Chapter 4 - Reaping the Whirlwind
The door to Ethan’s office clicked shut, sealing the three of us—and Sophie, who was blissfully asleep in her carrier—inside.
Marcus was sweating now, his fingers twitching at his sides. "Mr. Cole, I don't understand what’s going on here. Whatever she told you, she's lying. She's just trying to extort me because of my position."
Ethan walked slowly behind his desk, but he didn't sit down. He leaned against it, crossing his arms, looking at Marcus with a detached, clinical interest.
"She didn't have to tell me much, Marcus. Your actions spoke for you," Ethan said. "Last night, I received a very desperate text message meant for someone else. Through a series of events, I ended up at Clara's apartment. I saw the state she was living in. I saw my company’s rejection letters on her counter. And then, I saw your name flash on my phone."
Marcus looked at me, his eyes burning with venom. "You tracked down my boss? You pathetic—"
"Watch your mouth," Ethan snapped, his voice ringing with absolute authority. "I tracked her down. And then I did some digging. I had my IT department audit our hiring database this morning. It turns out you manually overrode the HR screening process to blackball Clara Taylor from two separate positions she was highly qualified for. Care to explain why?"
Marcus opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. "I... it was a conflict of interest. She's... we have history. I didn't want personal drama affecting the office."
"A conflict of interest?" Ethan chuckled, a cold, humorless sound. "Or were you trying to ensure she couldn't afford a lawyer to come after you for the thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills and child support you owe for this little girl?" Ethan pointed toward Sophie.
"She’s not mine!" Marcus shouted, losing his composure. "She was born early, she’s a money pit! I’m not throwing my career away for her!"
The room went dead silent. The sheer, unadulterated selfishness of his words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.
I felt a tear slip down my cheek, but I didn't feel weak anymore. I felt an overwhelming wave of clarity. This was the man I had wept over. This was the man I thought defined my worth. He was nothing but a coward in an expensive suit.
Ethan looked at Marcus with utter disgust. "You are a disgrace to this company, and to your gender. Effective immediately, you are terminated from Cole Industries. For cause. The board will be notified of your gross ethical violations."
Marcus’s face turned purple. "You can't fire me for this! It's a personal matter! I'll sue!"
"Please do," Ethan said softly. "I have already instructed our legal team to assist Clara in filing for retroactive child support, utilizing our internal records of your salary, bonuses, and the blatant abuse of company resources to suppress her employment. Our lawyers are very, very good, Marcus. They will take everything you have. Now, get out of my building before I have security throw you onto the street."
Marcus stared at Ethan, then at me. Realizing he had lost completely, he sneered, turned on his heel, and slammed the door behind him.
I let out a breath I felt like I had been holding for seven months. My knees shook, and I sank into one of the leather chairs. Ethan immediately walked over, kneeling beside me so we were at eye level.
"He's gone, Clara," Ethan said gently. "He can never hurt you or Sophie again. I promise you."
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"I don't know how to thank you," I sobbed, covering my face. "You didn't have to do any of this."
"Yes, I did," Ethan said, his eyes shining with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. "Because no one should have to fight the world alone. And because... I want to help you build a new life. If you'll let me."
