Chapter 17 - WHY HE HIT HER
Grace took the envelope to Ethan's hospital room.
Detective Medina waited outside.
Ethan looked at the name on the front.
"Your father wrote to me?"
"He wrote it before we met."
"Then how?"
Grace placed it on the table.
"He didn't."
"It's a general letter to whoever became my husband."
Ethan stared.
Grace opened it.
To the man Grace chooses,
She will give more than she admits.
That is her gift and her danger.
If she helps you, do not punish her for seeing you struggle.
If she trusts you, do not use that trust as a place to hide your worst choices.
And if you ever make her afraid of you, leave before she has to learn how to survive you.
Ethan covered his face.
Grace let him sit with it.
Then she asked, "Why did you hit me?"
He lowered his hands.
"Lauren pushed me."
Grace stood.
"No."
Ethan flinched.
"Try again."
For a long time, he said nothing.
Then he whispered, "Because you made me feel small."
Grace stared.
"I never tried to."
"I know."
"You fixed things when I panicked."
"You had money I didn't know about."
"You were calm when I was drowning."
"I hated needing you."
The truth hurt more than the excuse.
Ethan continued.
"Lauren made me feel powerful."
"Victor made me think I could sell Walker, pay everyone off, and finally have something nobody could say you gave me."
Grace's voice shook.
"So you stole from the company."
"Yes."
"You planned to leave me."
"Yes."
"And when I stood up to Lauren, you hit me because she was watching."
Ethan closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Grace wiped one tear away.
"Thank you."
He looked confused.
"For what?"
"For finally telling the truth when it can't save you."
She turned to leave.
"Grace."
She stopped.
"Will I ever meet the baby?"
She looked back.
"I don't know."
His face broke.
She did not comfort him.
Detective Medina entered with new charges.
Fraud.
Forgery.
Conspiracy.
Attempted destruction of evidence.
As Grace walked into the hallway, Caleb was waiting.
He held Wren's trust agreement.
Samuel had added one final protection years ago.
If Grace was assaulted by a spouse who held authority over a Wren-backed company, that spouse's voting rights terminated immediately.
Grace read the clause twice.
May you like
Her father had protected her from a man he had never met.
Ethan had lost control of Walker Development the instant he raised his hand.
