Chapter 2 - The Man in Black
Ethan heard the elevator.
Sophia knew because his footsteps stopped.
“Who did you call?”
She stayed silent.
“Sophia.”
The apartment entrance remained broken open.
Then another voice came from the hallway.
Calm.
Deep.
“Step away from the bathroom.”
Ethan said, “Who the hell are you?”
Sophia closed her eyes.
Adrian.
“You have three seconds,” Adrian said.
Ethan laughed.
“This is private.”
“No.”
“You don’t know what this is about.”
“I know you broke into her apartment.”
“She’s my girlfriend.”
From behind the bathroom door, Sophia shouted:
“Ex-boyfriend.”
A short silence followed.
Then Adrian said, “That clears that up.”
Ethan’s voice hardened.
“You need to leave.”
Sophia almost laughed despite herself.
Apparently Ethan had no idea who he was speaking to.
Adrian answered, “You first.”
“What?”
“Walk out.”
“You think because you wear an expensive suit—”
“Ethan.”
Sophia had never heard Adrian say his name before.
The effect was immediate.
“How do you know my name?”
“I know more than your name.”
Silence.
Sophia slowly unlocked the bathroom door.
“Sophia, stay there,” Adrian said.
But she opened it anyway.
The living room had changed.
Ethan stood near her worktable, soaked from the rain, anger written across his face.
Adrian Moretti stood between Ethan and the hallway.
Black suit.
Black shirt.
Rain shining across his shoulders.
Dark tattoos visible at his collar and across one hand.
Two men waited several steps behind him.
Adrian didn’t need them.
His stillness was enough.
Ethan pointed at Sophia.
“She has property belonging to me.”
Sophia stared at him.
“What?”
“The files.”
“They belong to Meridian.”
“You downloaded them while we were together.”
“I didn’t even work for Meridian when we were together.”
That stopped everyone.
Adrian looked at Ethan.
“Interesting.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
“I invested in Sophia’s career.”
Sophia stared at him.
“You told me designing jewelry was embarrassing.”
“I paid the rent.”
“You controlled the bank account.”
“I supported you.”
“You made me ask permission to buy groceries.”
Ethan glanced toward Adrian’s men.
“This is ridiculous.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“No. What’s ridiculous is breaking into an apartment because you assumed she would still be afraid enough to give you what you wanted.”
Ethan’s expression shifted.
Only slightly.
But Sophia saw it.
Adrian saw it too.
“You didn’t come for Sophia,” Adrian said.
Ethan said nothing.
“You came for Meridian.”
“Stay out of this.”
Adrian’s gaze moved to the worktable.
One velvet tray had been overturned.
A gemstone rested near the edge.
Beside it lay Sophia’s laptop.
The screen was open.
Adrian walked toward it.
Ethan moved.
“Don’t touch that.”
Adrian stopped.
That single sentence had told him everything.
He looked at Sophia.
“Did you leave your laptop open?”
“No.”
“Did he know your password?”
“He used to.”
Ethan moved toward the door.
One of Adrian’s men quietly stepped into his path.
“No,” Adrian said. “Now you stay.”
“You can’t hold me here.”
“I’m not holding you.”
Adrian picked up Sophia’s phone and offered it to her.
“You’re calling the police.”
Ethan’s confidence finally cracked.
“Sophia.”
She looked at him.
His voice softened instantly.
The old voice.
The reasonable voice.
“You’re upset.”
Sophia felt something inside her become strangely calm.
“You broke my door.”
“I was worried.”
“You searched my computer.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
Ethan hesitated.
Adrian leaned against the worktable.
“Yes, Ethan.”
His eyes narrowed.
May you like
“From what?”
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