Chapter 9 - ETHAN’S PROMISE
Ethan respected my request not to attend the evidence review.
He did not respect my request that he stop worrying.
At 11:30 that night, I found him sitting alone in the Carter Tower library with a cold cup of coffee and an untouched dinner.
I stood in the doorway.
“You forgot to eat.”
He looked up.
“So you’re still my assistant?”
“No.”
I walked over and took the plate cover off.
“I’m currently the woman HR is investigating for inappropriate influence over you.”
His mouth tightened.
“I hate that.”
“I know.”
“Sit.”
I sat across from him.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
The city glowed beneath the windows.
“Naomi told me about the recording.”
I nodded.
“Keller knew.”
“Apparently.”
Ethan leaned back.
“The foundation gave Heartwell forty-eight million dollars over seven years.”
“You didn’t know.”
“That doesn’t change where the money went.”
“No.”
“It may have helped protect him.”
“Or it may have paid for surgeries that saved children.”
Ethan looked at me.
“Both things can be true.”
I had learned that too.
A man could save lives in an operating room and destroy one at home.
A hospital could perform miracles for children while silencing employees.
A foundation could do good and still miss terrible things hiding behind polished reports.
“Do you regret postponing the award?”
“No.”
“That answer came fast.”
“I regret ever considering giving it to him.”
I smiled faintly.
Then my expression faded.
“You have to promise me something.”
“What?”
“Don’t use the company to ruin Andrew.”
His eyes sharpened.
“Ava.”
“I mean it.”
“He deserves consequences.”
“Yes.”
“But not because Ethan Carter decides he deserves them.”
His jaw tightened.
“You want to leave this to the system?”
“I want evidence to ruin him.”
I leaned forward.
“Not you.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because his entire defense will be that a jealous billionaire targeted him over a woman.”
Ethan stared at me.
I continued.
“If hospitals fire him because you threaten funding, he becomes a martyr.”
“If newspapers attack him because your public relations team feeds them stories, he becomes a victim.”
“If you personally destroy his career, then every person who already wants to doubt me gets permission.”
He looked away.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Be a witness.”
His eyes returned to mine.
“You saw the bruises.”
“Yes.”
“You saw his messages.”
“Yes.”
“You watched him press my ribs at the gala.”
His voice dropped.
“Yes.”
“Then tell the truth when someone asks.”
I paused.
“And otherwise, let me fight.”
Something passed across his face.
Pride.
Fear.
Love.
Maybe all three.
“All right.”
I breathed out.
“Thank you.”
“But I want something too.”
“What?”
“If you decide to go back to him, tell me.”
I flinched.
“I’m not.”
“You might.”
“No.”
“Ava.”
His voice softened.
“Leaving an abusive relationship is complicated.”
I stared at him.
“I’ve been reading.”
Despite myself, I laughed.
“You’ve been reading?”
“Everything.”
“Of course you have.”
He almost smiled.
Then he became serious again.
“If you go back, I won’t judge you.”
“I’ll hate it.”
“I’ll worry.”
“But I won’t make you ashamed.”
My eyes burned.
“You really have been reading.”
“Yes.”
The silence afterward felt strangely intimate.
Not romantic.
Not exactly.
Something more fragile.
Ethan stood.
“I should go.”
I nodded.
At the door, he stopped.
“Ava.”
“Yes?”
“When this is over, I’m going to ask you to dinner.”
My heart stumbled.
He continued before I could respond.
“Not now.”
“Not next week.”
“Not while you’re living in a safe apartment and dealing with police interviews.”
“But one day.”
I looked at him.
“And if I say no?”
“I’ll survive.”
“And if I say yes?”
His expression softened.
“Then I’ll make a reservation.”
He opened the door.
For the first time in months, I found myself imagining a future.
Not a wedding.
Not Ethan.
Not romance.
May you like
Just a future.
It felt enormous.
