37| Reflections and Realizations

After their friends left, the house settled into a peaceful silence, broken only by the soft rustling of Sophie and Ethan tidying up together.

The living room was a disaster—Alex had spilled chips during the nail-biting game, and Emily and David's impromptu popcorn war had left kernels scattered everywhere. It was chaotic, but it made Sophie smile as she gathered empty glasses and plates.

Carrying the dishes to the kitchen, Sophie felt her heart flutter. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions, and as she replayed the events in her mind, she couldn't help but feel giddy.

So much had happened—it was hard to believe it had all been in one day. She barely had time to process the memory of Ethan's kiss earlier, which still left her breathless every time she thought about it.

Ethan walked in with a handful of empty bottles, his presence filling the room in a way that made Sophie's breath quicken. She glanced up as he set them on the counter, their eyes meeting for a brief moment.

They didn't really need to clean—staff would come in the morning—but neither of them said it. Maybe they just wanted an excuse to stay near each other a little longer.

"Thanks for helping out tonight, Sophie," Ethan said softly as they finished tidying up. They found themselves lingering in the kitchen, standing closer than either had intended.

Sophie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice quiet but warm. "I had fun too, so you don't have to thank me."

"Still, thank you," Ethan said, his tone earnest. In his mind, he added all the words he couldn't quite bring himself to say—thank you for being here, for being by my side, for just being you. But he kept those thoughts to himself.

They both started to speak at the same time. "Um—" Sophie began, and Ethan said, "I—"

They laughed at their awkwardness, the sound breaking some of the tension in the air.

"You go first," Sophie said, her shyness making her voice almost a whisper.

Ethan hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding. Then, before he could second-guess himself, the words slipped out.

"Can I... can I hug you goodnight?"

The question caught him off guard as much as it did Sophie.

He hadn't planned to ask. It just happened. But then, she nodded, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

Ethan closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her—gently, but firmly. Sophie melted into the embrace, resting her head against his chest.

It was just a hug.

So why did it feel like more?

Neither of them moved, neither wanting to let go. Ethan could feel the steady rise and fall of Sophie's breathing, and somehow, it calmed something deep inside him.

Sophie sighed softly, her fingers curling slightly against the fabric of his shirt. There was something about being in Ethan's arms—a warmth, a quiet safety—that she hadn't realized she craved.

Eventually, Ethan loosened his hold, stepping back reluctantly. His hands lingered on her arms for just a moment before falling to his sides.

"Goodnight, Sophie," he said, his voice low and full of meaning.

Sophie looked up at him, her cheeks flushed, her heart still racing. "Goodnight, Ethan," she whispered.

She turned and made her way to her bedroom, while Ethan headed to his.

The house, despite its size, felt inexplicably smaller that night.

*******

"Mr. Sinclair, not-so-great news—The Halcyon Initiative deal isn't going well," Jessica said as she entered the conference room.

Ethan had just wrapped up a meeting with his team when she appeared, her expression sharp with quiet urgency.

"Who's handling it?" Ethan asked, reaching for the glass of water on the table.

"Your father said he was taking charge, but it seems the approach they went with completely backfired," she whispered, careful not to let the wrong ears catch wind of the issue.

Ethan took a sip of his water, exhaling slowly. "So this isn't officially out yet? Just internal gossip?"

Jessica gave him a knowing look. Call it gossip if you want, but it's good information.

She was always good at this—finding out things his father didn't want him to know. Jessica was, without a doubt, terrifying when it came to office politics, which was exactly why she was his secret weapon.

His father underestimated women in business. Ethan, however, was smart enough to fear Jessica just the right amount and ensure she was always on his side.

"They'll probably come to us soon and act like it's not a crisis," Ethan mused, setting his glass down. "Thanks for the heads-up."

Jessica nodded, and as she left, Ethan turned toward the window, his thoughts shifting to something—someone—else entirely.

He couldn't wait for the day to be over.

Not because of work, not because of his father—but because of Sophie.

He thought about taking a photo of her just to have with him during the day. But then, he realized, he preferred being near her, watching every small change in her expression, catching every little moment.

Before he knew it, he was smiling.

And the moment he caught himself, he wiped it off immediately.

Damn. He needed to get better at keeping that in check when he was at work.

But it was so hard when he felt like he was on cloud nine. At this point, he could probably hand out educational pamphlets on why falling in love was the best thing that could ever happen to a person.

The thought nearly made him laugh—until he noticed one of his subordinates staring at him.

The man shifted awkwardly under Ethan's gaze before clearing his throat. "Uh... sorry, I left something here," he muttered before hurrying out of the room.

Ethan sighed, running a hand over his face.

Great. Now he was officially the office gossip.

