Chapter 16 - Ethan Cole Loses Everything
The Cole Meridian board removed Ethan as CEO the next morning.
He did not fight.
The temporary CEO was Elena Park, the company’s chief operating officer.
Brilliant.
Respected.
Someone Ethan had repeatedly passed over because he feared strong executives around him.
That fact told me more about the man he had been than any confession.
His net worth dropped by sixty percent within two weeks.
Several properties were sold.
His private jet disappeared.
Business magazines that once called him visionary now called him disgraced.
I watched none of the interviews.
Then he came to my apartment.
No lawyers.
No flowers.
No ring.
“I’m leaving New York.”
“Where?”
“Chicago.”
“Why?”
“A manufacturing company offered me a restructuring position.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“You?”
“Apparently failure is valuable if you survive it publicly.”
Fair.
He looked around.
“I wanted to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
He almost smiled.
Then didn’t.
“Mary…”
“No speech.”
“I owe you one.”
“You owe me many things.”
“Yes.”
“But not a speech.”
He nodded.
We stood in silence.
Finally he said, “I did love you.”
The sentence hurt differently now.
Not because I wanted him back.
Because I believed him.
“I know.”
He looked surprised.
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t make what I did better.”
“No.”
“I used you.”
“Yes.”
“Then loved you.”
“Yes.”
“Then lied because I was afraid telling the truth would cost me you.”
“Yes.”
“Then cheated because part of me wanted to destroy the relationship before the truth could.”
I stared.
That was new.
Brooke had not merely tempted him.
Ethan had sabotaged himself.
Cowardice again.
Different costume.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“I don’t expect forgiveness.”
“Good.”
His eyes filled.
“Will you ever?”
“Maybe.”
Hope flashed.
I killed it gently.
“Forgiveness is not reconciliation.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
I walked him to the door.
He paused.
“Did you trigger the foundation clause?”
“Tomorrow.”
He smiled faintly.
“Good.”
Then he left.
For the first time since the hotel suite, I cried over him.
Not because I wanted to stop him.
May you like
Because once, before I knew how it began, he had been my safest place.
And now he was simply a man walking down a hallway alone.
