Chapter 4
Ethan escorted his mother into the quiet luxury of the private VIP parlor down the corridor, far away from the chaotic ballroom noise.
He helped Eleanor sit comfortably on a velvet sofa, pouring her a glass of chilled mineral water with tender, meticulous care.
"Are you alright, Mother?" Ethan asked softly, kneeling beside her and gently taking her hands into his own warm grip.
"I am fine, my boy... I never wanted to ruin your special day, Ethan, I truly didn't," Eleanor whispered, a stray tear escaping.
"It was never a special day, Mother; it was a trap, and stepping out of it was the easiest choice I have ever made," Ethan replied.
The heavy mahogany door of the parlor flew open violently, slamming against the interior wall with a deafening crash.
Chloe's father, Harrison Vance, towered in the doorway, his face purple with rage and his tuxedo jacket unbuttoned in agitation.
"Have you lost your entire mind, Ethan? Do you realize what kind of financial war you just declared against our family?" Harrison barked.
Ethan stood up slowly, towering over his prospective former father-in-law with an expression carved entirely from cold granite.
May you like
"Watch your tone inside this room, Harrison, or you won't even have a corporate empire left by sunrise," Ethan warned in a deadly whisper.
Harrison sneered, stepping further into the room with an arrogant swagger that had intimidated boardrooms across Manhattan for decades.
