Chapter 3: Secrets and Spotlights
Lila Harper's hands shook as she pushed open the door to the Blue Moon Café, the bell jangling like a warning shot. It was 8 p.m., and the place was half-empty, just a few hipsters sipping overpriced lattes under dim Edison bulbs. Claire Kane, Ethan's older sister, sat in a corner booth, her sharp bob and tailored blazer making her look like she'd walked out of a courtroom.
Lila had only met her once, at a company gala, where Claire's handshake had felt like a contract. Now, her cryptic phone call about Ethan's "secret" had Lila's stomach in knots. Whatever Claire knew, it was about to blow up Lila's already crumbling world.
She slid into the booth, her jeans sticking to the vinyl seat. "You said we needed to talk," Lila said, keeping her voice low. "So talk."
Claire's eyes, a colder shade of Ethan's green, sized her up. "You're pregnant. Ethan's the father. And he's denying it."
Lila's breath caught. "How do you know that?"
"I have my sources," Claire said, sipping her black coffee. "And I know my brother. He's a coward when it comes to anything that smells like commitment. But you're not here for a therapy session. You're here because I can help you."
Lila leaned forward, her pulse racing. "Help me how? And why? You don't even know me."
Claire's lips twitched, not quite a smile. "I know you're not some gold-digger, despite what the office gossip says. And I know Ethan's in over his head with this merger mess. Derek Voss is playing dirty, and your pregnancy is his latest weapon. But there's something else—something Ethan's been hiding for years. It's why he's running from this kid."
Lila's nails dug into her palms. "What is it?"
Claire glanced around, then lowered her voice. "When Ethan was nineteen, he got a girl pregnant. College girlfriend, Sarah. He was crazy about her, but when she told him, he panicked. Told her to handle it. She did—alone. Then she left school, left him, left everything. He never saw her again, but it broke something in him. He doesn't talk about it, but I saw what it did. He's terrified of screwing up again."
Lila's mouth went dry. Ethan, the untouchable billionaire, had a past that mirrored her present. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you're not Sarah," Claire said, her voice sharp. "You're tougher. And if you're smart, you'll use this to make him face his shit. He's not a bad guy, Lila, but he's a mess. And if you let him keep dodging, you'll both lose."
Lila's head spun. Ethan's denial wasn't just cold—it was personal, rooted in a guilt she hadn't seen coming. She wanted to hate him, but this changed things, made him human in a way that pissed her off even more. "What am I supposed to do with that?" she asked. "He's already got us faking a relationship to shut down the rumors. I'm not here to fix his trauma."
Claire raised an eyebrow. "Faking a relationship? That's his brilliant plan?" She laughed, short and dry. "Typical Ethan. But it won't work. Not with Derek Voss sniffing around."
As if on cue, Lila's phone buzzed. A text from Maya: Check X. NOW. Lila opened the app, and her heart stopped. A grainy photo was going viral—a blurry shot of her and Ethan in the Aspen lodge elevator, his hands on her, her dress half-off. The caption read: Kane Enterprises CEO caught with assistant. Gold-digger or love story? The post had thousands of likes, and the comments were brutal: She's after his money. Kane's slipping. Bet she planned this.
Lila shoved the phone at Claire. "This is out there now. What the hell do I do?"
Claire's eyes narrowed as she scrolled. "Derek's work. He's leaking this to tank Ethan's merger. The board's already twitchy—scandal like this could kill the deal."
Lila's chest tightened. "And my job? HR's already got me on a leash."
Claire handed the phone back. "Play Ethan's game for now. Be his 'girlfriend.' But don't let him off the hook. Push him, Lila. He's scared, but he's not heartless. And whatever you do, watch your back with Voss."
Lila left the café, her mind racing. Ethan's past explained his coldness, but it didn't fix her life. The photo leak was a public gut-punch, and pretending to be his girlfriend felt like signing up for more humiliation. But she needed her job, needed the money, needed to survive for the baby growing inside her.
