Chapter Seven

The sharp crack of the gunshot echoed through the safe room.

Mia gasped, bracing for pain, but none came. Instead, Lena let out a sharp grunt as Ethan tackled her to the ground, the gun skidding across the polished floor.

"Run, Mia!" Ethan barked, wrestling Lena for control.

Mia hesitated for half a second then bolted. Her pulse roared in her ears as she stumbled out of the safe room and into the dim hallway.

Behind her, she heard the scuffle continue in grunts, the dull thud of bodies colliding, the scrape of shoes against the floor.

She didn't get far.

Lena's furious voice cut through the air. "Go ahead, Mia. But if you run, you'll never see Oliver again."

Mia froze, her breath hitching.

Ethan's voice was a deadly growl. "Where is he?"

Lena chuckled, dark and satisfied. "Safe. For now. But that depends on what you do next."

Mia turned, her chest heaving as she met Lena's gaze. "You're working for them, aren't you?"

Lena smirked. "Took you long enough to figure that out."

Ethan slowly rose from the floor, his hands curled into fists. His knuckles were raw, his lip bleeding, but his expression was pure control. "Who hired you?"

Lena dusted off her sleeve like this was all a mild inconvenience. "You should already know, Ethan. Your biggest rivals have wanted you destroyed for years. I just made it easier for them."

Mia clenched her fists. "You betrayed him."

Lena's gaze flicked to her. "Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea who the real betrayer is."

Something about the way she said it sent a chill down Mia's spine.

Ethan took a slow step forward. "Where is my son?"

Lena smiled. "He's not your only problem right now. You should be more worried about her past."

Mia's pulse skidded to a halt. "My past?"

Ethan's jaw clenched. He didn't look at her.

Lena sighed dramatically. "Oh, Mia. You really thought this was all about Ethan? His enemies? His secrets?" She tilted her head. "You should ask him why Nicholas was really investigating you."

Mia turned to Ethan, dread curling in her stomach. "What is she talking about?"

Ethan remained silent.

Lena smirked. "He didn't tell you, did he?" She tsked. "And you were starting to trust him."

Mia swallowed hard. She didn't have time for this. "Where is Oliver?" she demanded.

Lena's smirk widened. "Somewhere you'll never find him. Unless Ethan does exactly what he's told."

Ethan's hand twitched at his side, his entire body coiled with restrained fury. "What do you want?"

Lena backed toward the exit, her gaze flickering between them. "Not me. Them."

Then, with one last knowing glance at Mia, she turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Mia's breathing was erratic. Her heart was a drum pounding against her ribs. "Ethan," she whispered. "What is she talking about?"

Ethan exhaled slowly. Then he grabbed her hand. "We need to go."

Mia stiffened at the contact, his grip was firm, warm and protective. For a fleeting second, heat flared between them.

Then she yanked her hand away.

"I'm not taking another step until you tell me the truth."

Ethan's eyes darkened, frustration evident. "Now isn't the time."

"Now is exactly the time." Her voice trembled with anger. "Lena just said Nicholas was investigating me. Why?"

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, his restraint cracking. "Because you're not who you think you are, Mia."

The air thinned. Mia's chest tightened. "What the hell does that mean?"

Ethan's jaw ticked. "Nicholas started looking into you after our night together. He thought it was too much of a coincidence that you suddenly appeared in my life."

Mia's stomach dropped. "You thought I was some kind of…spy?"

"No." Ethan hesitated. "But someone else did."

The betrayal stung like a slap. "You had me investigated?"

"I had to." His voice was quiet, almost regretful. "And what Nicholas found… it wasn't just about me. It was about you, too."

Mia's hands curled into fists. "Tell me."

Ethan's gaze held hers for a long moment. Then, with a sigh, he grabbed her hand again. "I will. But first, we get out of here."

This time, she didn't pull away.

They took the back exit of the penthouse, descending into the underground garage. The air was thick with gasoline and the distant hum of city traffic.

Ethan unlocked a sleek black car, motioning for Mia to get in. She hesitated for a second, but the weight of everything pressed down on her. She needed answers. And Ethan was the only one who had them.

As soon as they were inside, Ethan floored the gas. The car roared to life, tires screeching against the pavement.

Mia stared at him. "Where are we going?"

"To get Oliver."

Mia's throat tightened. "Do you know where he is?"

Ethan's grip tightened on the wheel. "Not yet. But I know where to start."

Mia folded her arms. "And are you planning to actually tell me the truth now?"

Ethan exhaled sharply. "Nicholas found out that you weren't just some waitress working at that hotel the night we met."

Mia's breath hitched. "I never said I was."

"You also never mentioned that your father used to work for one of my biggest rivals."

Mia's head snapped toward him. "What?"

Ethan's gaze remained on the road. "Your father, Mia. He worked for Redmond Industries. The same company that's been trying to destroy mine for years."

Mia felt like the ground had just been ripped from beneath her. "That's impossible."

Ethan glanced at her. "Is it?"

Mia's mind spun. She barely remembered her father—he had died when she was a child. Her mother never spoke about him, only that he had been a businessman who made bad choices.

She shook her head. "No. You're wrong."

"I wish I was." Ethan's voice was grim. "Because now, they're using Oliver as leverage."

Mia's stomach twisted. "We need to find him."

Ethan's jaw clenched. "We will."

The car sped through the dark streets, weaving through traffic with ruthless precision. The air inside was thick with unspoken words, but Mia couldn't focus on anything except Oliver.

Then Ethan's phone buzzed.

He put it on speaker. "Talk."

A distorted voice came through. "We have the boy."

Mia's breath hitched.

The voice continued. "Bring Ethan. Alone. Or the boy dies."

Ethan's grip on the wheel tightened until his knuckles turned white.

Then the line went dead.

A cold dread settled in Mia's chest.

They pulled up to Oliver's school a few minutes later. But the moment Mia stepped out of the car, she knew something was wrong.

The place was empty.

No teachers. No students. No security.

Then she saw it.

A single note taped to the front gate.

She ripped it off, her fingers trembling as she read the words aloud.

"Bring Ethan. Or the boy dies."

The paper fluttered in the wind as she turned to Ethan, her heart hammering.

"What do we do?"

Ethan's gaze was cold. Calculating.

"We go to war."