Chapter 5 - The Corporate ExecutionBy sunrise, Ethan was back at his downtown office, but the disciplined, relentless CEO was gone. In his place was a man hollowed out by the events of the night.
At 9:00 AM sharp, Marcus Reed walked into his office carrying two coffees, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Ethan’s bloodshot eyes and the unmoving posture.
“Boss,” Marcus said cautiously, setting the cups down. “You look like you went twelve rounds with a heavyweight.”
“Marcus,” Ethan said, his voice flat. “Cancel my afternoon schedule.”
“Can’t. The Northstar board is coming in for the contract signing at two. If you bail now, the stock value—"
“Let it drop,” Ethan interrupted, standing up. He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a thick manila folder, sliding it across the polished mahogany desk toward his operations director. “What is this?” Marcus asked, opening the cover. His eyes widened as he scanned the first page. “Ethan... this is a complete structural transfer. You’re stepping down as CEO. You’re assigning fifty-one percent of voting shares to me and splitting the rest into a trust.”
“I’m taking an indefinite leave of absence,” Ethan said calmly. “Caldwell Protective Services is yours to run. You’ve earned it.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Marcus slammed the folder shut. “You spent twenty years building this empire! You live and breathe this company! You can’t just walk away because of a corporate dispute!”
“This isn’t about corporate, Marcus,” Ethan said, buttoning his suit jacket. “This is about a life I neglected while I was too busy building walls to protect it. If I don't fix what’s broken at home right now, there won't be a home left to return to.”
Before Marcus could argue further, Ethan walked past him out of the office, down the private elevator, and straight into his car.
He drove not back to Lincoln Park, but to Daniel Hart’s law office.
When Ethan walked into the attorney’s conference room, he slammed the divorce papers down on the glass table.
“Tear them up, Daniel,” Ethan ordered.
May you like
Daniel looked up, surprised. “You spoke to her?”
“I heard her,” Ethan said grimly. “And I realized something terrifying. I was so busy being the strong, silent protector that I became the exact cage she needed protection from. Now, I need to know how to tear down the walls.”