The next morning, Lila walked into Kane Enterprises like she was walking into a warzone. The office buzzed with stares and whispers, the photo now the talk of every cubicle. Tina was at her desk, typing with a smug grin, like she'd orchestrated the whole thing. Lila ignored her, heading straight for Ethan's office.
He was on the phone, his voice sharp. "No, Derek, you don't get to pull this shit. That photo's a low blow." He hung up, spotting Lila. "Harper, you saw it?"
"Yeah," she said, shutting the door. "The whole world's seen it. Your fake relationship idea's off to a great start."
He ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tight. "It's Voss. He's using this to make me look like a liability. The board's freaking out."
"And I'm supposed to care?" Lila snapped. "I'm the one getting called a slut in the break room. HR's breathing down my neck, and now I'm plastered all over X. Fix this, Ethan."
He stepped closer, his voice low. "I'm trying. We stick to the plan—sell the relationship. We do a public appearance, show we're 'together,' and it kills the gold-digger narrative. Dinner tonight, some fancy place with photographers. You in?"
Lila's stomach twisted. She hated him—his arrogance, his ease, the way he thought he could control this. But Claire's words echoed: Push him. And she needed to keep HR at bay. "Fine," she said, her voice ice. "But don't think this makes us okay. You're still a coward."
His eyes flashed, but he didn't argue. "Be ready at seven. I'll send a car."
That night, Lila stood in her apartment, staring at the mirror. The black dress Maya had lent her hugged her curves, hiding the slight swell of her stomach. She felt like a fraud, dressing up to play Ethan's girlfriend while carrying his kid he refused to claim. Her phone buzzed—Maya again. You sure about this? Guy's a snake.
Lila texted back: No choice. Gotta keep my job.
The car arrived, a sleek black SUV, and Ethan was inside, looking sharp in a tailored suit. He didn't smile, just handed her a glass of sparkling water. "You look good," he said, his voice flat.
"Save it," she said, staring out the window. "Let's just get through this."
The restaurant was a glitzy downtown spot, all chandeliers and overpriced wine. Photographers were already outside, their flashes blinding as Ethan guided her in, his hand on her lower back. Lila forced a smile, playing the part, but every touch felt like a lie. Inside, they sat at a corner table, the room buzzing with eyes on them.
"You're doing fine," Ethan muttered, leaning close like they were a couple. "Just keep smiling."
"I'm not your puppet," she hissed, her smile tight. "This is for me, not you."
His jaw clenched, but he nodded. "Fair. But we need to sell this. Voss is watching."
Halfway through dinner, Lila's phone lit up with notifications. Another X post, this time from an anonymous account: a screenshot of an email, allegedly from Ethan to Derek, saying, She's a problem. Handle it. The comments were vicious: Kane's trying to ditch her. Poor girl, she's done.
Lila's blood ran cold. She showed Ethan the screen. "What the hell is this?"
He grabbed the phone, his face darkening. "This is fake. I didn't write that."
"Then who did?" she demanded, her voice low but shaking. "Because it looks like you're throwing me under the bus."
Ethan's eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw a crack in his armor—panic, maybe even guilt. "Lila, I swear, it's not me. But someone's trying to bury us both."
Before she could respond, her phone rang. Claire. Lila stepped away, ignoring Ethan's protest, and answered.
"You saw the email?" Claire said, her voice urgent. "It's not Ethan.
It's Voss. And he's got more coming unless you two get ahead of this. Meet me tomorrow, Lila. I've got proof Ethan's not the only one with secrets."
The line went dead. Lila stared at the phone, her heart pounding. The restaurant's chatter faded, the photographers' flashes a distant blur.
Ethan was watching her, his face unreadable. Whoever was behind this—Voss, Tina, or someone else—they were playing a game Lila couldn't afford to lose. And Claire's proof might be her only way out.