Ethan's Secret

Michael White had never been humiliated like this before in his life. The blow that Ethan Caldwell had dealt him—physically and financially—burned deep. He sat in his office, eyes burning with rage, as his phone rang off the hook with calls from business partners and investors. They all wanted answers. They all wanted to know how Ethan, the man they had all written off as a nobody, had managed to orchestrate the collapse of several of Michael’s ventures seemingly overnight.

The board meeting earlier that day had been disastrous. Investors, once eager to throw their money into Michael’s enterprises, were now pulling out. Ethan had severed every business tie Kingsley Mountain had with Michael, cutting off his most valuable connections.

Michael slammed his fist onto his desk, knocking over a stack of files. “That bastard!” he growled. “How did he do it? How did he manage to ruin me?”

His assistant, Tim, stood at the door, visibly nervous. “Sir, there’s more bad news,” Tim stammered. “The investors are pulling out of the real estate deal as well. They’re claiming it’s too risky, especially after what happened with Kingsley Mountain.”

Michael’s eyes darkened. He had prided himself on being untouchable, on being the man who could charm his way out of any situation. But now, with Ethan calling the shots, everything was falling apart. And the worst part? Ethan hadn’t even had to raise a hand—just a few phone calls from his powerful contacts were enough to start the domino effect.

But Michael wasn’t one to sit back and take defeat. He was already formulating a plan, a way to get back at Ethan and regain his lost influence. And for that, he needed allies. Allies like the Harrisons.

Later that evening, Michael met with Vanessa Harrison at an exclusive restaurant in the heart of the city. Vanessa had always been a manipulative woman, one who believed in keeping her family on top at any cost. And now that Ethan had revealed his true identity, Vanessa was angrier than ever. Ethan’s rise to power threatened her carefully crafted image, and she wasn’t about to let that happen.

Vanessa sipped her wine, her eyes narrowing as Michael laid out his plan. “You want to bring Ethan down?” she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism. “He’s more powerful than we thought, Michael. You saw what he did to your business in a matter of days.”

“I know,” Michael replied, his voice low and filled with frustration. “But he’s not invincible. Everyone has weaknesses. We just need to find his. And when we do, we’ll crush him.”

Vanessa smirked. “And how do you plan on doing that? What’s your next move?”

Michael leaned forward, his voice cold and calculated. “We’ll trap him in a fraudulent business deal. He may be riding high now, but if we make it look like he’s involved in shady dealings, his entire empire will crumble. And when that happens, Kingsley Mountain will drop him faster than he can blink.”

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. “And how do you intend to make that happen?”

“I’ve already started the groundwork,” Michael said, a sinister smile forming on his lips. “I’ve got contacts in the legal world, people who can make this all look legitimate. Ethan will think he’s investing in a lucrative deal, but in reality, it’ll be a trap. Once he’s in, there’ll be no way out. His reputation will be destroyed, and Kingsley Mountain will have no choice but to sever ties with him completely.”

Vanessa nodded, clearly intrigued. “And what do you need from us?”

“Your family still has influence in the business world,” Michael replied. “I need you to help spread the word, make sure people know that Ethan is dangerous to work with. We’ll feed the media stories about his shady dealings, and before long, everyone will turn on him. He won’t know what hit him.”

Vanessa smirked. “Consider it done. Ethan thinks he’s above us, but he’ll soon learn that no one crosses the Harrisons and comes out unscathed.”

Meanwhile, Ethan was aware of Michael’s movements. He had suspected from the beginning that Michael wouldn’t take his downfall quietly. Through Kingsley Mountain’s vast resources, Ethan had access to a network of information and influence that Michael couldn’t begin to comprehend.

Sitting in his office, Ethan reviewed the reports his team had gathered. “Michael is trying to set up a fraudulent deal,” his right-hand man, Ryan, reported. “He’s pulling strings with his legal contacts and setting up a trap. He thinks he can drag you into it and take you down.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “Let him try,” he said calmly. “We’ll let him believe his plan is working. But when the time comes, we’ll strike back.”

With Kingsley Mountain’s resources, Ethan began dismantling Michael’s remaining influence piece by piece. He orchestrated quiet moves to bankrupt Michael’s businesses, exposing his corrupt dealings to investors and partners. Every step Michael took to rebuild his empire was met with subtle resistance from Ethan’s network.

Ethan’s control over the situation was absolute. Michael had no idea that the ground was being pulled out from under him until it was too late. And as Ethan’s power grew, so did Emily’s unease.

Emily had always known Ethan to be a humble, hardworking man. But lately, something had changed. He had grown more distant, more secretive. And his sudden rise to power—his connection to Kingsley Mountain—had blindsided her.

As she watched Ethan from a distance, she couldn’t help but feel conflicted. She loved him, and she was grateful that he was protecting her from her family’s schemes. But this new Ethan, the one who wielded power and influence so effortlessly, felt like a stranger. She didn’t understand how he had hidden such a monumental secret from her for so long.

“You’re different,” she said one evening as they sat together in the living room. Her voice was soft, but there was a hint of accusation in it.

Ethan glanced at her, his expression guarded. “What do you mean?”

Emily sighed, unsure of how to articulate her feelings. “You’ve changed, Ethan. You’re not the man I married. I don’t understand how you’ve kept all of this from me… the power, the wealth. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Ethan’s eyes softened for a moment, but then his usual stoic expression returned. “I kept it from you to protect you, Emily. There are dangers that come with this kind of power. I didn’t want you to get caught up in it.”

Emily shook her head, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “But I’m your wife, Ethan. I should have known. You’re keeping me in the dark, and I don’t even know who you are anymore.”

Ethan looked away, guilt flickering in his eyes. “I’m still the same man you married,” he said quietly. “I did this for us. To protect you from people like your family… and from men like Michael.”

Emily didn’t know what to say. She appreciated what Ethan was doing, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the man she had fallen in love with was slipping away, replaced by someone she barely recognized.

As Ethan continued to dismantle Michael’s influence, Michael became more desperate. He knew he was losing control, and he needed a way to turn the tide in his favor. So, he did what he did best—he started digging.

Using his remaining contacts, Michael began gathering personal information about Ethan. He wanted to know how Ethan had gone from a lowly son-in-law to a powerful figure in the business world. And the more he uncovered, the more shocked he became.

One night, as Michael sat in his office, going through the files his investigator had sent him, he came across a name that made his blood run cold: Kingsley Mountain.

“So, that’s it,” Michael muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing. “Ethan Caldwell is the heir to Kingsley Mountain.”

Michael’s mind raced as he realized the full scope of Ethan’s power. But instead of backing down, Michael saw an opportunity. If he could expose Ethan’s connection to Kingsley Mountain, he could turn the business world against him. And then, finally, Ethan would fall.

A slow, wicked smile spread across Michael’s face as he plotted his next move. This wasn’t over yet.