Page 24 of Ethan: The Untouchable CEO

So this stays a secret. Untouchable. A subject I’ll never speak about.

But how am I supposed to leave? How can I, when I came here with the two people I want to avoid most? All I want is to go home—Theo’s home—and lock myself in my room until Monday, when I’ll be forced to face the world again.

I woke up around nine—if you can call it waking up when you haven’t slept a single minute. Since then, I’ve been glued to my tablet, finishing every last detail of the Hartho event. The invitations are out, the logistics completed, every element finalized.

With a heavy sigh, I set the tablet aside and push myself off the bed, intending to step out onto the balcony. But then I hear it—three soft knocks at the door.

My heart leaps straight into my throat.

What if it’s Irina? What if Ethan told her about last night? What am I supposed to say?

I’m sorry, your man drives me insane?

I wasn’t thinking?

What kind of pathetic excuses are those?

Or worse, what if it’s Ethan?

No. No, there’s no reason he’d come here.

Still, my pulse races wildly as I walk toward the door, every step weighted with dread. I open it slowly, bracing myself for the worst, only to find Sierra and Nick standing there.

Oh God.

They know. They found out what I did, and now they’re here to tell me how disappointed they are in me.

“Thalia, are you okay?” Sierra asks the moment she sees my face.

“What? Me? Yeah, I just woke up. Why?” I force my tone to sound natural. Casual.

Sierra knows me too well—she reads me like an open book. If I want to keep her from digging deeper, I need to act calm, relaxed.

“Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you,” Nick says gently. “We’re going for a walk in the woods and thought we’d ask if you’d like to come.”

“A walk?” My voice catches, making me sound borderline insane. “Sure, just give me a minute to change.”

This is the perfect excuse to escape. To avoid seeing Ethan. To avoid running into Irina. To avoid witnessing any affectionate display between the two of them.

“We’ll wait for you downstairs, Thalia,” Sierra says with a small smile, even throwing me a playful wink. “Everyone’s in the living room. You’re the only one missing.”

Then she turns, Nick following her down the hall.

Everyone?

Ice trickles down my spine, making me shiver. I thought it would be just the three of us. Maybe Theo, maybe one of the guys tagging along.

But all of us?

Jesus. Stop whining, Thalia. Life is simple—you make a choice, you live with the consequences.

By the time I make it downstairs, everyone is already outside in the yard. I keep my eyes fixed anywhere except the place where I saw Ethan standing with a few of the guys.

I don’t see Irina anywhere.

I’ve subtly scanned every corner, searching for her. Maybe she’s running late and we’ll wait for her before leaving.

I can’t quite explain what her absence makes me feel. There’s a flicker of relief that she isn’t standing beside Ethan—I know, that’s awful of me!—but at the same time there’s panic building in my chest.