Chapter 2 - The Engagement Dinner Turned Into a Nightmare When Her Ex-Fiancé Recognized the Man Holding Her Hand
Ryan Mercer recovered quickly.
Men like him usually did.
They depended on confidence the way ordinary people depended on oxygen.
He straightened his jacket and looked toward Patricia Hart.
"I'm only concerned about Jenna."
"Then you can stop," Jenna said.
Her voice was steady.
I admired that.
Even with her mother watching and a room full of strangers listening, she refused to shrink.
Ryan gave her a wounded expression.
"After everything we've been through?"
"Especially after everything we've been through."
Patricia stepped between them.
"Please. This is Matthew's engagement dinner."
"Then perhaps we should celebrate Matthew," I suggested.
Patricia looked at me.
Something about my calmness seemed to bother her more than anger would have.
"Mr. Blackwood, I'm sure you understand that we're a close family."
"I do."
"We care deeply about who Jenna spends her time with."
"So do I."
Her eyebrows rose.
I continued.
"The difference is that I trust her to make that decision."
Jenna's fingers tightened around mine.
Across the room, Matt finally noticed the disturbance.
He approached with Olivia.
"Jen?"
She turned.
Her entire expression changed.
"Matt!"
She released my hand long enough to embrace her brother.
He hugged her tightly.
Then he looked at me.
"So you're Evan."
I offered my hand.
"Congratulations on your engagement."
Matt shook it.
"Thanks. Jenna talks about you."
I glanced at her.
"Does she?"
"Usually while complaining."
"Matthew," Jenna warned.
He laughed.
"She says you're stubborn, impossible, and allergic to taking vacations."
"All true," I admitted.
Olivia smiled.
"Then you really are her boyfriend?"
Jenna opened her mouth.
I answered first.
"I'm hoping to become a very good one."
Her head turned sharply toward me.
For a moment, she forgot we were pretending.
Olivia looked delighted.
Matt grinned.
Patricia looked as though she had swallowed a lemon.
Ryan looked murderous.
Dinner began twenty minutes later.
I was seated beside Jenna, with Matt and Olivia across from us.
Ryan had been placed near Patricia.
It was obvious the seating arrangement had been prepared before Jenna announced she was bringing someone.
I suspected Ryan had expected an empty chair beside her.
Instead, he had to watch me pull it out.
Jenna sat.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome."
"You're enjoying this."
"Immensely."
"You're terrible."
"So I've been told."
For the first half hour, the evening remained civil.
Olivia's father, Thomas Bennett, delivered a toast.
Matt spoke about meeting Olivia during a construction inspection three years earlier.
Olivia joked that he had tried to impress her by explaining load-bearing walls.
Everyone laughed.
Even I found myself relaxing.
Then Patricia raised her glass.
"Of course, marriage requires sacrifice."
Jenna went still.
I knew immediately where this was going.
Patricia smiled toward Ryan.
"Sometimes people don't appreciate that until they've lost something wonderful."
Matt sighed.
"Mom."
"What? I'm simply offering advice."
Ryan leaned back.
"Your mother has always understood commitment, Jenna."
Jenna placed her fork down.
"Ryan, this isn't about us."
"Isn't it?"
"No."
He smiled.
"Funny. Because when Patricia invited me, she said you might finally be ready to talk."
Jenna turned toward her mother.
"You told him that?"
Patricia looked uncomfortable.
"I thought perhaps the two of you could resolve your differences."
"We resolved them two years ago."
"People make mistakes."
"Ending that engagement wasn't a mistake."
Ryan's expression hardened.
"Really?"
"Really."
He looked toward me.
"And now you're dating your boss."
"Yes," Jenna said.
"How convenient."
I placed my glass down.
"Choose your next words carefully."
Ryan laughed.
"There he is."
I remained silent.
"The famous Blackwood temper."
Jenna touched my wrist.
I looked at her.
She gave the smallest shake of her head.
I understood.
This was her fight.
She deserved the opportunity to handle it.
