Secrets Unraveled

Emily sat at her desk in the office, piles of files and folders littering the place around her. Her laptop sat in front of her, illuminating her face, but not taking away from the weight on her shoulders these last few weeks. For the first time since it felt like an eternity, she and Ethan were on steady ground. They fought through storms, rebuilt trust broken, and learned to start believing in one another again.

But fate had a cruel way of intervening.

She scrolled through the footage, scanning for anything that could strengthen the case they had been working on. The documentary they were involved in was supposed to expose corruption and seek justice, yet it seemed that every truth uncovered only brought them closer to personal ruination.

And then she found it.

A hidden clip, buried deep in the archives, unmarked and forgotten.

Emily hesitated before playing it. The grainy screen flickered to life, and her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the voice.

Ethan's voice.

Her fingers trembled as she adjusted the volume. On the screen, Ethan stood in a dimly lit room, speaking in hushed tones with a man whose face remained in the shadows.

'We both know she can't find out,' he said, his voice full of the fire of urgency. 'If she does, everything's gonna break apart.'

The unknown man let out a sharp exhalation. 'You are playing with fire, Ethan. If she finds the truth, she is going to leave you.'

Ethan raked a desperate hand through his hair, tension palpable in each gesture. "I would rather have her hate me than let her get hurt.

Emily's heart thudded against her chest to the point of drowning out what else was said. Her head was racing; she was connecting fragments of memory, dissecting every word and every lie Ethan had avoided to talk about other parts of their past.

What had he withheld from her?

Why?

Bitterness flowed into her veins as betrayal coursed through her bones. No more secrets were promised, and here was evidence that Ethan lied again.

She slammed her laptop shut, her pulse roaring in her ears. Anger, hurt, and confusion warred within her as she grabbed her phone, dialing Ethan's number with shaking fingers.

It rang twice before he picked up. "Hey, sweetheart." His voice was warm, familiar—completely unaware of the storm about to break.

"Come to my office." Her tone was sharp, clipped.

A pause. "Emily? What's wrong?

"Just get here." She hung up, unable to listen to the concern in his voice. Concern that might be another lie.

The wait was agonizing. Every second that passed twisted the knife in her chest deeper. She replayed the conversation over and over in her mind, searching for clues in his words, trying to understand why he would deceive her.

But the door swung open minutes later, and Ethan stepped inside with all the tension inside him etched on his face. "What happened?" he asked, scanning her face.

Emily flipped her laptop back on, cutting the clip silently. As voices filled the silence, she watched him tightly.

His face paled.

When the screen went black, she crossed her arms. "Explain."

Ethan swallowed hard. "Emily, I—

"Don't lie to me." Her voice wavered, but she stood her ground. "What was that about? What truth can't I find out?"

He ran a hand over his face, exhaling shakily. "It's not what you think."

"Then tell me what it is," she challenged, stepping closer. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you've been hiding something from me. Again."

His jaw clenched. "I was trying to protect you."

Emily laughed, but there was no humor in it. "That's not an answer, Ethan. That's an excuse."

Before he could get a word out, the screen behind them flickered again, static filling the room. Emily frowned, stepping back as words began to form across the display.

**"The truth will destroy you."**

A cold chill crept up her spine.

Ethan's entire body went rigid, his eyes narrowing at the screen. "Shit.

Emily turned to him, her stomach lurching with dread. "What the hell is going on?"

He reached out and yanked her back from the computer. "We have to get out of here."

"What? No! You don't get to run away from this, Ethan!" she exclaimed, shaking free. "Tell me what's happening."

His eyes went dark, fear and determination crossing his face. "Emily, someone is watching us. This isn't just about the past anymore—it's happening now.

The realization struck like a bolt of lightning. If someone knew about the clip, if they had access to her files…

They were being threatened.

Emily's breath hitched. "Who?"

Ethan hesitated then shook his head. "Not here."

A sharp knock at the door made them both freeze. Emily's pulse spiked as she exchanged a wary glance with Ethan.

"Was someone waiting for you?" he murmured, his stance shifting into one of defense.

Emily shook her head.

The knock came again—louder, more insistent.

Ethan moved first, pressing a finger to his lips before stepping toward the door. He reached for the handle but hesitated for a fraction of a second before pulling it open.

A man stood on the other side, his face concealed by the dim hallway lighting. But Emily knew that stance, that aura of barely restrained menace.

Her blood ran cold.

"Hello, Emily."

The voice was smooth, calculating, laced with something sinister.

Ethan stepped between them in the next moment, his body tense and ready to fight.

"Breathe," Emily told herself, forcing the air into her lungs. "What do you want?"

The man's lips curled up in a smirk. "To tell you the truth."

Ethan's fists clenched. "Get out.

The man tilted his head, amused. "Still playing the protector, Ethan?" His gaze flickered back to Emily. "But has he told you everything? Or is he still keeping secrets?"

Emily's stomach twisted. "I don't need games. If you have something to say, say it.

The man chuckled, reaching into his coat. Ethan tensed, prepared to lunge, but the man simply pulled out a small USB drive, holding it up between his fingers.

"Everything you've been looking for," he said smoothly. "The truth, in its entirety."

Emily's breath hitched. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. Could she trust this? Trust him?

Ethan's voice was a low growl. "Don't listen to him, Emily."

The man's smirk widened. "Afraid of what she might find?" He stepped forward, placing the drive on the desk. "It's your choice."

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving silence in his wake.

Emily stared at the USB drive, her mind spinning. She felt Ethan's gaze on her, felt the weight of his unspoken plea.

But the truth was right in front of her.

And she had to know.