Ethan woke to a gray sky outside the estate's window, the air heavy with the promise of rain. His fourth day in New York felt heavier too, like the weight of Victor's world was pressing down harder. The meetings, the fancy offices, the sidelong glances from people like Claudia and Hale started to wear him out. He wasn't sure how much longer he could play along without real answers. Victor's talk of legacy and birthright sounded good, but Ethan couldn't shake the feeling he was missing something big.
He got up, pulling on his usual jeans and a T-shirt that was starting to smell like sweat. His duffel bag was almost empty and he need to find a way to wash his clothes soon. The thought made him smirk; here he was in a billionaire's mansion, worrying about laundry. It was a reminder of how far he was from home.
Downstairs, the dining room was quiet. No Claudia, no Elise, just a tray of coffee and pastries. A note from Victor said he was resting but would meet Ethan at the company later. Ethan grabbed a croissant and ate it standing, his mind on yesterday's run-in with Elise. Her anger had been raw, like he'd stolen something from her. He didn't want to be her enemy, but he didn't know how to fix it either.
His phone buzzed with a text from Sarah. Sorry I missed your call. I'm okay, just busy at work. Be careful, Ethan. Love you.
He stared at the message, his gut twisting. She was still dodging him, and it hurt more than he wanted to admit. He typed back: Love you too. Call me when you can. Need to talk. He didn't expect a reply soon. Sarah was good at keeping secrets, and that was starting to scare him.
Claudia picked him up an hour later, her usual sharp smile in place. "Ready for another day?" she asked, her tone too bright.
"Yeah," Ethan said, climbing into the SUV. He didn't trust her, not after her jab at lunch yesterday. She drove them to Langston Enterprises' energy division, a building with solar panels on the roof and a hum of activity inside. The morning was filled with more meetings and engineers talking about renewable energy, managers droning on about profits. Ethan nodded along, but his mind kept drifting to Victor's cough, Elise's glare, and Hale's fake grin.
At one point, he caught Claudia whispering to a manager in the hallway, her eyes flicking toward him. When she saw him looking, she smiled and walked over. "Enjoying the tour?" she asked.
"It's fine," Ethan said, keeping his voice neutral. "Just a lot to take in."
"Of course," she said. "It's a big responsibility. Victor's counting on you, but the board... they need convincing."
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Claudia shrugged, her smile never wavering. "Just that some people think experience matters more than blood. Victor's decision to bring you in raised questions."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "If you've got something to say, just say it."
She raised an eyebrow, like she was amused. "I'm just looking out for the company, Ethan. It's my job."
Before he could respond, she walked away, leaving him fuming. He didn't like her games, and he was starting to think she wasn't just skeptical but she was against him.
Victor joined them after lunch, looking worse than ever. His face was pale, his eyes sunken, and he leaned on a cane as he walked into a conference room. Ethan felt a pang of worry, despite his anger. Victor was dying, that much was clear. It made his push to make Ethan his heir feel more urgent, but also more confusing.
They sat through a presentation on a new energy project in Dubai, but Ethan's attention was on Victor. He kept coughing, his hand shaking as he reached for water. When the meeting ended, Victor pulled Ethan aside. "Walk with me," he said, his voice rough.
They stepped into a quiet hallway, Victor moving slowly. "You're doing better than you think," he said. "The team's starting to see you as more than a stranger."
Ethan shook his head. "Doesn't feel like it. Claudia's acting like I'm a problem. And Elise hates me."
Victor sighed, stopping to lean against the wall. "Claudia's ambitious. She's been with me for years, expects to run things when I'm gone. You're a threat to that. As for Elise, she's loyal but scared. She thinks you'll push her out."
"I don't want to push anyone out," Ethan said. "I don't even know if I want this."
Victor's eyes met his, intense despite his frailty. "You're here, Ethan. That's a choice. You could've walked away."
Ethan looked away, his throat tight. "I'm here for answers, not your company."
"Then ask," Victor said. "What do you want to know?"
Ethan hesitated, then went for it. "You said you left to protect us. From who? What was so dangerous that you couldn't even send a letter?"
Victor's face darkened, his voice low. "I made enemies, Ethan. When your mother was pregnant, someone sent her a threat. A note, saying they'd hurt her if I didn't pay up. I cut ties to keep you safe. I thought it was enough."
Ethan's stomach dropped. "A threat? Who sent it?"
"I never found out," Victor said. "I paid them off, moved Sarah to Chicago, set her up with a new life. I stayed away to keep them from coming after you."
Ethan's hands clenched. "You should've told her. She deserved to know why you left."
"I know," Victor said, coughing hard. "I was a coward. I thought I was protecting you, but I was wrong."
Ethan stared at him, anger mixing with something pity, maybe. Victor looked broken, not like the powerful man he'd expected. "Why didn't you reach out later? When I was older?"
Victor's eyes dropped. "I wanted to. But Sarah made it clear she didn't want me in your life. And I... I didn't want to ruin what you had."
Ethan shook his head, his voice bitter. "We didn't have much. You could've helped."
"I tried," Victor said. "The money I sent, she took some, but not all. She's stubborn, your mother."
Ethan thought of those random checks, the ones Sarah called "lucky breaks." It was starting to make sense, but it didn't make him feel better. "You should've fought harder," he said, turning away.
Victor didn't answer, just coughed again, the sound echoing in the hall. Ethan walked back to the conference room, his head spinning. He didn't know what to believe anymore. Victor's story checked out, but it didn't erase the years of struggle, the nights Sarah cried when she thought Ethan was asleep.
That evening, back at the estate, Ethan found Elise in the library, a small room packed with books and a desk covered in papers. She was typing on her laptop, her face focused. He knocked on the doorframe, and she looked up, her expression guarded.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"To talk," Ethan said, stepping inside. "I'm not here to take anything from you. I didn't ask for this."
Elise leaned back, crossing her arms. "Then why stay? You don't know this world. You don't belong here."
"Maybe," Ethan said. "But Victor's my dad. I need to know why he left us. And I'm not trying to push you out."
She laughed, short and sharp. "You don't get it. I've been working for Victor since I was a kid. I'm not his blood, but I'm his family. Then you show up, and suddenly I'm invisible."
Ethan sat across from her, keeping his voice calm. "I don't want to be his heir. I just want the truth. Maybe we can figure this out together."
Elise's eyes softened, just a fraction. "You really don't want it? The money, the power?"
"I don't know what I want," Ethan admitted. "But I'm not here to screw you over."
She studied him, then nodded slowly. "Okay. But watch your back. Claudia's not your friend. And Hale is worse."
Ethan nodded, grateful for the warning. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
He left the library, feeling a small spark of hope. Maybe Elise wasn't an enemy. But Claudia and Hale? They were trouble, and he needed to be ready.
Before bed, he called Ava. Her voice was a relief, like coming home. "Ethan, you sound tired," she said. "Everything okay?"
"It's a mess," he said, lying on the bed. "Victor's telling me about threats, and enemies. Claudia's acting shady, and Elise might not hate me as much as I thought. I don't know who to trust."
"Trust yourself," Ava said. "You're good at reading people. If something feels off, it probably is."
"Yeah," Ethan said, her words steadying him. "I just wish you were here."
"Me too," she said. "But you've got this. Call me tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay," he said, smiling. "Thanks, Ava."
He hung up, staring at the ceiling. Victor's world was full of shadows, but he was starting to see through them. Tomorrow, he'd push harder, demand more answers. He wasn't here to play their game he was here to find his place.