"Ryan," she said, "I came here to celebrate my brother. I didn't come to explain my personal life to you."
"Then why bring him?"
"Because I wanted to."
"Or because you wanted to hurt me?"
Jenna stared at him.
The question was so absurd that even Patricia looked embarrassed.
"You moved to Dallas," Jenna reminded him. "You ended our engagement when I refused to resign from my job. You told me I would regret choosing my career."
"I wanted a wife."
"You wanted an employee."
A few guests lowered their eyes.
Ryan flushed.
"That's unfair."
"What's unfair is showing up at my brother's dinner and trying to make my life about your wounded pride."
I nearly applauded.
Instead, I took her hand beneath the table.
She squeezed it.
Ryan noticed.
His jaw tightened.
"You're making a mistake," he said.
I finally spoke.
"She made her decision."
He looked at me.
"And what exactly do you want from her?"
The answer came too easily.
"Her happiness."
Jenna turned.
I kept my eyes on Ryan.
"Whether I'm part of it or not."
Silence followed.
It was the first completely honest thing I had said all evening.
Ryan looked away.
But the conversation was not finished.
An hour later, while dessert was being served, I noticed Ryan leave through a side door.
Ordinarily, I wouldn't have cared.
Then my phone vibrated.
Marcus had sent a message.
"Sir, Mercer Financial Holdings appeared in the preliminary audit. Possible connection to the missing transport contracts."
I read it twice.
For six months, my legitimate transportation division had been losing bids under suspicious circumstances.
Confidential pricing information had appeared in competitors' proposals.
Three contracts had been redirected through a consulting firm registered in Texas.
My finance director had identified irregularities but not the ultimate beneficiary.
Now Marcus was telling me Ryan Mercer might be involved.
I looked toward the side door.
Then I looked at Jenna.
She was laughing with Olivia.
For one precious moment, she seemed happy.
I didn't want to destroy it.
I typed a response.
"Verify. No action without evidence."
Marcus replied immediately.
"Understood."
I put my phone away.
Jenna noticed.
"Business?"
"Something that can wait."
She studied me.
"You're lying."
"Not exactly."
"Evan."
I leaned closer.
"Do you want to dance?"
Her expression changed.
"What?"
"There's music."
"You're changing the subject."
"Successfully?"
She tried not to smile.
"You're impossible."
"Come dance with me."
She hesitated.
Then she nodded.
The restaurant had a small private dance floor near the windows.
A pianist was playing an old love song.
I led Jenna toward the music.
She placed one hand on my shoulder.
I rested mine carefully at her waist.
For several seconds, we moved without speaking.
Then she looked up.
"You know, you don't have to look so serious."
"I'm concentrating."
"On what?"
"Not stepping on your feet."
She laughed.
"You've negotiated with international criminals, and you're afraid of dancing?"
"With you? Absolutely."
Her smile softened.
"Why?"
I could have lied.
I could have made another joke.
Instead, I said, "Because your opinion matters to me."
She stopped moving for half a heartbeat.
Then we continued.
"More than your business partners?"
"Considerably."
"More than Marcus?"
"Marcus thinks I should take a vacation."
"He sounds intelligent."
"He's becoming a problem."
She laughed again.
I wished the song would never end.
Then I noticed Ryan standing near the bar.
He wasn't watching us with jealousy anymore.
He was watching with calculation.
Beside him stood a man I recognized.
Daniel Voss.
A private investigator who had once worked for a rival organization.
Voss leaned toward Ryan and said something.
Ryan's expression changed.
Then he looked directly at Jenna.
A cold feeling settled in my stomach.
I turned us slightly, keeping her away from their line of sight.
"Jenna."
"Hmm?"
"Has Ryan contacted you recently?"
"Besides tonight?"
"Yes."
She considered.
"He called twice last week."
"What did he want?"
"To meet for coffee."
"Did you?"
"No."
"Anything else?"
"He asked whether I still worked for you."
I kept my expression neutral.
"What did you say?"
"That my employment wasn't his business."
"Good."
