« What?! But I didn’t even know who you were! »
He nodded.
« I know. But he wasn’t interested. »
I held Lily tighter and tighter, my stomach in knots. Social media can destroy a person in a matter of hours. One video, one false caption, and I would have been torn apart by strangers. Lost my job. Judged for life.
« I tried to calm the situation, » Ethan continued, « but she kept screaming. So the flight attendants confiscated her phone. »
My voice was trembling.
« Did she publish anything? »
« No. I made sure she couldn’t. »
There was something about the way he said it that made me flinch.
« What does that mean? »
He pulled out a business card and handed it to me.
Ethan Ward — CEO, WardTech Corporation
« I don’t just run a tech company. I have contacts in the media. I asked the airline to detain her, retrieve the recordings, and issue a statement if necessary. »
I felt my knees buckle.
« You… you protected me? »
Her gaze softened.
« You were exhausted. And we could see you’re a good mother from the second you stepped onto the plane. Anyone who’s ever traveled with a baby knows how difficult it is. »
I felt the heat rising to my face. It had been years since anyone had said anything like that to me.
« But that’s not the only reason I’m telling you all this, » he added.
I blinked.
« Is there anything else? »
He hesitated.
« She wasn’t just filming. She was following me. She showed up at several of my events, sent letters. My security team reported her last month. »
My stomach churned.
« A stalker? »
« Potentially. »
« And you thought… that my closeness to you could… »
» Yes. «
The pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
His rage.
His accusations.
His insults.
This obsession.
I wasn’t the real target.
I was collateral damage.
Ethan rubbed his temples.
« I didn’t want you to get involved in anything dangerous. But now that you’ve seen her near me… she might decide you’re a threat. »
An icy chill ran down my spine.
« What do we do? »
He looked at me, calm, determined.
« You and your daughter need protection. And I will take care of it. »
That afternoon, the airline escorted us through a private exit usually reserved for VIPs. I felt terribly out of place, clutching Lily in my arms as I walked behind a billionaire CEO surrounded by security agents. Outside, black SUVs waited in a restricted area.
Ethan turned to me.
« First, you need to know that you’re not in any trouble. You haven’t done anything wrong. But I can’t let you go home until we’ve assessed the situation. »
My chest tightened.
« I live alone. With my daughter. If she’s unstable… »
« That’s exactly why I’m involved, » he said firmly.
He helped me into one of the SUVs while two security guards took the front seat. Lily slept against my collarbone as we drove along the highway.
« Where are we going? » I asked.
« In a temporary and secure residence that WardTech uses for employees on assignment. We will house you there for the time being. »
I watched the scenery go by through the window, completely overwhelmed. I was an ordinary woman—Emily Carter, 29, an office worker—suddenly thrust into a world of corporate security protocols and harassment threats targeting billionaires. It didn’t seem real.
Once we arrived, the calm of the building began to ease my panic a little. A security guard named Rowan handed me a form.
« This is standard procedure, » he explained. « Just to confirm your emergency contacts. »
While I was filling it out, Ethan stood by the door, checking updates on his phone. His expression hardened.
« It’s already at work, » he said.
See more on the next page
Advertisement
