Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN I THOUGHT STOLE MY HUSBAND
For three years, Sophia Bennett had been the villain in my marriage.
Now she sat across from me in Ashbourne’s London conference room, looking exhausted and frightened.
I still didn’t trust her.
But I listened.
“My father called me yesterday,” she said.
“What did he say?”
“That NordTech was never supposed to reach final bid.”
“Why?”
“He expected Ashbourne to withdraw.”
“Because of me?”
“Because of Ethan.”
I looked at him.
He was seated at the far end under legal supervision.
No one was pretending this was friendly.
Sophia continued.
“Ethan was supposed to keep you away from Ashbourne permanently.”
Silence.
He closed his eyes.
I stared.
“You knew?”
Sophia looked ashamed.
“At first.”
“How far did this go?”
“Before your marriage.”
“Did you encourage him to date me?”
“Yes.”
The answer hurt less now.
Maybe because I had run out of places to be cut.
“Did you expect him to marry me?”
“No.”
Ethan spoke.
“That was my choice.”
I looked at him.
“Not helping.”
He nodded.
Sophia continued.
“Once he married you, my father changed the plan.”
“What plan?”
“To separate you from Ashbourne.”
“How?”
“Make New York feel like home. Make your career feel optional. Keep you away from Northstar.”
My hands curled.
Ethan looked sick.
I turned to him.
“You did that.”
“Yes.”
“Was every conversation planned?”
“No.”
“You told me London made me cold.”
He looked down.
“Yes.”
“You said executives made terrible mothers.”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“You told me my mother only valued me because of the company.”
“I was cruel.”
“You were strategic.”
That word landed.
Because manipulation sounds emotional.
Strategy sounds deliberate.
Sophia whispered,
“He changed.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
“After Lily.”
“Don’t defend him.”
“I’m not.”
She looked toward Ethan.
“He stopped reporting to my father.”
That surprised me.
“When?”
“Before Lily was born.”
Ethan spoke quietly.
“I wanted out.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid you’d understand what our entire relationship started as.”
“Yes.”
“I thought I could bury it.”
“You buried me instead.”
Silence.
Sophia wiped her eyes.
“I stayed close because my father asked me to monitor him.”
I laughed.
“So every flat tire?”
“Fake.”
“Airport emergencies?”
“Mostly.”
“Lily’s birthday?”
Her face crumpled.
“That one was real.”
I stared.
“My father told me Ethan was about to confess everything to you.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Ethan looked at her sharply.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
“I called you away.”
He stood.
“You made up the apartment emergency.”
“Yes.”
“That night?”
“Yes.”
I remembered.
Ethan left Lily’s first birthday party.
I cried after everyone went home.
He returned at two in the morning.
He had almost told me something.
Instead, we fought.
Sophia whispered,
“I’m sorry.”
I believed she meant it.
That did not equal forgiveness.
Then Rebecca entered.
“We found Henry Bennett.”
Sophia stood.
“Where?”
Rebecca’s face was grave.
“In Geneva.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why Geneva?”
“He checked into the same hotel where your father died.”
Silence.
Sophia whispered,
“Oh God.”
Rebecca continued.
“He left a package at reception addressed to Claire.”
My heart pounded.
“What’s inside?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Then my phone rang.
Unknown Swiss number.
I answered.
A man spoke.
“Ms. Quinn?”
“Yes.”
“This is Geneva police.”
My stomach turned.
“We need you to come.”
“Why?”
A pause.
“Mr. Bennett was found unconscious.”
Sophia covered her mouth.
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
Then the officer continued.
“And beside him, we found a photograph of your father.”
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On the back, someone had written:
ETHAN WALKER KNOWS THE NAME.
