Chapter 10 The Ghost Returns

The following Monday morning, Aira walked into Blackwood International with her chin held high, even though her insides churned with unease. The rumors still clung to the air like perfume-whispers behind hands, darting glances whenever she passed.

She tried to drown it out, focusing on her tasks. She owed that much to herself. She wouldn't let idle talk derail her.

But when she reached her desk, she froze.

A tall, broad-shouldered man was leaning casually against the wall nearby, as if waiting. His dark hair, his confident smirk, the familiar glint in his eyes-it all came rushing back like a wave crashing over her.

Ethan.

Her breath caught in her throat. For a heartbeat, her knees nearly buckled.

He pushed off the wall slowly, as though savoring her shock. "Aira," he said, voice rich with amusement. "Long time no see."

Her heart hammered violently. She hadn't seen him since the day he left-since he walked out, abandoning her and their son. She had dreamed of this moment a hundred times, sometimes in anger, sometimes in despair. But never here. Never like this.

"What... what are you doing here?" she whispered, clutching her files tightly to her chest as though they could shield her.

Ethan's grin widened. "Didn't you hear? My brother asked me to consult on a few expansion projects. Imagine my surprise when I spotted you walking the halls of Blackwood International."

Her stomach dropped. Jason. Of course. He had no idea.

Aira swallowed hard, forcing her voice steady. "Stay away from me, Ethan."

His brows lifted mockingly. "Still fiery, I see. Relax, sweetheart. I'm not here to cause trouble." His gaze softened only slightly as he leaned closer. "Though, I have to admit, seeing you again... it brings back memories."

Aira's skin prickled. Memories? He called them memories. She called them scars.

Before she could retort, Jason's voice echoed down the hallway. "Ethan!"

Both of them turned. Jason strode toward them, suit crisp, eyes sharp-but when they landed on Ethan, they softened into something almost boyish.

Jason embraced his brother with a firm clap on the back. "Didn't think you'd actually show up."

Ethan smirked. "You asked, didn't you? I couldn't ignore my little brother."

Jason chuckled, but his gaze flickered briefly to Aira-her pale face, her rigid stance. His expression shifted, concerned about etching his brow.

"Do you two know each other?" Jason asked slowly.

Aira's throat tightened. She opened her mouth, but Ethan's smooth voice cut in.

"We've met," he said easily, a knowing smile tugging his lips. "A long time ago."

Jason's eyes narrowed, but he didn't press. Instead, he gestured toward his office. "Let's catch up before the meeting. Aira, I'll need those reports in an hour."

Grateful for the excuse to leave, she nodded stiffly and hurried away, though her hands trembled as she clutched the papers.

In Jason's office, Ethan lounged in the leather chair across from his brother's desk, studying the panoramic view. "Not bad, Jason. You've built an empire."

Jason leaned against the edge of his desk, arms folded. "Don't flatter me. You're still the charmer, huh?"

Ethan smirked. "You know me. Always."

But Jason wasn't smiling. He'd seen the way Aira reacted-her sharp intake of breath, the way her hands shook. He knew fear when he saw it.

"You and Aira," Jason said carefully. "What was that about?"

Ethan's grin lingered, but his eyes hardened almost imperceptibly. "Just history. Nothing you need to worry about."

Jason studied him for a long moment, but finally let it drop. For now.

Aira sat at her desk, staring at her computer screen without seeing it. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Ethan's sudden reappearance threatened everything.

If Jason dug deeper-and he would-what then? The truth about Liro would come out. The carefully constructed life she'd built would shatter.

Her phone buzzed. A message.

From Ethan.

We need to talk. Tonight. Don't make me come find you.

Aira's stomach knotted.

That evening, Jason called her into his office before she could leave. The warm glow of the city lights poured through the windows as he turned to face her.

"You knew Ethan," he said simply.

Her chest tightened. "We... crossed paths before."

Jason studied her, eyes sharp but not unkind. "Crossed paths? Aira, I know when someone is lying to me. And I need the truth."

Her lips parted, her breath unsteady. The truth perched on the edge of her tongue, desperate to break free. But fear strangled it.

Finally, she whispered, "It's complicated."

Jason stepped closer, his presence enveloping her. "Then uncomplicate it. I don't care what it is-I just need you to trust me."

Her heart cracked. If only it were that simple.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again. Ethan. She quickly shoved it back into her bag.

Jason's eyes darkened. "Who was that?"

"No one," she lied quickly.

The hurt in his gaze was like a knife. He didn't call her out, but his silence was worse than anger.

Later that night, Aira sat across from Ethan in a dim café, her hands clenched around a cup of untouched coffee.

"What do you want?" she demanded in a low voice.

Ethan leaned back, studying her with unsettling calm. "I just wanted to see you. And... him."

Her blood ran cold. "Stay away from Liro," she hissed.

Ethan tilted his head, his smirk curling. "So it's true. He's mine."

Her breath caught, the denial dying on her lips. Ethan's smile widened in satisfaction.

"You kept him from me," he murmured. "Jason doesn't know, does he?"

She shook her head, tears burning her eyes.

"Then you'd better keep it that way," Ethan said softly, but his tone carried a dangerous edge. "Because if Jason finds out, everything you've built will crumble. And I can't promise I'll stay quiet forever."

Aira's world tilted. The walls she had tried to hold up were collapsing. And the one person she had hoped never to see again was now holding her future-and her son