I Thought My Fiancée Was Choosing Her Male Best Friend — Then I Discovered She Was Protecting Him From a Deadly Secret
Chapter 4
Ethan didn’t sleep that night.
The photograph bothered him more than anything else.
Why would someone steal his picture?
He wasn’t involved in Daniel’s business.
He had never met Victor Hale.
He had never spoken to the investigator.
He had never touched the financial records.
So why was someone suddenly interested in him?
The next morning, Ethan received a call from an unknown number.
He answered.
A man’s voice said:
“Stay away from Daniel Morgan.”
Then the line went dead.
Ethan stood frozen.
He immediately told Sophia.
She panicked.
“I told you.”
“Someone is watching us.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about the threats?”
“Because I was trying to protect you.”
“You don’t get to make that decision for both of us.”
She looked down.
“I know.”
Ethan softened.
“I’m not angry because you wanted to help him.”
“I know.”
“I’m angry because you stopped trusting me.”
She looked at him.
“I was scared.”
“So was I.”
For the first time in weeks, they hugged.
It didn’t solve everything.
But it brought them back to the same side.
Together, they met Daniel.
He looked exhausted.
He apologized immediately.
“I’m sorry.”
Ethan sat across from him.
“You should be.”
Daniel nodded.
“I know.”
“Are you in love with Sophia?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Then why did you let her risk everything for you?”
Daniel looked at Sophia.
“Because I had no one else.”
Ethan understood.
That didn’t make it right.
But it made it human.
Daniel placed a small flash drive on the table.
“This contains the records I found.”
Ethan stared.
“Why give it to me?”
“Because you’re getting married to Sophia.”
He looked at him.
“And if something happens to me, I want someone I trust to know where the evidence is.”
Ethan took it.
“What’s inside?”
“Everything.”
“Victor?”
“Victor.”
“Your sister?”
“Not involved.”
“The missing investigator?”
Daniel nodded.
“He was investigating Victor.”
Ethan looked at Sophia.
She was scared.
Daniel continued.
“There are names of companies, politicians, private security firms.”
He lowered his voice.
“People who don’t want this exposed.”
Ethan closed his hand around the drive.
“We’ll expose it.”
Daniel stared.
“You don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Maybe not.”
Ethan looked at Sophia.
“But I understand one thing.”
“No one gets to threaten my fiancée and expect me to stay silent.”
For the first time, Daniel smiled.
“Now I understand why she loves you.”
Sophia looked away.
Ethan noticed.
And something inside him finally settled.
He had been afraid of losing her to another man.
Instead, he was discovering the reason she had fought so hard to protect someone else.
Because that was who Sophia was.
And maybe that was one of the reasons he loved her.
