Chapter 4 - THE SHADOW OF THE PAST
By the next morning, the news had sent shockwaves through the elite social circles of Connecticut.
“BILLIONAIRE ETHAN HARMON BREAKS ENGAGEMENT WITH HEIRESS NATALIE VOSS.” “SECRET DAUGHTER FOUND INSIDE THE HARMON ESTATE!”
Tabloids were parked outside the iron gates of the Greenwich estate, cameras flashing through the metal bars.
Inside, the mansion was undergoing a complete transformation.
The grand master suite on the second floor—previously reserved for Natalie—was being completely redecorated. Toy chests, tiny velvet dresses, and plush stuffed animals were being carried up the grand staircase by team members who were smiling for the first time in months.
Lily sat on the soft rug in the center of the vast living room, wearing a brand-new pink sweater, eating fresh pancakes prepared by the master chef.
Ethan sat on the floor right beside her, wearing an unbuttoned dress shirt with no tie, letting the three-year-old put tiny plastic hair clips into his dark hair.
Rosa watched from the doorway, holding a tray of tea. She felt like she was living in a surreal dream. Just twenty-four hours ago, she was a stressed housekeeper terrified of being fired. Now, she was sitting in the private quarters of one of the richest men in the country, watching him play with their daughter.
“She likes the yellow ones best,” Rosa said softly, walking into the room.
Ethan looked up, a small hair clip holding his bangs back. He didn't look embarrassed at all. He smiled. “She told me the yellow clips make me look like a king.”
Rosa laughed—a genuine, beautiful sound that made Ethan pause and look at her.
“Thank you, Ethan,” Rosa said, sitting down on the chair nearby. “For everything. For not throwing us out.”
“I should be apologizing to you,” Ethan said, his tone growing serious. He motioned for a maid to take Lily to the playroom next door. Once the door was closed, Ethan looked at Rosa with piercing intensity.
“Rosa, there’s something I need to ask you. Something that has bothered me for four years.”
Rosa’s heart skipped a beat. “What is it?”
Ethan pulled out a thick black folder from his briefcase and laid it on the coffee table.
“The night we met at the Grand Plaza Hotel,” Ethan began, “I was poisoned with a high-grade nerve toxin called Vene-7. It was meant to kill me or leave me permanently brain-damaged so my company could be bought out.”
Rosa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Poisoned?! I thought… I thought you were just severely intoxicated or sick!”
“I know you didn't know,” Ethan said gently. “You saved my life that night by keeping me cool and staying with me. But the person who poisoned me left behind a specific tracking device in that room—a tiny electronic bug hidden inside a custom gold cufflink button.”
Ethan reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold button Lily had found on the floor yesterday.
Rosa stared at it. “The button Lily found…”
“It wasn't a button from Natalie’s dress,” Ethan said, his eyes darkening. “It’s the exact twin of the cufflink used to track me four years ago. The Voss family emblem is engraved on the side.”
Rosa felt cold sweat break out on her neck. “You mean… Natalie’s family poisoned you four years ago?”
“Worse,” Ethan said, opening the folder. “Natalie didn't meet me by accident at that charity auction three years ago. Her family sent her to get close to me, to ensure I married into their family so they could control Harmon Capital. But when Lily found this button hidden under the furniture in the foyer yesterday… it proved someone was inside this house, sweeping for old evidence.”
Suddenly, the house’s internal alarm system began to wail.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Red emergency lights flashed across the ceiling. The heavy steel security shutters over the windows automatically began to roll down, plunging the room into shadow.
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Mr. Patel burst through the double doors, his face pale with horror.
“Mr. Harmon! We have a security breach at the perimeter!” Mr. Patel shouted over the alarm. “A group of armed men just rammed a vehicle through the back service gates! They’ve cut the main power lines!”
