Chapter 5: The Choice He Made Alone
The drive back to Ethan’s apartment was silent.
Not the comfortable silence we used to share.
Not the kind where we could sit together listening to music and feel completely at peace.
This silence was heavy.
Full of things we had never said.
I watched Ethan’s hands on the steering wheel.
The same hands that had carried hospital bags.
The same hands that fixed things around my mother’s house.
The same hands I had once held without thinking.
Now I wondered how much pain those hands had carried.
“How long were you going to hide this from me?””
My voice was quiet.
Ethan didn’t look at me.
“I don’t know.””
“That’s not an answer.””
He sighed.
“I was hoping I could fix it before you ever found out.””
I looked out the window.
“You always do that.””
“What?””
“Decide what I can handle.””
He was silent.
Because he knew I was right.
When we arrived, neither of us moved.
Finally, Ethan spoke.
“I’m sorry.””
I turned toward him.
“For what?””
“For making you feel like I didn’t trust you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“I’m sorry for making you think you had to carry everything alone.””
His expression softened.
But sadness remained.
“You shouldn’t have to fix my problems.””
“I’m not trying to fix them.””
“Then what are you doing?””
I took a breath.
“Standing beside you.””
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Ethan smiled faintly.
It was the first real smile I had seen from him in days.
But it disappeared quickly.
Because reality returned.
Forty-eight hours.
That was all he had.
The next morning, I woke up early.
I went to my mother’s house.
She opened the door and immediately knew something was wrong.
“What happened?””
I hugged her.
And for the first time in months, I cried in front of her.
Not because I was afraid of losing her.
Because I finally understood what Ethan had almost lost.
My mother held me.
“Oh, Lena.””
“I was horrible to him.””
She sighed.
“No.””
“Yes.””
I pulled away.
“I judged him.””
My mother looked at me.
“You hurt him.””
The honesty surprised me.
But I needed it.
“I know.””
She touched my face.
“Then don’t waste time feeling guilty.””
“What should I do?””
“Show him you learned.””
I nodded.
Later that day, I went to Ethan’s office.
I had never been there before.
It was a small building.
Nothing like the giant corporate towers I imagined when I heard the word “company.””
But it was his.
His employees greeted him warmly.
That told me something.
They didn’t respect him because of money.
They respected him because of who he was.
A woman named Claire approached us.
“Ethan?””
“Yes?””
“Daniel’s lawyer called.””
His face changed.
“What did he say?””
She hesitated.
“He wants the transfer papers prepared.””
Ethan nodded.
“Okay.””
I looked at him.
“Okay?””
He forced a smile.
“Nothing else I can do.””
I stepped closer.
“That’s not true.””
He looked at me.
“We have forty-eight hours.””
“And?””
“And we don’t have enough money.””
I looked around the office.
“How much do you need?””
He laughed softly.
“Lena.””
“I’m serious.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because I won’t let you sacrifice your life for me.””
I stared at him.
The irony almost hurt.
Because he had sacrificed his life for everyone else.
“I’m not asking you to let me.””
He looked confused.
“I’m saying we find another way.””
For the next several hours, we went through every document.
Every contract.
Every payment.
Every detail of Daniel’s agreement.
Then Claire found something.
“Wait.””
We both looked at her.
She was staring at a page.
“What?””
She pointed.
“This clause.””
Ethan walked over.
His expression changed.
“What?””
She read carefully.
“Daniel can only claim ownership if the original agreement was fulfilled according to these conditions.””
I leaned closer.
“What conditions?””
Claire looked up.
“There’s one.””
“What?””
She pointed.
“Proof that Daniel provided the investment legally.””
Ethan frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Claire looked through the documents.
“It means he needed to report the investment properly.””
“And?””
She looked at us.
“He didn’t.””
Silence.
Then Ethan whispered:
“How do you know?””
“Because there’s no registration number.””
For the first time in days, hope appeared on Ethan’s face.
But it disappeared quickly.
“Daniel wouldn’t make a mistake like that.””
Claire looked uncertain.
“Unless he thought no one would check.””
I looked at Ethan.
“Then we check.””
He smiled slightly.
“You really won’t give up, will you?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
And for the first time, I saw something change in him.
Not relief.
Not victory.
Something deeper.
Trust.
But before we could celebrate, Ethan’s office phone rang.
Claire answered.
Her face changed immediately.
She slowly turned toward us.
“Ethan…”
“What?””
She swallowed.
“It’s the hospital.””
My heart stopped.
“The hospital?””
She nodded.
“They said there’s a problem with your mother’s old medical records.””
I frowned.
“My mother?””
Ethan looked confused.
Then Claire continued.
“They said someone requested access to them yesterday.””
“Who?””
She looked down at the paper in her hand.
Then she whispered:
“Daniel.””
The room went silent.
Because suddenly, I understood.
This was never just about money.
Daniel wasn’t trying to take Ethan’s company.
He was searching for something.
May you like
Something connected to my mother.
Something Ethan had protected me from.