He Thought I Couldn't Understand That Call

I turned to Ethan. His eyes had gone sharp with suspicion.

I held on to my usual gentle smile as I said, "A friend was filling me in on some office gossip. Apparently, a CEO cheated on his wife, and now she's talking about divorce."

If he were set on putting on a show, I'd play my part all the way to the final curtain.

Ethan studied my face, his gaze roaming as if he were looking for a tell. When he didn't find one, his shoulders finally loosened.

He slid an arm around my waist and kissed my forehead. "That guy's an idiot. He doesn't get that the woman waiting up with the light on every night is the one who actually loves him.

"If it were me, I'd rather die than cheat on you."

I met his deep eyes and let out a quiet laugh. "But what if it actually happened? What if—"

Ethan cut me off right away. "Aria, we're not doing hypotheticals. I, Ethan Grant, swear on every bit of wealth and success I'll ever have that I will never betray you."

I shook my head, swallowing the sting in my chest like it was nothing. "Of course. I was just saying."

Ethan went quiet, brushing my cheek with his rough stubble. I could feel how rattled he was.

It didn't make sense. He was sleeping with Sandy, but he still had this stubborn need to keep his claim on me.

"If I ever break my word, then I deserve to lose you forever. You're my angel and my whole life. Aria, without you, I'd be living in hell."

I didn't say a word as I gently eased out of his arms.

I'd be gone in three days, and the consequence he'd sworn to would finally come due.

That was when Ethan's assistant, Nathan Hayes, called from the doorway. "Mr. Grant, everything's ready."

Ethan nodded, then gave me a small, unreadable smile. "Come on. I've got a surprise for you."

He took my hand and led me out to the terrace, then suddenly covered my eyes. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Get ready for your surprise. Five, four, three…"

The moment the countdown ended, he pulled his hands away from my eyes.

I froze, completely stunned by what I saw.

The harbor beyond the terrace was washed in light as dozens of LED balloons drifted upward, slowly gathering into the shape of a glowing "six".

Ethan slipped his arms around me from behind, his voice soft with emotion. "Sweetheart, even after six years of marriage, every day with you still feels just as perfect as the day I first met you."

The lights in the sky were dazzling, but something inside me quietly sank.

Six years had passed. I'd gone from the Searles' precious daughter to a Grant by marriage, folded into a life of money and shine.

Six years had changed me a lot. It was long enough for love to rot into betrayal and for vows to turn into lies.

Ethan turned me to face him, looking at me as if I were his entire world. "We'll have countless six-year stretches together, and I'll give you my best in every single one."

He leaned in slowly to kiss me.

If I hadn't found Sandy's pearl earring tucked in the love couch, I probably would've fallen for that look forever.

His phone started ringing right before he reached me. He frowned, clearly annoyed at the interruption.

Perfect. Now I didn't have to figure out how to dodge his kiss.

"Damn it. I said I didn't want anyone bothering me tonight. Let's see who actually has the guts to ignore that!"

But as soon as Ethan saw who was calling, his expression flipped. The name "My Little Pearl" flashed across the screen.

I didn't need a second guess. It was Sandy.

Ethan cleared his throat, tilted the phone away from me, and started tapping at the screen in a rush.

I could see panic and longing in his eyes. Sure enough, he turned back to me a second later with that practiced, guilty look.

"What is it?" I asked calmly, even though my nails were biting into my palms.

I already knew the truth. I just wanted to see which one of us he'd pick.

Ethan slipped his phone into his pocket, apology all over his face. "Sweetheart, something urgent came up at work. I have to take care of it."

"Right now?"

"I'm sorry. I know tonight is important, but I can't put this off. Why don't you go rest in the bedroom? I'll be back soon."

I nodded meekly. "I understand. Work comes first."

Ethan visibly relaxed at my answer. He gave me a quick hug and headed out. His car pulled away from the estate, its taillights disappearing into the dark.

I headed for the driveway. I was going to see for myself just how "urgent" this really was.