Single Mom Practiced Her Interview in the Elevator — Unaware the Man Was the CEO!
Chapter 7
Ethan insisted Emily stay at a secured guest apartment owned by Sterling Innovations.
She refused at first.
“I can protect myself.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because this isn’t only about you.”
She looked at him.
“It’s about Sophie.”
That ended the argument.
Emily brought her daughter to the apartment.
Sophie thought the place was wonderful.
“It has three bathrooms!”
Emily laughed.
“You don’t need three.”
“I do now.”
Ethan visited that evening with groceries.
Sophie opened the door.
“You’re the elevator man.”
Ethan smiled.
“I am.”
“Mommy talks about you.”
Emily nearly dropped the bag she was holding.
“I do not.”
Sophie looked at her.
“You said he’s nice.”
“I said no such thing.”
“You did.”
Ethan tried not to laugh.
Emily glared at him.
“Don’t encourage her.”
Sophie looked between them.
“Are you two married?”
“No,” they said at exactly the same time.
Sophie shrugged.
“You should think about it.”
Emily covered her face.
Ethan laughed.
Later, after Sophie went to bed, Ethan stood with Emily in the kitchen.
“She likes you.”
“I like her.”
Emily smiled.
“She doesn’t trust people easily.”
“Neither do I.”
They stood in silence.
Then Emily asked,
“What did your father do?”
Ethan looked down.
“My father knew about Northstar.”
“Did he create it?”
“I think so.”
“And your mother?”
“She found out.”
“And he blamed her.”
“Yes.”
Emily looked at him.
“Why keep running the company?”
“Because if I walked away, the same people would stay.”
“So you’ve spent years trying to fix something your father broke.”
“Yes.”
Emily stepped closer.
“That isn’t your responsibility.”
“I disagree.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has to finish what your husband started.”
She felt tears rise.
“My husband was trying to expose them.”
“Yes.”
“Then maybe this isn’t just your fight.”
Ethan looked at her.
“No.”
“It isn’t.”
Their eyes met.
The room became quiet.
Ethan lifted his hand, then stopped.
Emily saw the hesitation.
She didn’t move away.
He gently touched her cheek.
“Emily…”
She closed her eyes.
Then Sophie shouted from the hallway.
“Mommy!”
They jumped apart.
Emily rushed to the bedroom.
Sophie was sitting upright.
“What happened?”
“I had a bad dream.”
Emily hugged her.
“What about?”
Sophie pointed toward the window.
“Someone was outside.”
Emily looked.
Nothing.
Ethan checked every room.
No one was there.
But on the outside of the window was a small black mark.
A symbol.
Three connected lines forming a triangle.
Ethan stared.
“I’ve seen this before.”
“Where?”
“In my father’s files.”
Noah arrived thirty minutes later.
He recognized it too.
“The Northstar symbol.”
Emily’s stomach tightened.
“What does it mean?”
Noah looked at Ethan.
“It means we’re not investigating a dead operation.”
“What?”
“They’re still active.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“How active?”
Noah showed them a list.
Seventeen people.
Current employees.
Former executives.
Outside contractors.
One name was circled.
Emily’s.
She stared.
“Why am I on that list?”
Noah answered,
“Because they don’t think you’re just Mark’s widow.”
Ethan looked at her.
“They think you have something Mark left behind.”
