Chapter 2: The Secret Inside the Cream Folder
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The ballroom's golden chandeliers reflected across the polished marble floor. Somewhere near the orchestra, a violinist accidentally played a single note before falling silent.
Ethan stood beside his wheelchair, holding the cream-colored folder.
Brooke stared at him.
“Put that away,” she whispered.
Ethan tilted his head.
“Why?””
“Because you're making a scene.””
He glanced around the ballroom.
“Interesting. I thought you enjoyed making scenes.””
A few guests exchanged looks.
Chad stepped between them.
“Listen, Ethan. Whatever personal issues you two have, this isn't the place.””
Ethan looked at him calmly.
“You're right.””
Chad seemed relieved.
“Good. Then let's take this somewhere private.””
“No.””
Chad's smile disappeared.
Ethan turned toward the guests.
“I believe everyone here deserves to hear what happens when someone mistakes kindness for weakness.””
Brooke grabbed his arm.
“Stop it!””
Ethan looked down at her fingers.
“Let go.””
She released him.
Grace remained beside the abandoned wheelchair, unsure whether she should call security or simply disappear into the staff corridor.
The attendant approached Ethan.
“Sir, would you like me to arrange the presentation?””
“Not yet, Daniel.””
Daniel nodded and stepped aside.
Brooke's eyes narrowed.
“Presentation? What presentation?””
Ethan ignored her.
He looked at the waiter carrying a fresh glass of water.
“Could I have that, please?””
The waiter handed it to him.
Ethan took a sip.
His right leg still hurt. He had only recently regained enough strength to stand without assistance for extended periods. The specialist had warned him not to overdo it.
But tonight wasn't an ordinary evening.
Tonight, he had finally found the people he had been searching for.
“Brooke,” he said, “do you remember the night I was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital?””
She folded her arms.
“Of course I do.””
“Do you remember promising to bring me the company files?””
Her expression flickered.
“What files?””
“The original shareholder agreements. The acquisition contracts. The documents I left in our apartment safe.””
Chad laughed nervously.
“Are we seriously discussing paperwork?””
Ethan turned toward him.
“You seem unusually interested in this conversation.””
“I'm not interested at all.””
“Then you won't mind listening.””
Brooke stepped closer.
“Ethan, I don't know what you're trying to do, but you're confused. You were injured. You spent months in rehabilitation. Maybe you should sit down.””
Ethan glanced at the wheelchair.
“I spent eleven months learning to walk again.””
His voice softened.
“Eleven months, Brooke. Every morning, I had to convince my body to move one more inch. Every evening, I returned to an empty apartment.””
Grace lowered her eyes.
Ethan continued.
“You know what I remember most?””
Brooke said nothing.
“The first time I stood between the parallel bars. I fell. I hit my shoulder so hard I couldn't lift my arm for two days.””
He paused.
“The physical therapist asked if I wanted to call someone.””
Brooke looked away.
“I said yes. I called you.””
“Ethan…”
“You answered. You told me you were busy.””
“I was dealing with a lot!””
“You told me Chad was helping you.””
Chad shifted his weight.
“Don't bring me into this.””
Ethan gave a humorless laugh.
“You were already involved.””
Brooke shook her head.
“This is ridiculous. I loved you.””
Ethan stared at her.
“Then why did you transfer the company documents?””
Her mouth opened.
No words came out.
Daniel quietly moved closer.
Ethan opened the folder just enough to remove a single photograph.
It showed a small office safe with its door hanging open.
Brooke recognized it immediately.
Their old apartment.
Her apartment.
The one she had moved into after Ethan's accident.
“What is that?”” Chad asked.
“A photograph taken during the inventory of my former residence,” Ethan replied.
Brooke's face tightened.
“You had no right to enter my home.””
“It wasn't your home.””
“It was!””
“The lease was in my name. The furniture was mine. The safe was mine.””
Brooke looked around.
Several guests were now openly watching.
She lowered her voice.
“Ethan, please. We can discuss this privately.””
“That's what I wanted two years ago.””
He returned the photograph to the folder.
“Before you stopped answering my calls.””
Chad stepped forward.
“Enough. Brooke is my fiancée. You don't get to interrogate her.””
Ethan looked at Chad's left hand.
A thick gold wedding band gleamed beneath the chandelier.
“That's an interesting ring.””
Chad glanced down.
“What?””
Ethan smiled faintly.
“Nothing.””
Brooke quickly changed the subject.
“Chad, we should leave.””
“Absolutely.””
She reached for his hand.
But Ethan spoke again.
“Before you go, Brooke, I'd like to ask you one question.””
She stopped.
“What?””
“Did you ever tell Chad where the original acquisition agreement went?””
Chad's expression changed.
It was quick.
Almost invisible.
But Ethan saw it.
Brooke saw it too.
“Ethan, I have no idea what you're talking about.””
Daniel finally stepped forward.
“Mr. Cole, perhaps we should bring in the other guest.””
Ethan nodded.
“Please.””
The ballroom doors opened.
A tall woman in a navy-blue dress entered, carrying a leather briefcase.
Brooke turned.
Her eyes widened.
“No.””
The woman walked toward them.
“Good evening, Brooke.””
Brooke shook her head.
“You can't be here.””
The woman stopped beside Ethan.
“I'm afraid I can.””
Ethan introduced her.
“This is Margaret Ellis. She was the company's chief financial officer before my accident.””
Chad frowned.
“Was?””
Margaret placed her briefcase on a nearby table.
“Mr. Reynolds, you seem surprised.””
Chad's face tightened.
“I haven't seen you in years.””
“That's because you resigned from the company shortly after the missing funds were discovered.””
Brooke looked at Chad.
“What?””
Margaret opened the briefcase.
“Perhaps you should explain why your signature appears on the authorization forms.””
Chad took a step backward.
“Those documents are fake.””
Margaret didn't blink.
“Then you'll have no difficulty explaining them to the investigators.””
A low murmur swept across the ballroom.
Brooke turned toward Ethan.
“You set this up?””
Ethan's expression remained cold.
“No, Brooke.””
He looked at the open briefcase.
“I simply stopped protecting you.””
Margaret removed a sealed envelope.
“Mr. Cole, there's one more thing.””
Ethan accepted it.
“What is it?””
Margaret glanced at Brooke.
“The original agreement wasn't the only document missing.””
Brooke's breathing became shallow.
Margaret lowered her voice.
“The person who removed it also changed the beneficiary information.””
Ethan stared at the envelope.
For the first time that evening, his composure cracked.
“Changed it to whom?””
May you like
Margaret looked directly at Chad.
“That's what we need to establish.””
