Chapter 6: The Enemy Standing Beside Me
The lights returned three seconds later.
But three seconds was enough.
Enough for people to move.
Enough for someone to disappear.
Enough for everyone to realize this wasn’t a normal charity gala anymore.
Security rushed into the ballroom.
Guests shouted questions.
Phones came out.
Everyone wanted to know what happened.
But I already knew.
Someone had just threatened me in front of hundreds of witnesses.
And whoever it was didn’t care anymore about hiding.
I looked around.
Brooke.
Chad.
Daniel.
My mother.
Everyone was still there.
Everyone except one person.
I scanned the crowd.
Then I saw the empty space near the entrance.
A man who had been standing there earlier was gone.
My mother noticed.
“Ethan.””
I looked at her.
“We need to leave.””
“Who was that?””
Her expression changed.
“Not here.””
“No.””
My voice surprised her.
“No more secrets.””
People nearby turned.
Good.
Let them hear.
Let everyone hear.
I was done being the last person to know what was happening in my own life.
My mother lowered her voice.
“Your father had enemies.””
“My father?””
She nodded.
“He built Carter Technologies from nothing. But he trusted the wrong people.””
I looked at Brooke.
“And the Whitmores?””
She didn’t answer.
That was an answer.
Brooke stepped forward.
“I didn’t know.””
Everyone looked at her.
She looked different now.
Not the confident woman from earlier.
Not the woman with the perfect smile.
Just someone watching her carefully built world collapse.
“I swear, Ethan, I didn’t know about any of this.””
I stared at her.
“You knew enough.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“You knew my mother was alive.””
Her face fell.
“I found out recently.””
“When?””
She hesitated.
I already knew I wouldn’t like the answer.
“After your accident.””
I looked away.
After.
Not before.
Not during.
After.
“You visited me in the hospital.””
“Yes.””
“You knew I was fighting to walk again.””
“Yes.””
“And you still left.””
Her eyes filled.
“I was scared.””
I almost believed her.
Almost.
Then Chad interrupted.
“Brooke.””
His voice was warning.
She turned.
“What?””
He looked nervous.
“We need to go.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
No answer.
I rolled closer.
“Why do you need to leave?””
Chad stepped back.
“Because this is getting out of control.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“This was always under control.””
His face changed.
Because he knew what I meant.
Someone had planned everything.
The accident.
The betrayal.
The humiliation.
The question was why.
My mother pulled another document from the folder.
“I found this two weeks ago.””
She handed it to me.
It was a contract.
My name was on it.
But the signature wasn’t mine.
I stared.
“What is this?””
“Transfer agreement.””
“For what?””
She looked at me.
“For your company.””
My stomach dropped.
The document transferred ownership of my shares.
To Brooke.
My hands went cold.
“When was this created?””
My mother pointed at the date.
The day after my accident.
The day I was unconscious.
The day nobody thought I would survive.
I looked at Brooke.
Her face went white.
“I didn’t sign that.””
“No?””
My mother turned the page.
“Then explain why your fingerprint is on it.””
Brooke stepped back.
“I don’t understand.””
Chad suddenly spoke.
“She didn’t do it.””
Everyone looked at him.
His expression immediately changed.
Too late.
Because he had just defended her.
Not denied it.
Defended it.
I looked at him.
“You know something.””
“No.””
“You do.””
He shook his head.
“I’m trying to help.””
“By doing what?””
Silence.
Then he whispered:
“By stopping them before they kill you.””
The room went still.
Brooke stared at him.
“What did you say?””
Chad looked terrified.
Not of me.
Of someone else.
“I shouldn’t have come here.””
He turned toward the exit.
Security moved.
Two guards blocked his path.
“Sir, please stay.””
Chad looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw the truth.
He wasn’t the villain.
He was afraid of the villain.
“Ethan.””
I looked at him.
“The person you’re looking for isn’t Brooke.””
My heart pounded.
“Then who is it?””
Chad swallowed.
Then looked directly at Daniel.
Nobody spoke.
Daniel’s face went pale.
“Chad.””
My voice was barely a whisper.
“What are you saying?””
Chad closed his eyes.
“I’m saying the man who knew about the accident before it happened…”
May you like
He opened his eyes.
“…was your best friend.””
