Chapter 8

It was too hectic in Jack's office. It had been building since I entered, and now that Ethan was staring at me from the opposite side of the room, it seemed like it may erupt. The modern office, with its polished wood furnishings and leather seats, felt less like a conversation room and more like a battlefield.

Seated on one of the velvety chairs, Katherine Monroe exuded confidence. Her cool blue eyes studied the scene as if she were only a bystander to the mayhem going on around her. Ethan, on the other hand, felt like a spring that was poised to burst. Ben, his closest friend, was lounging against the distant wall and viewing the entire event with his customary laid-back expression, but even he appeared uneasy.

Jack was focusing hard as he shuffled through a pile of documents while sat at his desk. In an attempt to make sense of the most recent discoveries surrounding Henry Monroe's inheritance, he had organized this meeting. However, all we'd managed to do thus far was heighten the stress.

With a disgruntled tone, Ethan commented, "Let's just get this over with." He gave me a short glance, his suspicions evident. "I'm curious as to why she's involved."

His tone irritated me, but I was too tired to react. With him, it was always the same: I was continually being accused of influencing the circumstance. The fact that I was equally bewildered as he was made no difference. I was the stranger, the threat, to Ethan.

Jack sought to keep composure by replying, "Ethan, we're all here to figure that out. The reason Emily was mentioned in Henry's will remains a mystery to many."

Ethan shot out, "Yeah, and none of them have been answered."

I bit my lip to prevent from shouting at him. I was sick of his anger and weary of being portrayed as a villain while not knowing why any of this was taking place.

Katherine didn't say anything, her fingers tapping quietly on the chair's armrest. Since our arrival, she had stayed mute and had only given me frigid, scornful stares whenever I spoke. She plainly thought less of me, but I couldn't figure out why.

Ben cleared his throat, ever the joker. "Come on, Ethan. Perhaps she's as taken aback as you are. Who wouldn't be startled, after all, to unexpectedly acquire a share of the Monroe fortune? "

Ben brushed off Ethan's glance, seemingly unconcerned by his friend's fury. "Just allow her some space to talk. Perhaps there's something that none of us have. "

Although I appreciated Ben's effort to alleviate the situation, the sharp edge in the room remained unabated.

Before anyone could comment, Jack's PC made a loud ding sound. He stopped and stared at the screen. He mumbled, "Pardon me for a moment," as he clicked on the email alert. He opened the mail, and the soft clacking of his computer filled the silence.

We were all waiting, and the air in the room felt heavy. As Jack read the email, his countenance shifted from surprise to shock, and his fingers stopped pushing the keys. His expression hardened, and it appeared as though he was at a loss for words.

"What's that?" With an impatient tone that broke the tension, Ethan asked.

Jack took a moment to look up. His attention never left the screen, and when he did say something, it was with a sad tone. "We just learned something new about Henry."

Everyone rose up, the atmosphere in the room increasing gloomier by the time.

"What sort of information?" Ethan persevered, his skepticism rising.

Clearly reluctant to disclose whatever bombshell had just arrived in his inbox, Jack let out a big exhale. "It's... tough. Henry's success is significantly more complicated than we first imagined. He was engaged in a possibly dangerous activity."

A beat skipped in my heart. Dangerous? What was meant by that?

Though Katherine's countenance maintained bland, something flared in her eyes. Though it was gone before I could read it, I could not help but feel concerned at her lack of shock.

"What in the world are you saying?" With a searing wrath, Ethan demanded. "In what did he get involved?"

Jack sat back in his chair, his face solemn. "We received a file from a person linked with an organization Henry was a part of. Not all of it is business. Henry has connections to unlawful enterprises, extortion, and blackmail. He wasn't just wealthy through legitimate means."

The statements fell hard in the room. Ethan's jaw pinched in disbelief as I watched his hands clamp at his sides. Ben no longer had his customary smile; instead, he was shocked.

Ethan shook his head, refusing to accept. "That is untrue. My dad wasn't a problem."

Jack didn't lose his calm. "I appreciate that this is tough to understand, but the facts are unequivocal. Henry was involved in several exceedingly dangerous operations that, if discovered, could entirely destroy the Monroe legacy. "

My stomach twisted. I'd been striving to understand why Henry Monroe had included my name in his will for the entire time, but it appears the truth is darker and more intricate than I had thought.

I jumped when Ethan slapped his fist down on the table. "You're saying that everything my father stood for and everything we created was founded on lies?"

With a forceful voice, Jack stated, "I'm telling you that there were things your father kept hidden. And those secrets are coming to light now that he's gone."

Ethan's face of amazement was apparent, as was his difficulty understanding what Jack was saying. Ethan had dedicated his entire life to protecting the legacy of his family, and now everything he had ever believed to be true was being destroyed in front of him.

