Chapter 7: The Tipping Point

Ethan sat at his desk, staring blankly at the stack of reports in front of him. The numbers weren't adding up. For the first time in years, Blackwood Enterprises was in trouble. The latest quarterly earnings were far below projections, and a major deal that had seemed like a sure thing was now hanging by a thread. His grip on the pen tightened, the frustration and stress building within him like a storm.

He had been distracted, he knew that. His thoughts constantly drifted to Ava—her smile, her voice, the way she had looked at him with both hope and doubt in her eyes during their last conversation. He wanted to be with her, to prove that they could make things work, but the pressure from his family and the company was relentless. Every moment he spent away from work felt like a betrayal to the legacy his father had built.

The door to his office swung open, and his mother stepped in, her face a mask of calm control. But Ethan could see the tension in her posture, the way her lips pressed into a thin line as she closed the door behind her.

"Ethan," she began, her voice cool and measured, "we need to talk."

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know, Mom. The numbers aren't good, but I'm handling it."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, a flash of irritation breaking through her controlled demeanor. "Are you? Because from where I'm standing, it seems like you've lost focus. And we both know why."

Ethan's jaw tightened. He had expected this conversation, but it didn't make it any easier to face. "I'm aware of what's happening, and I'm doing everything I can to fix it. The market's volatile right now, and there have been unexpected complications with the merger—"

"This isn't just about the market or the merger," she interrupted, her voice sharp. "This is about you letting yourself get distracted by that girl—Ava. Ever since she came into your life, your attention has been divided, and it's affecting the company."

Ethan stood up, his frustration boiling over. "This has nothing to do with Ava! I'm handling the business, just like I always have."

His mother's eyes hardened, her expression unyielding. "Don't fool yourself, Ethan. I've seen the way you've been lately—missing meetings, making careless decisions. You're not the same man you were before she came into the picture."

"She's not the problem," Ethan shot back, his voice rising. "And I'm not going to let you use her as a scapegoat for what's happening with the company. The issues we're facing are more complex than that."

"Are they?" his mother asked, her voice laced with skepticism. "Or are you just too blinded by your infatuation with this girl to see that she's dragging you down? Ethan, this isn't about love or romance. This is about your future, about everything your father worked for. You have responsibilities that go beyond your personal life."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, frustration warring with the guilt that her words stirred in him. "I know my responsibilities, Mom. But Ava isn't the reason for the company's problems."

"She's a distraction," his mother insisted, stepping closer. "And distractions lead to mistakes. You've already seen the consequences—the missed opportunities, the lost revenue. If you don't get your priorities straight, Ethan, you're going to lose everything."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. Ethan had always prided himself on his ability to balance his personal and professional lives, but now everything felt like it was slipping out of his control. The stress, the pressure, the constant demands on his time—it was all becoming too much.

"I need you to focus, Ethan," his mother continued, her tone softening slightly. "For the sake of the company, for the sake of your future. You can't afford to let your emotions dictate your decisions. If you continue down this path, you're going to regret it."

Ethan sank back into his chair, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He knew she was right about one thing: the company was suffering, and he had to get it back on track. But the thought of pushing Ava away, of letting his mother's cold pragmatism dictate his life, filled him with a sense of loss he wasn't ready to face.

His mother watched him for a moment, her gaze calculating. "You're a smart man, Ethan. You know what needs to be done. Don't let a passing infatuation ruin everything you've worked for."

With that, she turned and left his office, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

---

That evening, Ethan drove to Ava's apartment, his mind a turbulent mix of emotions. He didn't want to believe that his mother was right, but the strain he felt—between his obligations to the company and his feelings for Ava—was undeniable. He hadn't been sleeping well, his focus had been scattered, and the stress was eating away at him.

When Ava opened the door, her face lit up with a smile that quickly faded when she saw the tension in his expression.

"Ethan, what's wrong?" she asked, stepping aside to let him in.

He walked past her, running a hand through his hair as he tried to find the right words. "Ava, we need to talk."

She closed the door, her heart sinking at the serious tone in his voice. "What's going on?"

Ethan turned to face her, his eyes filled with a mix of frustration and regret. "Things at the company aren't going well. We've had some setbacks, and the board is concerned. My mother is concerned."

Ava's brows furrowed with worry. "I'm sorry, Ethan. Is there anything I can do to help?"

He shook his head, his expression pained. "That's just it, Ava. My mother thinks… she thinks you're part of the problem. She says I've lost focus, that I'm letting my personal life get in the way of my responsibilities."

Ava's heart dropped, a cold knot forming in her stomach. "You think I'm a distraction?"

Ethan sighed, closing the distance between them and taking her hands in his. "I don't want to think that. But the truth is, things have been harder lately. I'm stretched thin, and I'm trying to be everything for everyone, but I'm not doing a good job of it."

Ava pulled her hands back, the hurt evident in her eyes. "So what does that mean, Ethan? Are you saying we should take a break?"

He looked at her, his chest tightening with the weight of the decision he knew he had to make. "I don't want to lose you, Ava. But I also can't ignore what's happening with the company. If I don't get things under control, we could lose everything my father built."

Tears welled in Ava's eyes, and she fought to keep her voice steady. "I understand, Ethan. But it feels like you're choosing your family's expectations over us, over me. And that hurts."

Ethan's heart ached at the sight of her tears, knowing he was the cause of them. "Ava, I don't want to choose between you and the company. But I don't know how to balance this right now. I'm being pulled in so many directions, and I feel like I'm failing at all of them."

Ava took a deep breath, trying to stay strong even as her heart was breaking. "Maybe… maybe we do need some space, Ethan. You need to figure out what you want, and I need to protect myself. I can't be in a relationship where I feel like I'm the reason everything is falling apart."

Ethan's eyes widened with panic, but he knew she was right. The strain on their relationship was undeniable, and he didn't want to drag Ava into the mess his life was becoming. "Ava, I—"

She shook her head, cutting him off. "I care about you, Ethan. But I need to take care of myself, too. If that means giving you the space to figure things out, then that's what I have to do."

Ethan's shoulders slumped with defeat. He wanted to fight for her, to tell her that they could make it work, but he knew it would be a lie. Right now, he couldn't give her the attention she deserved, and asking her to stay while he sorted out his life felt selfish.

"Okay," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't want to lose you, but I understand."

Ava nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I hope you find what you're looking for, Ethan. I really do."

He pulled her into a tight embrace, holding on to her as if he could somehow keep her close, even as they were drifting apart. "I'm so sorry, Ava."

She clung to him for a moment, letting herself savor the warmth and comfort of his embrace one last time before gently pulling away. "Goodbye, Ethan."

As Ethan left her apartment, the reality of what he had just done hit him like a ton of bricks. He had walked away from the one person who made him feel alive, who saw him for who he was beyond the wealth and the power. And as much as he tried to convince himself it was for the best, the emptiness in his chest told him otherwise.

---

Back in his office the next day, Ethan threw himself into his work with a single-minded determination that bordered on obsession. He attended every meeting, reviewed every report, and pushed his team harder than ever before.