Chapter 50
Ethan
I dragged myself into my office, feeling the weight of last night with Amelia lingering in my bones. Sleep had been elusive, my mind replaying every touch, every sound she made when I held her. The memory of her body against mine created a complex tangle of emotions I wasn't ready to unravel.
I reached into the inner pocket of my tailored suit and pulled out a small sachet. It had fallen from Amelia's coat pocket last night. I caught a whiff of its familiar scent, so I pocketed it and pretended I didn't notice it.
"Michael," I called, my voice gravelly from exhaustion. "Analyze the contents of this sachet, and compare it with the spices used by that private chef. We need to confirm if they share any components. This time we need absolute certainty about the source."
Michael took the sachet with practiced precision. As he turned to leave, James pushed through the door, balancing two coffee cups.
"You look like shit," he announced cheerfully, setting one cup on my desk.
"Always the charmer," I muttered, gratefully accepting the caffeine offering.
James swiped across his tablet screen before turning it toward me. "Felix's scandal has officially gone viral. Every media outlet is scrambling for details. I imagine he's getting quite the lecture from your uncle right now."
I allowed myself a small, cold smile. Felix's public humiliation served multiple purposes—justice for what he'd tried with Amelia, and a perfect distraction from our investigation. "Good."
"Any leads on who drugged Amelia yesterday?" I asked, my tone sharpening involuntarily at the memory. The image of her, vulnerable and disoriented, still made my blood boil.
James shook his head. "I found out that an elderly woman who appeared at the restroom during the banquet was just someone struggling financially. Someone offered her serious cash to drug the place. We're tracking the money trail."
I nodded, frustration simmering beneath my calm exterior. Someone had targeted Amelia specifically, and I still didn't know why. The thought of her being in danger again made my chest tighten uncomfortably.
Once Michael left, James sprawled in the chair opposite my desk, eyeing me with that irritating perceptiveness he'd perfected over years of friendship.
"So," he began casually, "rough night?"
I shot him a warning glare over my coffee cup.
"What?" He feigned innocence. "You look exhausted. In the good way."
"Drop it, James," I warned, though my mind briefly flashed to Amelia's flushed face, her hair spread across my pillow.
He chuckled, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "The contract marriage reaches its expiration date soon. Still planning to end things?"
I stared into my coffee, the bitter liquid suddenly matching my mood. "She wants the divorce." The words tasted wrong in my mouth, leaving an unexpected hollow feeling in my chest.
James studied me for a moment too long before mercifully changing the subject. "How's the new development project going? The board still pushing for that entertainment complex?"
"They're fixated on that Manhattan property, but Miller Group has it locked down. I’ve got a meeting with Nathan Miller tonight to discuss it—wanna join us?" I replied, grateful for the shift to business matters.
"Not available," James remarked. "Miller Group's been expanding aggressively lately. They've got Randal family backing them now. That prime real estate has everyone circling like sharks."
He paused deliberately, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Of course, if you still have feelings for Ashley, negotiating with Nathan Miller shouldn't be too difficult, right?"
The glare I shot him could have frozen hell twice over. "Say that again, and I'll make sure your next shipment of imported whiskey mysteriously disappears."
James immediately raised his hands in surrender, wisely dropping the subject. But his words had already planted a seed of irritation that would grow exponentially in the next few hours.
---
That evening, I pushed open the door to the Black Rose Restaurant's private room, expecting to see Nathan Miller waiting to discuss potential business collaboration. Instead, Ashley Randal stood alone in the center of the room, looking exactly as she had years ago when she'd walked out of my life.
She wore a designer red dress that hugged her curves perfectly, her makeup flawless as always. When she saw me, her eyes lit up with undisguised delight.
"Ethan! You came." Her voice carried that familiar musical quality I once found captivating. "It's been nearly impossible to get a moment with you."
She glided toward me, reaching for my hands, but I stepped back subtly, maintaining distance between us. The perfume I once couldn't get enough of now seemed cloying and excessive.
"Where's Nathan?" I asked flatly.
Ashley's smile faltered slightly. "I... I may have arranged this meeting without him."
"Goodbye, Ashley." I turned to leave, already calculating how much time I'd wasted.
"Ethan, wait!" She grabbed my arm desperately. "I didn't trick you, not really. I just... I've missed you so much."
I stared at her hand on my sleeve until she released it. Years ago, her touch would have weakened my resolve. Now, it meant nothing.
"We can start over," she pleaded, eyes glistening with tears that once would have devastated me. "What we had—"
"Is over," I finished coldly. "Has been for years." And strangely, I realized I meant it completely. The wound she'd left had healed so thoroughly I could barely remember the pain.
Her composure cracked entirely then. Ashley lunged forward, wrapping her arms around me with surprising strength. "Ethan, please! I love you! Leaving for Paris was the biggest mistake of my life. Forgive me," she begged, pressing her face against my chest. "We can start fresh. Please?"
Her familiar perfume washed over me, but instead of nostalgia, I felt nothing but irritation.
The comparison between the woman clinging to me and the one who'd been in my arms last night couldn't be more stark. Where Ashley was calculated and desperate, Amelia was authentic and proud, even when vulnerable.
As she spoke, she tried to gently kiss my lips, but I dodged away.
I firmly disentangled myself from her embrace. "There's nothing to discuss, Ashley."
Her tears flowed freely now, her voice rising as I walked toward the door. "Ethan! Don't leave me again! Please!"
Michael waited in the hallway, immediately handing me my phone as I emerged from the suite. Ashley's sobs echoed behind me, but they faded quickly as I strode toward the elevator.
"Call Nathan," I instructed Michael, my voice cold enough to make him flinch. "Tell him if he's not serious about cooperating with us, he can forget about future contact."
Her tears were a weapon, but I was no longer a man who could be wounded by them.