Chapter 3 - THE BEST MAN'S SMILE
Ethan Cole had been Daniel's best friend since college.
They had met during their first year at Northwestern, when Daniel was struggling through an economics exam and Ethan offered him a set of notes. They became roommates, then business partners, then family in everything but blood.
Ethan had been best man at Daniel's wedding to Olivia.
He had carried Lily out of the hospital when she was born.
He had sat beside Daniel at the funeral of Daniel's father.
And for the past two years, he had helped Daniel believe that Olivia had abandoned them.
At 1:30 a.m., Ethan appeared at the hospital.
He wore the same dark suit from the wedding, though his tie was gone. A small cut marked his cheek.
Daniel met him outside Olivia's room.
“Where have you been?”
“Talking to the police. They have questions.”
“I'm sure they do.”
Ethan glanced through the glass at Olivia.
“Is she awake?”
“No.”
“Good. We need to discuss what she told you.”
Daniel folded his arms.
“You seem very interested in what she said.”
Ethan's expression softened. “I'm trying to protect you. Olivia has been unstable since she left. You know that.”
“I know she was tied up behind a wall at my wedding.”
“Vanessa panicked. She made a terrible decision.”
“You're defending her?”
“I'm explaining what happened.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Lily says she saw you give Vanessa a key.”
Ethan sighed. “Lily is six. She was frightened. Children misunderstand things.”
“She also heard her mother calling her name.”
“Daniel—”
“Did you know Olivia was alive?”
Ethan's face changed for half a second.
It was enough.
Daniel felt something inside him go cold.
“You did.”
Ethan lowered his voice. “I can explain.”
“Then explain.”
Ethan looked down the corridor before speaking.
“Your father discovered financial irregularities before he died. He believed I was involved. He was wrong about the details, but he was preparing to remove me from the company. Olivia found some of the records. She threatened to expose everything.”
“Was she telling the truth?”
“I was moving money between accounts to keep projects alive. Your father didn't understand the pressure I was under.”
“That's not an answer.”
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
“Daniel, your father left this company in chaos. I kept it running. I protected you. I handled problems you never even knew existed.”
“Did you arrange the messages that made Olivia disappear?”
Silence.
Daniel took a step forward.
“Answer me.”
Ethan's shoulders sagged.
“I wanted her away from the company. She was asking questions she didn't understand.”
“You made her think I wanted her gone.”
“I thought it would be temporary.”
“And Vanessa?”
“She was supposed to keep her quiet.”
Daniel stared at him.
“By locking her in a wall?”
Ethan looked away.
“She wasn't supposed to be hurt.”
Daniel almost laughed. The sound that came out was empty.
“You stood beside me at the altar. You watched me promise to build a life with a woman you knew had threatened my family.”
“I was trying to keep the company from collapsing.”
“You were trying to steal it.”
Ethan's eyes hardened.
“Be careful, Daniel. You don't know what you're accusing me of.”
“Then stay here and explain it to the police.”
Ethan glanced toward the stairwell.
Daniel noticed.
“Don't.”
For a moment, the two men stared at each other.
Then Ethan took one step backward.
“I'm going to get a lawyer.”
“You should.”
Ethan turned and walked toward the elevator.
Daniel didn't follow.
He called Detective Harris and told him exactly what Ethan had said.
Then he returned to Olivia's room.
She was awake.
“I heard some of it,” she whispered.
Daniel sat beside her.
“I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“For believing him.”
Olivia looked at him for a long moment.
“You wanted to believe that I had left because it was easier than believing someone had made me leave.”
Daniel couldn't argue.
May you like
He took her hand carefully.
“I won't make that mistake again.”
