The sound of the machine still echoed in my ears.
Beep… Beep… Beep…
I sat there, frozen, my hands clenched tightly together as doctors rushed in and out of the room.
Everything felt out of control.
Just hours ago, I thought I understood my situation.
Now…
I realized I didn't understand anything at all.
"Emma."
His voice.
Cold. Calm.
Like nothing had happened.
I didn't look at him.
"How long?" I asked quietly.
Silence.
I turned slowly.
"How long have you been planning this?"
Ethan stood there, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.
"This isn't the place."
"Answer me."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"That depends."
"On what?"
"On how much you really want to know."
I let out a shaky breath.
"Everything."
For a moment…
he just looked at me.
Like he was trying to decide something.
Then—
"Not here," he said.
"Of course," I laughed bitterly. "Always secrets with you."
"Emma."
"Take me home," I said. "If you want to talk… we'll talk there."
The ride back was silent.
But not the same silence as before.
This one was heavier.
More dangerous.
Back at the mansion, I didn't wait.
"Talk."
One word.
That was all I had left.
Ethan removed his jacket slowly, placing it on the chair like he had all the time in the world.
It irritated me.
"How can you be so calm?" I snapped.
"Because panic doesn't solve anything."
"Neither does lying."
His eyes flickered.
"I didn't lie."
"You hid the truth."
"That's not the same."
"It is to me."
Silence.
Then—
"Your father's company," he began, "was failing long before I got involved."
"I know that."
"He made bad decisions. Trusted the wrong people."
I frowned. "What are you trying to say?"
"That by the time I stepped in… he had already lost everything."
My chest tightened.
"Then why—"
"Because he owed money," Ethan interrupted. "A lot of it."
"I know that!"
"No," he said sharply. "You don't."
My heart skipped.
"What do you mean?"
Ethan walked closer.
"Your father didn't just owe banks."
A bad feeling settled deep in my stomach.
"He owed people you don't want to deal with."
I froze.
"…What kind of people?"
His gaze darkened.
"The kind who don't ask for their money back nicely."
A chill ran through my body.
"No…"
"Yes."
I shook my head.
"You're lying."
"Am I?"
I looked away.
Because deep down…
I knew he wasn't.
"So what?" I said, my voice trembling. "You just came in like some hero?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Silence.
Heavy. Thick.
"I took over the debt."
My eyes snapped back to him.
"You what?"
"I paid it."
Everything stopped.
"You're saying… you saved him?"
"Yes."
That didn't make sense.
None of this made sense.
"Then why force me to marry you?"
There it was.
The real question.
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
And that alone told me everything.
"There's something else," I whispered.
He looked at me.
Straight. Intense.
Dangerous.
"Yes."
My heart started pounding again.
"What is it?"
He took a step closer.
Too close.
"You."
I blinked.
"What?"
"You're the reason."
"I don't understand."
"You don't need to."
"Stop saying that!" I snapped. "I'm not a child!"
Something shifted in his expression.
For a moment…
he looked almost… frustrated.
"Emma," he said quietly, "some truths don't protect you."
"Then let me decide that."
Silence.
"I can't."
"Why?!"
"Because it would put you in danger."
I laughed bitterly.
"I'm already in danger!"
He didn't deny it.
And that scared me more than anything.
"Who are they?" I asked.
His eyes darkened.
"You shouldn't be asking that."
"Too late."
A long pause.
Then—
"They don't matter anymore."
"Because you paid them?"
"Yes."
"Or because you're worse than them?"
The moment the words left my mouth…
I regretted them.
The air changed instantly.
Ethan's expression went completely cold.
"Be careful," he said quietly.
A warning.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
But real.
I swallowed.
But I didn't back down.
"Tell me the truth."
He stepped even closer.
Now there was barely any space between us.
"You want the truth?" he said softly.
"Yes."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"I didn't just choose you because of your father."
My breath caught.
"There was another reason."
"What?"
He hesitated.
Just for a second.
And then—
"I've been watching you."
Everything went silent.
"…What?"
"For a while."
A chill ran through my entire body.
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
My mind started racing.
"How long?"
"Long enough."
"Why?!"
His jaw tightened.
"That's not something I can explain right now."
Anger. Fear. Confusion.
Everything hit me at once.
"You're insane."
"Maybe."
"You're telling me you planned all this… because of me?"
"Yes."
I took a step back.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't just business.
This wasn't just a contract.
This was something else.
Something darker.
"I want out," I said.
The words felt heavy.
But right.
"I don't care about the contract anymore. I don't care about the money. I just—"
"No."
One word.
Cold.
Final.
"You don't get to decide that."
My heart dropped.
"You said one year."
"And it will be one year."
"Then let me leave now!"
"No."
"Why?!"
"Because it's too late."
Silence.
The same words from before.
Too late.
I felt it again.
That feeling.
Like I was trapped.
Not in a house.
Not in a marriage.
But in something much bigger.
And much more dangerous.
"Who are you really, Ethan?" I whispered.
For the first time…
he didn't answer.
And that…
was the scariest answer of all.