Ethan ran a hand through his hair clearly broken, "I can't believe this. There must be some sort of error here."

Jack gave a headshake. "Ethan, I wish it were. However, this email is merely the start. There is so much more that we don't yet know."

I took a big breath, my thoughts racing. What was it that Henry Monroe had become entangled in? Why had he involved me in it, too?

Ethan turned to face me, uncertainty and wrath in his eyes. His voice was severe as he demanded, "What do you know about this? hmmm? What made him offer you a share of his estate? Did you participate in this? "

Startled by the accusation, I fastened my gaze on him. "I have no idea of this!"

"What made him leave you money, then?" Ethan exerted pressure. "There must be a reason. There must be a relationship."

"I'm not sure!" With a growl of wrath, I fired back. "Like you, I'm trying to figure it out!"

As Ethan opened his mouth to reply, Katherine's voice rang across the room.

"Enough."

Although her tone was calm, there was a trace of sharpness that compelled everyone to stop talking. With a methodical walk and straightening of her clothing, she rose up and moved to the center of the room, her shoes delicately tapping the floor.

Her tone was cool and collected as she stated, "There's no need to fight over this. Henry ran business on his own. He did everything he could for the family. And we'll handle the consequences now that he's not around."

With wide eyes of amazement, Ethan locked his gaze on her. "You know? You were aware of his actions."

Katherine maintained a steady stare and a non-readable expression. "I had sufficient knowledge."

I got a shiver from what she said. Why was she so composed? Knowing what Henry had done, how could she just sit there and act like it never happened?

Anger twisted Ethan's face. "You knew he was engaging in illicit activity, but you took no action?"

Katherine remained unmoved. "Henry made his decisions. He operated in the family's best interest. It is now our obligation to pick up the mess."

There was a stunned stillness in the room. Her statements were dragging on all of us, and I could feel it. Katherine did not find it shocking. She was not perplexed. She had concealed the truth that she had known all along.

Ethan shook his head, furiously saying in a low voice. "This family is based on lies."

When Katherine's gaze switched to his, I realized something was slightly off her controlled manner for the first time. "Ethan, every family has secrets. They are not much different from ours."

Heart palpitating, I locked my sight on her. Katherine was keeping a great deal more information from us. Upon examining the chamber, it dawned on me that Katherine was aware to all of Henry's secrets.

9: Truth Exposed (Emily’s POV)

We were all sitting there in Jack's office, still in astonishment over Katherine's revelations. The weight of secrets no one wanted to recognize was clear in the heavy sensation in the air. Ethan had stayed quite following his mother's chilly statement. Even though he stayed motionless and had an unreadable look, I could see the storm rising in his eyes. All of his views regarding his father and his family were crashing in front of him.

My heartbeat was accelerating. Even though I felt a huge yearning to run, I understood I couldn't keep doing so. Not from Ethan, not from my new reality.

Gathering what little bravery remained in me, I took a deep breath and rose up as everyone started getting ready to leave. Since knowing the truth about Henry Monroe, it had been bothering me, and with everything going on around us, it seemed like the only time, no... the ideal time to speak with Ethan.

As I moved in his way, I trembled a little and whispered, "Ethan." With a focused stare, he shot a short peek in my direction.

"What's it?" His voice sounded caustic, as though he was prepared for more negative news.

I started, hands trembling, "I need to tell you something." I balled them into fists in an attempt to support myself. "There's something I ought to have told you earlier."

Sensing the tension between us, Ben rose up from his relaxed position by the door. Katherine stood by the window, indifferent to whatever was about to happen, while Jack calmly stared from his desk, his eyes swinging between Ethan and me.

Ethan never took his eyes off of mine as he crossed his arms. "What now?" he inquired, evidently agitated. "What more do you hide?"

I ignored the accusation in his voice, even though it hurt. This had nothing to do with his suspicions. This had to do with the truth, me. the secret I'd been hiding ever since my mother came clean. I couldn't hide it any longer, but I wasn't sure how he would respond.

With my heart beating, I mutely responded, "I'm not hiding anything. Well, not anymore, at least. I didn't know how to tell you this earlier, so I didn't. But I'm at a loss on how to keep it from you now."

Ethan's glance became serious, and I felt his focused attention weighing heavily on me. "Emily, spit it out. What's that?"

I took another deep breath, trying to calm the nervousness. "Henry Monroe" slowly, straining my voice. "He is my father."

The room fell silent.

Ethan glanced at me for a little while, completely ignorant to what I had just uttered. However, he abruptly lost all of his color, and his horrified eyes enlarged. "What?" he mumbled in an almost perceptible whisper.

