Chapter 6 - The Woman He Almost Fired
By evening, Ethan had the answer.
Patricia had quietly positioned herself to gain control over several legitimate Whitaker holdings if Ethan became incapacitated.
More importantly, she had gained access to information about his daughters’ routines.
Victor had been paying her.
Not for months.
For almost a year.
Ethan stared at the documents spread across his desk.
Raymond stood opposite him.
“She was preparing an exit.”
“With my money.”
“And possibly leverage.”
Ethan’s gaze sharpened.
“My daughters?”
Raymond hesitated.
“We found messages discussing their schedules.”
Ethan stood.
“Where is Patricia?”
“We have her location.”
Clara appeared at the doorway.
“Don’t.”
Both men turned.
Ethan frowned.
“Don’t what?”
“Do whatever that face means you’re about to do.”
“This doesn’t concern you.”
Clara held up the photograph with the threatening message.
“I think we passed that point.”
Raymond looked between them.
“I’ll wait outside.”
When he left, Ethan approached Clara.
“Patricia gave dangerous people information about Avery and Sophie.”
“I know.”
“She endangered my children.”
“I know.”
“You expect me to forgive that?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I expect you to remember those girls need their father more than your enemies need revenge.”
Silence.
Ethan stared at her.
“You think I’m going to kill her.”
“I think you’re angry enough to become the man everyone says you are.”
“And what man do you think I am?”
Clara looked directly at him.
“The one who sat under a kitchen table during a thunderstorm because his daughter was scared.”
Ethan said nothing.
Clara continued.
“Be that man tonight.”
Twenty minutes later, Ethan gave Raymond different instructions.
“Send everything to the federal attorney investigating Victor’s legitimate businesses.”
Raymond looked surprised.
“Everything?”
“Enough to destroy him legally.”
“And Patricia?”
“Her too.”
Raymond nodded.
“No retaliation?”
Ethan glanced toward the staircase.
“No.”
By midnight, Patricia knew.
She called Ethan repeatedly.
He answered once.
“You ruined me,” she said.
“You did that yourself.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You sold information about my daughters.”
“I never would have let Victor hurt them.”
“You don’t get to explain.”
“You chose a maid over me.”
Ethan’s expression hardened.
“No.”
He looked through the study doorway.
Clara was sitting on the floor with Sophie, helping her build a puzzle.
“I chose my daughters.”
Patricia laughed bitterly.
“And Clara?”
Ethan was silent.
Patricia understood anyway.
“She’ll leave eventually.”
“Maybe.”
“They all do.”
Ethan looked toward Avery, who had just run into the room carrying another puzzle piece.
“Then I’ll make sure my daughters understand that loving someone was still worth it.”
Patricia said nothing.
Ethan ended the call.
The following morning, Clara placed an envelope on his desk.
“What is this?”
“My resignation.”
Ethan stared at it.
“No.”
Clara blinked.
“You can’t reject a resignation.”
“I just did.”
“Ethan.”
“You’re leaving because of Patricia?”
“I’m leaving because your daughters need you.”
“They can have me and you.”
Clara looked away.
“That complicates things.”
“Why?”
She laughed softly.
“You genuinely don’t know?”
Ethan stood.
For once, the feared man who could negotiate multimillion-dollar deals without blinking had no answer.
Clara headed toward the door.
His voice stopped her.
“Six months.”
She turned.
“What?”
“Give me six months.”
“For what?”
“To learn.”
“Learn what?”
“How to be their father.”
Clara’s expression softened.
“And after six months?”
Ethan looked at her.
“Then if you still want to leave, I won’t stop you.”
A long pause.
Clara picked up the resignation.
She tore it in half.
May you like
“Six months.”
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