I Protected My Drunk Boss From a Dangerous Night — Then She Looked at Me and Said, “I Remember Everything”
Chapter 4
The next few days were chaotic.
Victoria’s security team investigated the attempted pursuit.
The company opened an internal review.
David Mercer denied everything.
His driver claimed he had simply been traveling in the same direction.
But security footage showed otherwise.
The license plates matched.
The routes matched.
The timing was too precise.
Someone had leaked Victoria’s location.
Ethan reviewed the records.
He noticed something.
The location leak occurred shortly before the party ended.
Only six people knew when Victoria planned to leave.
One of them was a senior executive named Richard Blake.
Richard had worked for the company for eighteen years.
He was loyal to the board.
Or appeared to be.
Ethan looked deeper.
Richard had recently purchased a property through a shell company.
The purchase price was unusually high.
The seller was connected to one of David Mercer’s investment firms.
That was enough to justify further investigation.
Victoria refused to act without proof.
“We can’t accuse him.”
“I know.”
“Then we investigate quietly.”
Ethan nodded.
Their professional relationship continued.
But something else had changed.
Victoria started looking at him differently.
Not constantly.
Not dramatically.
Just differently.
One morning, she entered the office early.
Ethan was already there.
“You slept?”
“A little.”
“Why are you always here before me?”
“Because I’m organized.”
She smiled.
“You are impossible.”
“You’re welcome.”
She sat down.
Then asked:
“Do you remember what I said last night?”
Ethan looked at her.
“Yes.”
“All of it?”
“Yes.”
She lowered her voice.
“About trusting you?”
“Yes.”
“I meant it.”
He smiled.
“Thank you.”
She looked down at her desk.
“I also meant the other part.”
“What other part?”
She raised her eyes.
“You.”
Ethan became still.
“Victoria.”
“I know.”
She didn’t move.
“I know it’s complicated.”
“Very.”
“I don’t expect anything.”
He looked at her.
“That’s what makes it harder.”
She smiled.
“You don’t have to answer.”
“I know.”
She stood.
“Then don’t.”
Before leaving, she added:
“I just wanted you to know.”
Ethan watched her walk away.
For years, he had been careful.
Now he was beginning to understand that his restraint wasn’t protecting either of them.
It was simply delaying something neither could ignore.
That afternoon, Richard Blake requested a private meeting with Victoria.
Ethan insisted on joining.
Richard frowned.
“This is confidential.”
Victoria replied:
“Then Ethan can be here.”
Richard’s face tightened.
They discussed a proposed restructuring.
Richard pushed for the sale of a division.
Victoria refused.
He became aggressive.
“You are making an emotional decision.”
“I’m making the company’s decision.”
“You’ll regret it.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“Meeting’s over.”
Richard looked at him.
“You are an assistant.”
“Operations manager.”
“Same thing.”
Victoria stood.
“Leave.”
Richard left.
Ethan watched him.
“He knows we’re investigating.”
Victoria nodded.
“He does.”
That night, Ethan found a note under his windshield wiper.
You don’t know what you’re getting into.
He stared at it.
Then called Victoria.
She answered immediately.
“What happened?”
“I got a message.”
“What does it say?”
He told her.
Silence.
Then:
“Come to my house.”
“I’m on my way.”