He made his way back to his office, where he could think about Sophie in peace.

But just as he settled into his chair, Jessica appeared again.

And this time, she wasn't just bringing gossip.

"Just like I told you," she said, "your father wants to see you. Meeting with the other executives is happening right now."

Ethan sighed but didn't argue. Of course.

By the time he stepped into the boardroom, the atmosphere was tense. The air was thick with stress, far more than the situation called for.

When Ethan walked into the boardroom, the atmosphere was different.

Serious.

Heavy.

Like they were preparing for a battle. Why were they so stressed over nothing?

His gaze moved over the other executives, their faces drawn tight with tension.

Was this how he always looked? He hoped not.

His father sat at the head of the table, his expression cold and unforgiving.

Ethan took his usual seat beside him, but today, he didn't feel like sharing in his father's expectations.

"Thank you all for coming," Robert began, his tone formal and sharp. "We have an urgent matter to discuss. We've been presented with an opportunity to secure a major deal that could significantly impact our company's future. However, it requires immediate attention and negotiation."

So Jessica was right. They messed up the negotiation, and now it needed immediate damage control.

Robert continued outlining the details of the deal, and while it did have strong potential, Ethan could see exactly where things had gone wrong. His father had assigned the wrong team to handle it, and now they were scrambling to fix the mess.

Then Robert looked directly at him.

"Ethan, we need you to handle this. Your expertise and negotiation skills are crucial to securing this deal."

Wait.

Was that a compliment?

"It's not in town, so you'll have to travel to meet them," Robert continued. "Since this is urgent, the sooner you leave, the better. You're expected to fly out tomorrow."

Ethan stiffened. Tomorrow?

There was no way he was leaving that soon—not for almost a week.

Not when it meant being away from Sophie.

"I'm sorry, but my schedule is already packed with other projects. I'll have to pass on this one," he said flatly.

The room fell silent.

Robert's gaze snapped to him, disbelief flashing in his cold eyes.

"What?" His father's voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy air.

And just like that, every executive at the table turned to stare at Ethan.

Wait—did he just refuse his father? In front of his most valued executives?

The dopamine from seeing Sophie today must have made him insane.

Ethan leaned back slightly, keeping his voice steady. "That wasn't a project I was handling. But since it's now a crisis, I'll make some accommodations. Just know I'm pulling one for the team here."

Robert's jaw clenched, but he nodded curtly. The meeting resumed, with the other executives scrambling to discuss next steps. But Ethan's mind was already elsewhere.

He had to leave Sophie. For days.

That thought alone made his stomach tighten.

As the meeting came to a close, Robert dismissed the executives but motioned for Ethan to stay behind. The moment they were alone, his father turned to him, his disappointment sharp as a blade.

"What the hell was that?" Robert's voice was low but furious. "Did you think I was asking for your opinion?"

Ethan exhaled slowly, reigning in his own frustration. "You can't blame me for that. That wasn't my project, and I don't appreciate being blindsided. I run things on a system, Father."

Even though he had spent years sacrificing his time, bending over backward to please his father, he wasn't going to let himself be used like a pawn.

Not without a shred of appreciation.

Robert hated being defied, Ethan knew that.

But that didn't mean he would keep saying yes to every ridiculous demand.

Robert scoffed. "A system?" he repeated like the word itself was a joke. "Then tell me, Ethan—what happened during yesterday's meeting? Having Sophie storm in—do you realize how unprofessional that looked?"

Ethan stilled. His jaw tightened as he met his father's glare. How the hell did he know about that?

"Are you spying on me now?" he asked, his voice sharp.

Robert's eyes narrowed. "Spying? Don't flatter yourself. People talk, Ethan. I was bound to hear about it sooner or later."

Ethan clenched his fists. That's not the point.

"When I took over, you promised to step back," he reminded him. "You said there would be no interference in my office."

Robert's face darkened, his fury barely contained. "Don't lecture me on how to run my company," he snapped. "This is about professionalism, and I won't stand by while you and that woman jeopardize everything."

Ethan flinched at the way his father said that woman—as if Sophie were nothing more than a nuisance.

His patience was running out.

"It was a personal matter, and I handled it the best I could," Ethan said, voice firm.

"Personal matters have no place in the boardroom," Robert shot back coldly. "You need to get your priorities straight."

Ethan inhaled deeply, trying to temper the storm rising inside him. "I'm doing my best, Father," he said evenly. "But if you keep interfering, you're going to force my hand."

Robert's eyes flashed, his anger momentarily flickering into something else—was that unease?

Still, his father wasn't the type to back down. His voice came out steel-sharp.

"Just secure the deal, Ethan. I won't tolerate any mistakes. Not now, not ever."

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