Chapter 5

The second we got into the car, I scrambled off Ethan's body.

The interior was cramped, but the atmosphere felt even more suffocating than it had been back at Sutton Manor.

I pressed myself into the far corner and put as much distance between us as the space would allow.

[Used and discarded. What a heartless woman.]

[Ethan's expression clearly says what game is she playing now? Hard to get?]

Ethan was definitely watching me, and his eyes gave nothing away.

He didn't speak to me. Instead, he told the driver, "Drive."

The car pulled smoothly into the night.

I snuck glances at him while he leaned back against the seat with his eyes closed. His stupidly handsome face revealed absolutely nothing.

But I could see the comments. They said his mind was setting off fireworks.

They kept posting, speculating about what was going through Ethan's head. [She sat on my lap.]

[She put her arms around my neck.]

[She called me Honey.]

[She asked me to take her home to bed.]

[Conclusion. She's crazy about me!]

I stared at the screen.

Was his self-delusion really this powerful?

I'd been marking my territory to protect my paycheck. Still, somehow, in his mind, it had morphed into a passionate love confession.

When we got home, I trailed behind him like a shadow.

The moment he stepped through the door, he loosened his tie and headed straight for the bar. He poured himself a whiskey.

[He needs to cool down, or he'll be taking another cold shower tonight.]

I stood frozen in the entryway, caught between going forward and backing away.

"Um, I'll just head upstairs," I mumbled.

Ethan took a sip of his drink and turned to face me. His eyes locked onto mine.

"Come here," he said.

My legs went weak, but I shuffled toward him anyway.

He pulled me close, and his tall frame completely surrounded me.

"Why did you do that tonight?" he asked, looking down at me. The scent of whiskey mixed with his crisp cologne washed over me, and I felt dizzy.

What could I possibly say? That I was terrified another woman would steal him away and I'd lose my meal ticket?

My mind raced for an answer, and then inspiration struck.

I lowered my head, letting my voice carry a hint of hurt. "Everyone kept saying she was perfect for you, and I didn't like hearing it."

[Claire's answer just hit every note.]

[Ethan's eating this up.]

Sure enough, the storm cloud hanging over Ethan vanished in an instant.

He stayed quiet for a few seconds, then reached out and brushed his fingers through my hair.

The gesture carried an awkward sort of tenderness.

"It won't happen again," he said.

The comments were helpfully translated for me. [Ethan means anyone who tries that again gets their mouth ripped off.]

My inner cheerleader was already setting off fireworks.

Round one went to Cannon Fodder, Claire.

The next morning, I slept in until nearly noon.

When I finally made it downstairs, the staff were all watching me with these knowing, almost smug smiles.

The housekeeper approached me with a covered bowl. "Mrs. Sterling, Mr. Sterling left instructions before he went to the office. He wants you to drink this health tonic once you're awake."

I stared at the health tonic and blinked. What?

[Oh wow, he's already in caretaking mode?]

[Ethan showed up at the office this morning with an actual smile on his face. The executives were so terrified they couldn't even breathe loudly during the meeting.]

[He also secretly googled "what to do when your wife loves you too much."]

I nearly choked on the tonic.

This man was way too pure for his own good.

That afternoon, I was bored out of my mind and scrolling through my phone when a comment popped up.

[Warning! In the original plot, Sutton Enterprises' rival company is set to launch a groundbreaking product in three days. The release will tank Sutton Enterprises' stock price.]

[The core technology behind this new product was leaked by an insider at Sutton Enterprises named Timothy Clark.]

[Ethan gets grilled by the board over the crisis and nearly loses control of the situation. Olivia swoops in at the perfect moment, stabilizes everything for him, and wins his trust.]

The bag of chips in my hand slipped from my fingers and hit the carpet.

This was huge.

My future alimony was on the line here.

If Sutton Enterprises went under, I'd be left with nothing.

I had to stop this.

But how was I supposed to tell Ethan?

If I walked up to him and said Timothy was about to commit corporate espionage, he'd think I'd lost my mind.

I paced back and forth across the living room, my thoughts racing.

Then it hit me.

That evening, when Ethan came home, I was sitting on the couch with my laptop balanced on my knees, completely absorbed in what I was doing.

He walked over and glanced at my screen.

I'd spent the entire afternoon putting together a presentation. The title read: [The Many Disguises of Corporate Spies: A Comprehensive Guide.]

Ethan stared at the screen in silence.

Another comment floated up, narrating his inner thoughts. [Here she goes again with her bizarre way of showing affection.]

[Is she worried about my company? She really does love me.]

I cleared my throat and pointed at Timothy's photo on the screen. I had downloaded it from the company website earlier that afternoon.

I said, "Babe, look at this guy. He's the type who smiles to your face but stabs you in the back the second you turn around."

I flipped to the next slide and showed him a photoshopped image I had created. Timothy and our competitor's CEO stood side by side in a photo that looked suspiciously cozy.

I tapped the screen for emphasis. "See? They're definitely working together behind your back."

Ethan's expression was unreadable.

He sat there in silence and watched me present my entire conspiracy theory for ten minutes straight.

Then he picked up his phone and made a call.

He said into the phone, "Look into Timothy's recent financial transactions and everyone he's been in contact with."

After he hung up, he turned to me. His gaze was dark and intense. He asked, "Satisfied?"

I nodded slowly, caught off guard. He actually believed me?

[Believed you? No, sweetheart. He's just playing along with your little performance.]

[He doesn't want to let you down.]

[No matter what ridiculous thing you do, he thinks the same thing as God, my wife is adorable.]

I looked up at Ethan. He reached over and ruffled my hair, and his mouth curved into a smile that mixed exasperation with pure affection.

My heart skipped a beat.