, dazed for a second, and covered my hand with his.

I caught a brief glimmer in his eyes—a fleeting moment of willingness to trust. It vanished nearly right away, but it was sufficient.
He'd heard me.

Relief loosened my shoulders. I set a time with Flynn and arranged to meet in person.

In the coffee shop, Ethan remained seated with his head lowered, saying nothing, as though his mind was elsewhere and he didn't care to bring it back. I tapped his hand, a small warning.

He finally looked up, irritation edging his gaze as he turned it on Flynn.

Flynn rested back against the table, so composed he seemed almost cold, and talked as if time were on his side, even though his tone suggested otherwise.
"You saw the contract I sent. If you agree, we can start now."

I glanced at Ethan, waiting for him to say something.

The minutes passed slowly. Ethan's motionlessness sent a chill over my skin, as if he were considering something far beyond just figures.
At last, he spoke, like he'd snapped out of a trance. "What's your plan?"

Flynn curled one hand and tapped the tabletop with his knuckles, slow and measured. He narrowed his eyes toward the light, and the glare kept me from reading his expression, but impatience roughened his voice. "You want to go after Damien, right? He's got a shipment going out overseas soon. All we have to do is mess with the cargo a little, get customs to flag it."

"Even if he's got a hundred tricks, he won't be able to explain his way out of that. And once he's tied up, taking the company back gets a whole lot easier."

I studied Ethan from the side. His eyes stayed glued to the table, his jaw was clenched, and whatever he was thinking was hidden behind his expression. I had no clue what he would do next.
Following yet another lengthy pause, Flynn rapped on the table once more, more sharply than before. "Ethan. I don't have much time. If you still haven't made up your mind—"

"I accept." Ethan lifted his head abruptly, his tone harsh and relentless. "Do not let me down."
Flynn's eyes slid to me, the look unreadable, then he reached out his hand. "Relax. I won't."

The way he said it made my brows lift.

That wasn't really for Ethan. That was for me.

I kept my face smooth, like I hadn't noticed a thing.

Once we had signed, Ethan stared after Flynn as he departed, his focus staying fixed as though Flynn had taken all the oxygen from the space. Then he spoke, still not glancing in my direction. "How do you know him?"

His suspicion was heavier than I'd expected, sharp enough that I felt it against my skin.

He was already wondering about me.

I paused, then answered honestly. "We met at an event."

Ethan rotated toward me, his gaze blending astonishment with mockery. "When did you acquire such an ability? I had no idea you were capable of pulling off something like this."
The mockery was blatant, like I'd betrayed him instead of trying to save him.

A flush rose to my neck. "I reached out to numerous people to secure his assistance for you. How could you have such a low opinion of me?"

Ethan stroked his chin and gave a nod as though a realization had struck him. "Why are you so upset? I'm only asking. Flynn is no ordinary guy, and I'd hate to see you get hurt."
His words felt like an excuse, and I lacked the strength to argue with him. I exhaled briefly. "What do I really have to lose by being with him?"

Ethan stared at me for a moment too long, then his mouth curved into a small, careless smile. "Who knows?"

When the last word fell, he turned and walked away.

I followed, struggling to keep up. "Why are you walking so fast? Ethan, wait."

He behaved as if my words hadn't registered. He climbed into the vehicle, and just as I went for the door handle, he halted me with a brief look. "Take a cab back. I'm going to see my father."

I frowned automatically. I didn't want him going there. "You're not still hoping he'll change his mind, are you? You remember how ruthless he was when he switched the heir."

Ethan's hand tightened on the window frame. I heard him drag in a rough breath, then he laughed, a sudden sound with no warmth in it. "Don't worry. I'm not that pathetic. I'm just going to get some information. It'll make it easier when we take the company back."

I studied him, unsure what to believe, and let my hand drop from the door.

I had no option but to give in. Ethan might lack ability, but he had a fierce temper, and starting a conflict with him would do me no good.
Especially not now, when he was already watching me for cracks.

I stood there and watched his car pull away, then turned to hail a cab.

A yellow supercar slid to a stop beside me.

The window on the driver's side rolled down, revealing Flynn's side profile, looking at ease, as though he had been calmly observing the situation until it resolved.
"Why aren't you gone?" I asked.

Flynn didn't answer. He stared in the direction Ethan had disappeared, his gaze cool and weighing. Then he spoke, distrust plain in his voice. "That useless guy, can he actually do this?"

He'd been the first to object when I suggested using Ethan.

Flynn had no faith in Ethan's competence. To be fair, who would, given that Ethan couldn't even manage to protect his own affairs?
I'd been the one insisting, defending Ethan until Flynn finally relented.

Flynn was shrewd. He'd taken one conversation to read Ethan's personality.

It wasn't just distrust. It was Ethan's hesitation, the way he never fully committed to anything.

Flynn thought Ethan might turn on us.

I took a calm breath and spoke levelly. "Regardless, he's still Owen's son. Owen won't harm him. He already holds a portion of the shares." If he gets a little more, he can reach forty percent."

I met Flynn's eyes. "Once we have that forty percent, getting the company won't be hard for you."

Flynn placed his hand on the car window and gave it a gentle tap, his eyes looking upward as though he were calculating something mentally.
Then, like he'd decided I was right, he let out a short laugh and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Fine. Then I'll be waiting for your good news."

His eyes cut back to me, sharp. "Don't disappoint me."

He let the window rise, sealing himself back behind glass, and the car eased forward, leaving me standing on the curb with the taste of his warning still on my tongue.