Ethan Came Back

WeiTech’s stock collapsed for a week.

A major shareholder dumped his shares at a symbolic price.

Marcus was not interested.

I was.

I bought sixty-one percent of WeiTech for three million dollars.

Then I sold it to Victor’s biggest rival.

Ethan Gu.

My childhood friend.

My first love.

The man I had once almost waited for.

We separated peacefully when he went overseas. He told me to wait if I could.

I told him I was not built for waiting.

He smiled then and said he knew.

When Ethan learned what happened, he flew back to New Harbor on a fourteen-hour flight.

He met me for dinner the night he landed.

He looked tired.

Older.

Sharper.

Still himself.

We ate quietly.

Then he said,

“I once asked you to wait for me.”

I smiled through tears.

“That was your dream, not mine.”

He lit a cigarette outside the restaurant.

Smoke blurred the hard line of his face.

“I left because I wanted you to choose freely,” he said. “I came back because someone forgot you had people behind you.”

The next morning, Ethan sent Victor a legal letter.

Attached was the name Arthur Fang.

The best divorce and corporate attorney in the country.

Victor laughed when he first saw the letter.

Then he saw Arthur’s signature.

He stopped laughing.

At the WeiTech board meeting, Victor saw Marcus, Ethan, and me sitting across the table.

His face went white.

Ethan was now WeiTech’s controlling shareholder.

Victor rushed toward him and swung a fist.

Ethan caught his wrist without standing.

The room fell silent.

Victor cursed.

“You think you can come into my company and play?”

Ethan released him and wiped his fingers with a handkerchief.

Marcus spoke first.

“My sister is under my protection. You touched her. You transferred her assets. You brought your mistress into her home.”

He slid the divorce agreement across the table.

“Sign. Ten million for emotional damages.”

Victor slammed his palm onto the table.

“My marriage hasn’t broken down!”

Marcus smiled.

“Coward.”

Ethan glanced up.

“Coward.”

Victor exploded.

He accused me of sleeping with Ethan.

He said the divorce was a conspiracy.

He said he was the victim.

Old Mr. Wei, Victor’s father, nearly fainted.

Everyone in that room knew Ethan Gu was not someone to offend.

Arthur Fang tapped the agreement.

“Mr. Wei. Sign.”

Victor signed.

Or tried to.

Ethan’s assistant checked the page and placed it back before him.

“He did not sign his legal name.”

The room turned icy.

Victor laughed weakly.

“Fine. We’re all adults. Ethan, you take your girl. I take Hana. Give WeiTech back, and we end this gracefully.”

Ethan leaned back.

“Current market price times three.”

The Wei family gasped.

Victor’s face twisted.

“You’re robbing us!”

Marcus held Theo on his lap and asked gently,

“Does your face still hurt?”

Theo sniffled.

“A little.”

Ethan’s eyes moved to the child.

Then back to Victor.

“Three times is generous.”

Victor could not stop himself.

“She slept with you, didn’t she?”

Ethan’s pen paused above the transfer document.

He raised his eyes.

“Six times.”

Old Mr. Wei almost fell from his chair.

“Mr. Gu, please—”

Then reporters pushed open the conference room doors.

Cameras flashed.

Someone had leaked the meeting.

Before the Wei family could react, Hana entered through the side door carrying Victor’s son.

The boy saw Victor and cried,

“Daddy, I’m scared!”

Every camera turned.

Victor’s last lie died in front of the entire city.

Ethan signed the transfer agreement at six times market price.

Victor finally signed the divorce papers.

This time, properly.

When his pen left the page, he began to cry.

I felt nothing.

Not joy.

Not pity.

Only the quiet relief of a door closing.