She looked up.
"Evan, what's wrong?"
I wanted to tell her everything.
But I had no proof yet.
And I refused to accuse someone based on suspicion alone.
"Nothing I can't handle."
She stopped dancing.
"That's not an answer."
"No."
"Then give me one."
I looked into her eyes.
"Ryan may be involved in something beyond your relationship."
Her face changed.
"What kind of something?"
"I'm checking."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Potentially."
She stepped back.
"Then why are we still here?"
I admired how quickly she understood.
Not because she was frightened.
Because she was practical.
"We can leave," I said.
She looked toward Matt and Olivia.
"I need to say goodbye."
"Of course."
We returned to the table.
Matt hugged his sister.
Olivia promised to call the next morning.
Patricia barely looked at me.
Ryan appeared as we reached the hallway.
"Leaving already?"
Jenna sighed.
"Goodnight, Ryan."
He stepped closer.
"I need five minutes."
"No."
"It's important."
"Then send an email."
He glanced at me.
"Actually, this concerns your boyfriend."
I moved slightly in front of Jenna.
"Speak."
Ryan smiled.
"I know about the missing contracts."
My expression did not change.
But inside, every instinct sharpened.
"Interesting."
"I also know who has been selling your company information."
Jenna looked between us.
"What are you talking about?"
Ryan ignored her.
"Perhaps we should discuss this privately."
"No," I said.
His smile faltered.
"No?"
"You brought this up in front of Jenna. You can finish it in front of her."
Ryan hesitated.
Then he reached into his jacket.
I moved instantly.
Not because I intended to hurt him.
Because men who reached into jackets without warning had tried to kill me before.
Ryan froze.
"Relax."
He withdrew an envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Jenna leaving my office building three nights earlier.
The photograph had been taken from across the street.
On the back, someone had written:
"SHE HAS ACCESS TO EVERYTHING."
Jenna stared at it.
Her face drained of color.
I took the photograph.
Then I looked at Ryan.
"Where did you get this?"
He smiled again.
"That's what I wanted to discuss."
I stepped closer.
"Who took it?"
Ryan's confidence faltered.
"I don't know."
"Who gave it to you?"
"Someone who thinks you should pay attention to your employees."
I studied his face.
He was frightened.
But not of me.
Not entirely.
He was frightened of whoever had supplied that photograph.
I took Jenna's hand.
"We're leaving."
Ryan grabbed her wrist.
"Jenna, wait."
The hallway went silent.
I looked at his hand.
"Release her."
Ryan hesitated.
"She's my—"
"She is not yours."
My voice was quiet.
That made it worse.
He released her.
Jenna stepped beside me.
I looked at him one final time.
"If you have information about my company, contact my attorney. If you have information about someone following Jenna, contact the police."
Ryan swallowed.
"And if I don't?"
"Then don't approach her again."
I led Jenna outside.
The night air was cold.
She stood beside my car, breathing unevenly.
"Evan?"
"Yes?"
"Why would someone photograph me?"
I wanted to give her a reassuring answer.
Instead, I told her the truth.
"I don't know yet."
She looked toward the restaurant.
"Do you think Ryan is involved?"
"I think he's hiding something."
Her eyes filled with tears.
She blinked them away angrily.
"I hate this."
I opened my arms.
She stepped into them.
For the first time in two years, I held Jenna Hart against my chest.
Not as her employer.
Not as a man pretending to be her boyfriend.
But as someone who would have given anything to make her feel safe.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
She shook her head.
"You didn't do this."
I rested my cheek against her hair.
"No. But I'm going to help you find out who did."
Then my phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered.
"Talk."
His voice was tense.
"Sir, we found the source of the leak."
"Who?"
"Someone inside your executive office."
I looked down at Jenna.
Marcus continued.
"And Evan, there's something else."
"What?"
"The account receiving the payments is registered under Jenna Hart's name."
For the first time in years, I felt genuine fear.
May you like
Not because I believed Jenna had betrayed me.
Because someone had gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure I would.
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