Chapter 12 - THE COST OF POWER
The badge changed the investigation.
Andrew denied involvement.
His attorney claimed it had been stolen.
He appeared on television the next morning beside a polished criminal defense lawyer and said he was the victim of a coordinated campaign led by Ethan Carter.
Watching him almost made me admire the performance.
Almost.
Andrew looked directly into the camera.
“I have dedicated my life to saving children.”
He paused.
“I refuse to allow a billionaire’s personal jealousy to erase twenty years of medical service.”
Ethan switched off the television.
We were in a conference room with Naomi and Mara.
I stared at the black screen.
“He’s good.”
Naomi nodded.
“He’s practiced.”
Andrew’s lawyer then released private messages between Ethan and me.
Nothing romantic.
Mostly work.
But selected carefully.
A message where Ethan wrote, Please eat something before the board call.
Another where I wrote, You forgot dinner again.
A photograph of the blue scarf in his office.
My stomach turned.
“How did he get those?”
Ethan looked furious.
“Your phone.”
Of course.
Andrew had copied my messages.
Naomi sighed.
“He’s building motive.”
I looked at Ethan.
“This is going to hurt the company.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do.”
“Ava.”
“Employees depend on you.”
“Investors.”
“Projects.”
“You can’t burn everything down because of me.”
His expression hardened.
“I’m not burning anything down.”
“Your stock dropped six percent this morning.”
“It’ll recover.”
“You don’t know that.”
He leaned forward.
“I know exactly what my company is worth.”
“And I know exactly what I’m willing to lose.”
The room fell quiet.
I stared at him.
He continued.
“But you’re right about one thing.”
“What?”
“I’ve been thinking like someone who can solve problems with power.”
Naomi raised an eyebrow.
“That realization only took a week?”
Ethan ignored her.
He looked at me.
“Power doesn’t make evidence stronger.”
“No.”
“It can make people distrust it.”
“Yes.”
“So I’m stepping back.”
I blinked.
“From what?”
“The foundation review.”
He turned toward Naomi.
“Independent counsel gets full authority.”
“Carter Global will not communicate with Heartwell except through standard legal channels.”
“I will not direct public relations concerning Andrew.”
Naomi nodded approvingly.
“And I’ll publicly disclose that Ava and I had mutual feelings but no romantic relationship.”
My chest tightened.
“That will be humiliating.”
“For me?”
“For both of us.”
Ethan gave a small smile.
“I’ve survived worse headlines.”
I looked down.
“This isn’t how I wanted anyone to find out.”
“I know.”
“How did you want me to find out?”
He was silent for a moment.
Then he smiled slightly.
“I imagined a very boring restaurant.”
I laughed.
“A boring restaurant?”
“Yes.”
“No gala.”
“No lawyers.”
“No security team.”
“No hospital scandal.”
“Ambitious.”
“I thought so.”
The laughter faded.
He looked at me.
“And if you said no, I planned to behave like an adult.”
“That sounds even more ambitious.”
Mara coughed from across the room.
“Should Naomi and I leave?”
“No.”
Ethan and I answered simultaneously.
For the first time since the dressing room, the air felt light.
Then Naomi’s phone rang.
Her expression changed as she listened.
“What?”
I asked.
She ended the call.
“The forensic team accessed the flash drive from Andrew’s locker.”
My stomach tightened.
“What’s on it?”
Naomi looked at Ethan.
Then at me.
“Financial records.”
“Payments.”
“Confidential settlements.”
“And a document labeled Monroe.”
My mouth went dry.
“What document?”
Naomi hesitated.
“A draft nondisclosure agreement.”
I stared at her.
“I never signed anything.”
“No.”
She turned the laptop toward me.
“It appears Andrew planned for you to.”
At the bottom was a payment amount.
Two million dollars.
May you like
Beside it was a handwritten note.
AFTER WEDDING IF NECESSARY.
