Chapter 3 - THE CRACK IN THE MASK
Three days passed in a quiet routine.
Ethan worked long hours,
returning late with a tired but satisfied look on his face.
We ate simple meals,
talked about books,
and avoided the topic of the Whitakers.
But I started to notice things that didn't quite fit the image of a security guard.
He spoke three languages fluently when he answered his phone.
His watch,
though simple,
was a rare vintage piece that a collector would kill for.
And he had a way of looking at the world as if he owned it,
even while standing in a cramped kitchen.
"Ethan,"
I asked one evening while we were washing dishes together.
"Who do you actually work for?"
He paused,
a plate dripping water in his hand.
"I told you,"
he said,
not looking at me.
"A private family in Dallas."
"Which family?"
I pressed,
curiosity finally winning over my politeness.
"They value their privacy,
Madison,"
he replied,
his tone shutting down the conversation.
I didn't push further,
but the seed of doubt was planted.
The next morning,
a heavy package was delivered to the door.
It was addressed to Mrs. Ethan Vale.
I opened it to find a stunning,
deep emerald evening gown.
The fabric felt like liquid gold against my skin.
There was no note,
only an invitation to the Apex Gala.
The Apex Gala was the most exclusive event in the country.
Even my father had been trying to get an invitation for years.
Savannah had mentioned it dozens of times,
claiming she would be the first Whitaker to attend once she married Preston.
I stared at the invitation,
my heart hammering against my ribs.
"Ethan?"
I called out,
but he had already left for the day.
I looked at the dress again.
It was a masterpiece of design,
elegant,
bold,
and incredibly expensive.
I tried it on,
the emerald silk clinging to my curves perfectly.
I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the woman staring back.
She didn't look like a girl who had been hidden in an attic.
She looked like a queen.
My phone rang again,
this time it was my father.
"Madison,"
he barked as soon as I picked up.
"Have you seen the guest list for the Apex Gala?"
"I haven't,"
I said,
trying to keep my voice steady.
"The Caldwells got two seats,"
he fumed.
"But Savannah says there's a rumor that you were invited."
"I was,"
I said,
looking at the card on the table.
"That's impossible,"
Richard shouted.
"Who would invite the wife of a bicycle-riding guard to the Apex?"
"Maybe someone who knows his worth better than you do,"
I replied.
"You are not to go,"
he commanded.
"If you show up there and embarrass us further,
I will disown you completely."
"You already did that when you gave me away to a man you thought was nothing,"
I told him.
"I'm going,
Father."
"And I won't be going as a Whitaker."
I hung up,
trembling with a mixture of fear and excitement.
I didn't know how Ethan had gotten this invitation.
I didn't know who he really was.
May you like
But for the first time,
I was going to step out of the shadows.
