The humiliation didn't fade.
If anything, it grew worse the farther Ethan Blake walked away from Kane Luxe Tower.
The morning crowd had returned to normal, employees rushing between buildings with coffee in their hands and phones pressed to their ears.
But Ethan still felt as though everyone he passed knew exactly what had just happened.
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and kept walking.
His chest still burned with anger.
The security guard's hand on his arm.
The receptionist's polite but dismissive voice.
The whispers in the lobby.
And worst of all—
Alessia hadn't even come down to face him.
She hadn't needed to.
That was the part that hurt his pride the most.
She had simply refused to see him.
As if he wasn't important enough to deal with personally.
Ethan exhaled sharply and crossed the street.
Two years.
Two years of being part of her life.
Traveling with her.
Attending events.
Standing beside her in rooms filled with powerful people.
Yet now it was as if none of it mattered.
He stopped at a trash bin and glanced down.
The bouquet of white roses he had thrown away earlier sat crumpled among empty coffee cups and wrappers.
Perfect.
That pretty much summarized the morning.
Ethan scoffed and continued walking.
Eventually he reached a café a few blocks away and stepped inside.
The place was quiet compared to the busy street outside.
He ordered a coffee and took a seat near the window.
From here he could still see the distant glass structure of Kane Luxe Tower rising above the surrounding buildings.
A monument to Alessia Kane's success.
People admired her.
Business magazines praised her.
Investors respected her.
She had built her company from nothing.
Founder and CEO.
Self-made success story.
That reputation followed her everywhere.
Ethan stirred his coffee slowly.
But the public didn't know everything.
They didn't know the private Alessia.
They didn't know the woman who came home late from work exhausted.
The woman who vented about difficult investors.
The woman who occasionally drank wine on the couch while complaining about business meetings.
They didn't know the arguments they had shared.
The quiet nights.
The private conversations.
Because none of it had ever been public.
Their relationship had never been officially announced.
No interviews.
No photos labeled boyfriend and girlfriend.
At events, Ethan was simply introduced as a companion.
A guest.
Someone attending alongside Alessia Kane.
He had never objected to that arrangement before.
In fact, it had been convenient.
But now…
Now it felt different.
Now it meant something uncomfortable.
To the outside world, Ethan Blake was nobody.
Just a man who occasionally appeared beside Alessia at social events.
A well-dressed companion.
A polite escort.
Nothing more.
The thought made his grip tighten around the coffee cup.
After everything they had shared…
That was how easily he could be erased.
Ethan leaned back in his chair and stared at Kane Luxe Tower again.
A dangerous thought slowly formed in his mind.
Alessia's reputation was perfect.
Too perfect.
People admired her discipline.
Her intelligence.
Her success.
But what if that reputation started to crack?
Rumors had strange power in the business world.
They didn't even have to be proven.
They only needed to sound believable.
Ethan's mind began turning.
What if someone suggested that Alessia Kane had secret relationships with men she brought to events?
What if someone hinted that those men weren't simply companions?
What if someone implied that she blurred the line between personal life and business?
The idea made him smile faintly.
It would be subtle.
Nothing obvious.
Just questions.
Speculation.
Small whispers that slowly spread.
The media loved stories like that.
Successful CEO.
Private secrets.
Hidden relationships.
He could already imagine the headlines.
Who Is the Real Alessia Kane?
Rumors Surround Kane Luxe Founder's Private Life.
Ethan tapped his fingers against the table.
But another thought interrupted him.
If he pushed too far…
It might backfire.
Alessia Kane was powerful.
And powerful people had resources.
Lawyers.
Investigators.
Public relations teams.
If she traced the rumors back to him, the situation could become very unpleasant.
Ethan frowned.
No.
If he did this, he needed to be careful.
Very careful.
No direct accusations.
No obvious lies.
Just… suggestions.
Questions planted in the right places.
He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts.
Several names appeared that might be useful.
Bloggers.
Event reporters.
People who loved gossip about wealthy executives.
One contact in particular caught his attention.
A small entertainment blog editor he had met months ago at a charity gala.
The man had spent the entire evening chasing celebrity rumors.
He would absolutely love a story about Alessia Kane.
Ethan's thumb hovered above the contact.
It would be easy.
One message.
One conversation.
Just enough to start a rumor.
Once something like that entered the media world, it spread quickly.
And once it spread…
It was almost impossible to stop.
He stared at the screen for a long moment.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
Not yet.
Not today.
But the idea had already taken root.
And sometimes the most dangerous plans began quietly.
As thoughts.
As possibilities.
Ethan finished his coffee and stood up.
As he walked out of the café, he glanced once more toward Kane Luxe Tower.
His expression hardened.
"You think you can ignore me," he murmured under his breath.
Then he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
But the idea stayed with him.
Growing quietly.
Waiting for the moment when wounded pride finally demanded action.
When someone feels erased from another person's life, do they move on…
Or try to remind the world they once mattered?