Chapter 8
The journey from the dark, freezing cellar back to the opulent dining room felt like ascending from purgatory into hell. Ethan carried Claire with extreme care, his polished leather shoes moving silently over the expensive rugs of the mansion corridors. Claire kept her face hidden in his chest, completely overwhelmed by the sudden warmth and light of the house she hadn't seen in months.
Lucy trailed closely behind them, the gun trembling slightly in her hands, her white apron stained with sweat and adrenaline.
Ethan kicked the heavy walnut doors of the dining room open. The cascading crystal chandeliers bathed the room in their warm, golden light, illuminating the lavish setting of the ruined engagement dinner. The white roses and crystal stemware remained exactly as the fleeing guests had left them.
Vanessa was still there. She had collapsed into one of the champagne velvet chairs, clutching a crystal glass of untouched wine. When the doors burst open, she looked up, her sculpted satin gown looking rumpled and pathetic. The diamond earrings caught the light as her eyes locked onto the frail, dirty woman cradled in Ethan’s powerful arms.
"Ethan," Vanessa gasped, standing up so quickly her chair tipped backward and crashed onto the floor.
Ethan did not speak immediately. He walked over to the head of the table, carefully setting Claire down into his own designated chair. He draped his tailored suit jacket over her shivering shoulders, ensuring she was entirely enveloped in his warmth and protection.
"Is this the woman who abandoned me, Vanessa?" Ethan asked, his deep voice slicing through the silence like a scalpel. He stood beside Claire, his hands resting protectively on the back of her chair.
Vanessa stared at Claire, her fair, rosy skin turning the color of ash. "I... I can explain. She was dangerous, Ethan! She was going to leave you and take your secrets to the feds! I locked her away to protect the family!"
"Did you enjoy wearing her diamonds while she starved in a cage beneath your feet?" Ethan asked, gesturing with a tattooed hand to the massive engagement ring trembling on Vanessa's finger.
"It was for us!" Vanessa shrieked, backing away until she hit the ornate marble fireplace. "You needed a woman who understood the business! She was weak! Look at her, she's pathetic!"
Claire looked up from the oversized suit jacket, her exhausted, frightened eyes suddenly hardening with a fierce, burning defiance. "She sold your shipping routes to the Morettis, Ethan. She told me everything while I was in the dark."
Vanessa’s mouth fell open. The ultimate secret was out.
"Did you invite rival wolves into my territory, Vanessa?" Ethan asked, taking a slow, predatory step toward the marble fireplace. "Did you trade my empire for a ring?"
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"They promised they wouldn't hurt you!" Vanessa sobbed, holding her hands up defensively. "They just wanted the routes! They promised they would back our marriage if I got rid of her!"
"What penalty fits this level of betrayal, Vanessa?" Ethan asked quietly, stopping just inches from her. His cold, perceptive eyes stripped away every ounce of her remaining dignity. "Do you think a quick death is what you deserve?"