"I recently found out," I whispered, trembling. "Years ago, my mother Margo had an affair with Henry. Henry Monroe is my biological father, she told me."

I noticed the spark of disbelief in Ethan's eyes as his jaw clenched. "You're obviously lying now."

"I'm not," I said, staring him in the eye. "It's the truth, Henry Monroe is my father. "

Ethan retreated a step, like though the reality had struck him directly. "This doesn't make sense at all."

I softly said, "I know it's hard to believe. But Ethan, it's the truth. Not until my mother informed me did I know. I promise."

His eyes flared with a mix of astonishment and wrath as he stopped pacing and stared at me. "So what now? You simply didn't bother telling me even though you knew this the entire time."

My eyes began to well up with tears as I shook my head. "No, I was ignorant of that. Only after arriving here and beginning my research into my mother's past did I find the truth. Like you, I didn't want to accept it."

Ethan shook his head and chuckled angrily. "Right. This is, of course, happening. I just realized that I have a half-sister that I was unaware of, in addition to learning that my father was involved in illegal activity. With a disgruntled tone in his remarks, he frowned at me. "This simply gets better and better each time don't it?"

I was at a lost for words. Although I wasn't expecting him to accept the news well, I could feel his wrath twisting inside of me like a blade. Perhaps foolishly, I had believed that this would provide some clarification. However, it seemed to exacerbate the condition.

I mumbled, "I'm sorry," as tears flowed down my face. "Ethan, I didn't ask for this. This is not what I wanted at all."

Ethan turned away, clenching his fists and tensing his shoulders. "I have no idea where to begin. Should I be angry with you? Should my primary goal be to clear my father's name? Or should I simply quit this whole thing? "

His fury and uncertainty were clear as he was losing control. I wanted to reach out to him to let him know that I was sympathetic and that I didn't mean to hurt him. However, I was unaware of how to close the gap between us.

Despite the tears in my eyes, I spoke firmly, "I'm not here to take anything from you. I'm not about the money. I don't want anything from the Monroe family. all I wanted is to uncover the truth even though I'm not so sure now"

Eyes flaming, Ethan spun back to face me. You say you don't want the money? So, what brings you here? Why did you agree to partake in the will? "

"Ethan, I didn't know!" I wept, erupting with annoyance. "Until Jack got in touch with me, I had no idea who Henry was or that the will even existed. I'm absolutely baffled. But money isn't a concern for me. I'm not interested in it. "

The room went silent, very very silent. Ethan's internal effort to make sense of things was clear in his gaze. He was torn between the rising pile of secrets that kept coming to light and his sentiments of despair and wrath.

At last, Jack broke the silence by clearing his throat. "I know you're overwhelmed, Emily, but it's not as easy as it seems."

Perplexed, I turned to face him. "Can you clarify what you mean?"

"You've signed the will already," Jack stated in a measured tone. You've formally accepted your portion of Henry's estate by doing this. You are now identified with the Monroe name, whether you like it or not.

My heart plummeted. When I signed the documents, I hadn't even considered that. I hadn't given the consequences much attention because I had been so obsessed with getting the answers and knowing how I was linked to Henry.

"So what?" With a knot of anxiety in my stomach, I inquired. "I can't simply leave?"

Jack gave a headshake. "No, Emily. You can't. Now you are involved in this. Everything is connected to you: the legacy of Monroe, the money, and the estate."

It was as though I was being surrounded by walls. This was not my desire. I had no desire to be a part of this world, with its complicated web of secrets and lies. However, it appeared like there was no escape longer.

With a quick gasp, Ethan's countenance vanished from sight. He mumbled, more to himself than to anybody else, "So, she's stuck with us."

Gazing at the ground, my thoughts were racing. How could my life have gone so out of control? I was a teacher in a small town a few days ago, leading a basic, calm life. I was suddenly enmeshed in the dark inheritance of a billionaire father I had never known, and my family had no desire to relate with me.

I trembled and replied, "I don't want this. I wish to remain outside of this."

Jack moaned, a pitying expression on his face. "Yes, Emily. However, it's not that easy. You have a great deal of responsibility now that you are associated with the Monroe name."

Responsibility. The word resonated, hefty and unpleasant, in my thoughts. Although I didn't desire this duty, it suddenly appeared that I had no other option.

Ethan stood immobile, his gaze filled with displeasure and incredulity. With a calm but precise voice, he asked, "You don't want it? So why are you here at all?"

I pushed back the tears, feeling like my chest was squeezing. I muttered, "Because I want to know the truth. Like you, I should also have access to the truth about my father."

Ethan remained mute. He only looked at me, expressionless, for a long period before turning away.

With the weight of everything crushing down on us all, the room grew silent once more. Nobody was sure what to say. Ben just walked out with Katherine without saying anything.