Chapter 4 - Ethan Sold My Family’s Secret to Lorenzo’s Enemy
Lorenzo read the messages.
He didn't react.
That frightened me more than anger would have.
“I'm going.”
I grabbed his arm.
“No.”
His eyes softened.
“They have your mother.”
“They want you.”
“I know.”
“This is a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then don't go.”
He touched my hand.
“You've been protecting everyone since you were twelve.”
“What?”
“You've carried Noah. Protected your mother. Protected people at the hospital.”
He looked into my eyes.
“Let someone protect you.”
I almost cried.
But my mother was in danger.
We prepared.
Lorenzo brought only two men.
The meeting point was an abandoned warehouse.
Ethan stood beside Victor.
I couldn't believe it.
“Ethan.”
He looked away.
Victor smiled.
“She's exactly as stubborn as her mother.”
“You poisoned my mother.”
“I needed her awake long enough to talk.”
Lorenzo stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
Victor laughed.
“You're still trying to command people.”
“You have no idea what command means.”
Victor looked at me.
“Your mother knows where the Black Rose account is.”
I frowned.
“What account?”
Lorenzo went still.
Victor noticed.
“You never told her?”
Lorenzo looked at me.
“No.”
“What is Black Rose?”
An old financial network.
Money moved through it decades ago.
My mother's family had been involved.
Victor wanted access.
Ethan handed him documents.
“Everything is here.”
I stared at Ethan.
“You betrayed me.”
“I was trying to survive.”
“You could have told me.”
“They would have killed me.”
“You let them threaten my mother.”
“I didn't know he'd go that far.”
Victor laughed.
“He always knew.”
Ethan looked at the floor.
Lorenzo took one step forward.
“You used her.”
Victor lifted his gun.
“Stay back.”
Ethan whispered, “Run.”
Victor turned.
“What did you say?”
Ethan looked at me.
“Run.”
Chaos followed.
Lorenzo attacked first.
Gunfire filled the warehouse.
I dropped behind a crate.
Ethan tackled one of Victor's men.
Then Victor escaped.
Lorenzo reached me.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He looked at Ethan.
Ethan was bleeding.
“Leave him.”
I stared.
“No.”
Lorenzo frowned.
“He betrayed you.”
“I know.”
“He sold your mother.”
“I know.”
“But you still want to save him?”
I nodded.
Lorenzo sighed.
“Fine.”
We got Ethan out.
He survived.
But he was arrested later.
Before the police took him, he asked to speak to me.
“I really loved you.”
I believed him.
That didn't erase what he had done.
“Then why did you do it?”
“Because I was weak.”
I shook my head.
“You were afraid.”
“Yes.”
“That doesn't make it okay.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
“Victor is planning something bigger.”
“What?”
“He isn't after the account.”
“Then what?”
“He wants Lorenzo's empire.”
I looked at Lorenzo.
Ethan continued.
“He has people inside the organization.”
Lorenzo's face hardened.
“Who?”
“Someone close.”
That was all he said.
The following days became a nightmare.
Lorenzo's organization began losing shipments.
Bank accounts were frozen.
Two warehouses burned.
Someone was feeding information to Victor.
Someone close to Lorenzo.
And then his grandmother disappeared.
Lorenzo came to my apartment that night.
“I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I can't keep pretending this is only about my family.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are part of my life now.”
I stared at him.
“I didn't ask for that.”
“I know.”
He took a breath.
“I love you.”
I froze.
The words were simple.
But they changed everything.
“I've tried not to.”
“Why?”
“Because you deserve peace.”
I whispered, “Maybe I don't want peace.”
He stepped closer.
“You're engaged.”
“Not anymore.”
“Emily.”
“I ended it.”
He looked stunned.
“Why?”
“Because I realized I was planning a future with someone I couldn't trust.”
He said nothing.
Then he touched my face.
“I will never ask you to enter my world.”
“Good.”
“I'll never ask you to become like me.”
“Good.”
“But I will ask you to stay.”
I looked into his eyes.
“I already am.”
He kissed me.
It was gentle.
Nothing like the world people imagined when they heard his name.
Then his phone rang.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
“Who?”
May you like
He looked at me.
“My grandmother is missing.”
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