ETHAN'S POV
I couldn't speak. Not right away. My throat tightened, and I did the only thing I could think of, I pulled her into me, held her like she was the very air I was afraid to lose again.
"I need you," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "Not just beside me. I need you with me. Through all of it. Every plan. Every decision. No more secrets. No more pretending I can handle everything alone."
She nodded, resting her forehead against mine. "That's all I've ever wanted."
I exhaled. "Then I'm giving it to you. All of it. Starting now."
We lay like that for minutes or maybe an hour. Her heartbeat against mine, steady, patient. Like she'd been waiting for this version of me for longer than even she realized.
Eventually, I whispered, "There's a meeting tomorrow. I'm removing everyone Victor flagged. Quietly, surgically. No public drama. I'll restructure the board with people we both vet. You'll be in every room moving forward."
