Ethan's POV
Ethan sat in his office the following morning, the city sprawling before him through the large windows of Carter Enterprises. The city never stopped, never seemed to pause for anything—not even for the storm inside his chest.
His thoughts kept circling back to Bella.
The kiss they had shared the night before had been electric, raw with emotions they'd both spent years burying. It felt like no time had passed since they'd last been together, but reality was always just a heartbeat away. She was scared—he could see that in the way she held back, the way she tried to shield herself. And who could blame her?
He had walked away from her once, and now he had to prove, in every way possible, that he wasn't going to make the same mistake again. But there were still the twins, still the layers of hurt and confusion between them, and the darker truth—the shadow of Vince Reyes—looming over everything.
Ethan's phone buzzed, and his thoughts snapped back to the present. He glanced at the screen. It was a text from his sister, Amelia.
Amelia: I need to talk. Can we meet?
Ethan frowned. Amelia never needed to meet with him unless it was important. She was his rock, the one person who saw past the CEO persona to the man he really was. Her concerns always carried weight.
He tapped out a quick reply: Sure, I'll be there in thirty.
As he stood up and grabbed his jacket, his mind once again wandered back to Bella and the twins.
She had been distant that morning. She hadn't even let him in for coffee, a subtle way of keeping things at arm's length. Ethan could understand that—he had never given her the chance to fully trust him again. It was one thing to kiss her, to feel the chemistry reignite between them, but it was something else entirely to convince her that he was worthy of being in her life—and more importantly, in the twins' lives.
The idea of the twins—the idea of being their father—was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. He'd known, deep down, that something was different the moment he saw them. The minute Aiden's bright blue eyes locked with his, it was like he was seeing a part of himself he didn't know was missing. Aria's laughter, her curiosity, it was like a glimpse of what could have been.
He couldn't help but wonder, though: Was Bella ready for this?
The truth was, they both had a lot to face—together and apart. Vince was still out there, lurking in the background, his dark influence hanging over them all like a storm cloud. He needed to protect Bella from that darkness. He couldn't let her carry that weight alone.
---
Ethan arrived at the café where he'd agreed to meet Amelia. It was a small, cozy spot not far from the Carter family estate, one where they used to meet when they were kids. Amelia was already seated at a corner table, stirring a cup of tea, her eyes distant. She looked up as he approached, offering him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Everything okay?" Ethan asked, sliding into the seat across from her.
Amelia's gaze flickered with hesitation before she set her cup down and leaned in. "It's about Bella."
His chest tightened at the mention of her name. "What about her?" He tried to keep his voice neutral, but the protectiveness he felt toward her was like a fire inside him.
"She's not telling you everything," Amelia said softly, her voice low as if afraid someone might overhear. "I've been talking to Carmen… and there's something you need to know about Vince. Something bigger than you realize."
Ethan's pulse quickened, his instincts kicking into overdrive. "What are you talking about?" His voice was firm now, no longer asking.
Amelia paused, clearly weighing her words. "Bella's ex-fiancé—Vince Reyes—he's not just some guy who hurt her. He's tied up with people in places you don't want to go. I know you think you can protect her, but Vince is dangerous. And I think he has something on you, Ethan. Something that could ruin everything."
The words hit him like a punch to the gut. He had suspected Vince's connection to the underworld, but hearing it confirmed brought everything into sharper focus.
"Tell me everything," he demanded, leaning forward.
Amelia glanced around before she spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Vince doesn't just want Bella back. He wants you, Ethan. He knows about your father's business dealings—about things that you've kept buried for years. He's been watching you for a while. And now, he's using Bella to get to you."
The air in the café seemed to grow colder as the weight of her words settled over him.
"He's threatening me?" Ethan's voice was sharp, his mind racing with possibilities. But no matter how many scenarios he ran, one thing was clear—Vince was playing a game that Ethan couldn't afford to lose.
Amelia nodded grimly. "I'm not saying he's going to make his move immediately, but I've got a bad feeling. He's dangerous, Ethan. I don't want to see you get caught up in his mess. Especially not with Bella and the twins involved."
The mention of the twins brought a fresh wave of determination crashing through him. His family—his real family—was now more than just a legacy or a business. It was a life that he had to protect, at all costs.
Ethan stood up abruptly, his mind already working over the information. "I need to talk to Bella."
"Ethan—" Amelia's voice was tinged with concern, but he was already heading out the door. There was no more time to waste.
---
By the time he arrived at Bella's apartment, his heart was pounding in his chest, and his thoughts were spinning faster than he could keep up. He couldn't lose her again—not now. He couldn't let Vince's sick game ruin the future they had just started to rebuild.
As the elevator doors opened to her floor, Ethan's eyes scanned the hallway. The door to her apartment was slightly ajar, and his instincts screamed at him to be cautious.
He approached slowly, pushing the door open with a gentle push. The sight that met him stopped him dead in his tracks.
Bella was standing in the middle of the living room, her back to him, holding something in her hands. The twins' drawings, crumpled and torn, lay scattered on the floor at her feet. Her shoulders were shaking, but she wasn't crying. She was… angry.
The tension in the room was thick as she slowly turned to face him, her eyes blazing with a mix of fear and frustration.
"What did you do, Ethan?" she asked, her voice trembling with a raw edge. "What did you get us involved in?"