The next morning, Lena was still floating in the warm afterglow of the night before—the quiet kisses, Ethan's whispered promises, the way her heart had finally dared to open after the previous betrayal by her ex-boyfriend.
She was getting ready for work when her phone buzzed.
It was a message from Ethan.
Ethan: Sorry, baby. Something urgent came up at work. I won't be able to pick you up this morning. I'll call you later, okay?
Lena smiled a little despite the disappointment, her fingers flying over the screen.
Lena: It's fine. Don't worry. Take care of what you need to.
When she arrived at the office, shrugging out of her coat and setting down her bag, the phone on her desk rang sharply.
She reached for it automatically, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear as she picked up the receiver.
"Kim Lena speaking."
The voice on the other end made her stomach twist.
"Good morning, Lena," Anthony said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Lena's grip on the phone tightened immediately. "What do you want, Anthony?"
Anthony gave a low chuckle that made her skin crawl.
"I just wanted to say… now I understand," he said mockingly. "Now I get why you could throw away eight years like they meant nothing."
Lena's heart thudded, dread creeping in. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, come on," Anthony said lazily. "You and Ethan Calloway. Billionaire golden boy. Every young lady in the city would kill to be in your shoes."
Lena's stomach dropped.
"I saw it last night," Anthony continued. "Got a few good shots too. You two were so… cozy."
She felt cold all over.
Anthony's voice sharpened, cruel amusement lacing every word. "Didn't expect the photos could fetch such a high price, did you? Front-page material. Congratulations, Lena."
"What photos?" Lena snapped, dread hardening into fear.
Anthony laughed again, mean and satisfied.
"You'll see soon enough.
Headline's pretty catchy too. Something about a young lawyer sleeping her way to the CEO to land the contract."
Lena slammed the phone down, heart pounding.
She immediately pulled up the news on her computer—and there it was.
A front-page tabloid article, screaming across the screen.
Calloway's New Flame: Young Lawyer Lands Love and Contract in One Night!
There were grainy, invasive photos of her and Ethan together—sitting in his car outside her apartment.
One shot caught the moment Ethan leaned in, his hand cradling her cheek as he kissed her tenderly.
Another showed Lena smiling shyly afterward, her hand resting lightly against his chest.
They had been completely unaware they were being watched—caught in a private moment that was never meant for anyone else.
Her breath caught painfully in her chest.
Had Ethan seen it? Was that why he couldn't come this morning? Was he dealing with this fallout already—because of her?
Before she could spiral further, her phone buzzed again—this time Sophie's name flashing urgently.
"Lena!" Sophie's voice came out in a rush. "I saw the news. Are you okay?"
Lena gripped the edge of her desk, forcing her voice to stay steady. "It's Anthony," she said tightly. "He came to my place last night and took the pictures. I didn't even know. And Ethan and I…" Her voice wavered.
"We just got together last night, Sophie. I didn't expect it to blow up like this."
Sophie's voice immediately softened. "Oh, Lena…"
"I feel awful," Lena whispered, the guilt spilling over. "I never wanted to drag Ethan into this. His image, his career—"
"Hey," Sophie cut in firmly. "Listen to me. James called. He said Calloway Holdings' branding and legal teams had an emergency meeting first thing this morning. They're already handling it. You don't need to panic."
Lena squeezed her eyes shut, nodding even though Sophie couldn't see her.
"Thank you," she managed to say.
"Hang in there," Sophie said gently. "You have people on your side now. Especially Ethan."
That thought alone made her chest ache in a different way.
She spent the rest of the morning in a haze, barely able to focus on her work.
Every time her phone buzzed or an email pinged, she flinched.
Finally, around lunchtime, her phone rang again—this time, Ethan's name lighting up the screen.
Lena answered on the first ring.
"Ethan."
His voice was steady but tight with controlled anger. "I guess you have seen the news," he said simply.
"I'm so sorry," Lena blurted out immediately, her throat thick. "I never wanted—"
"It's not your fault," Ethan cut in firmly.
Lena swallowed hard, trying to keep the emotion from her voice. "It was Anthony. He took the photos. He sold them."
There was a heavy silence on the line, and then Ethan exhaled slowly, the sound sharp and dangerous.
"He came to your apartment last night," Ethan said darkly. "I'm not letting him anywhere near you again."
Lena pressed a hand against her chest, trying to steady herself.
"I'm sorry," she whispered again.
"You don't have to be," Ethan said quietly and fiercely.
"My team has already taken care of the news," he said with his voice steady and reassuring.
"I have also spoken to your company's management team this morning. They're fully aware, and they're on your side. You don't need to worry about it anymore."
Relief washed over Lena so quickly it made her lightheaded. The weight she hadn't even realized she was still carrying slipped off her shoulders all at once.
"You didn't have to do that," she whispered, touched beyond words.
"I wanted to," Ethan said simply, squeezing her hand. "Protecting you isn't a burden for me, Lena."
She looked down, feeling emotion stir painfully in her chest. No one had ever said something like that to her so plainly. No one had ever acted on it so quietly, without asking anything in return.
"But," Ethan added gently, "to keep things calm... we should probably not be seen together for a little while. Just until everything dies down."
"I get it," she said with full understanding.
"This isn't goodbye, it's just... being careful. For now." Ethan reassured again.
"I know, don't worry. I am not going anywhere Ethan," Lena responded.
The rest of the day passed in a blur, but for Lena, it felt like every second dragged heavy against her chest. Even though Ethan had been nothing but gentle, nothing but good, there was still a weight inside her she couldn't shake.
A quiet guilt.
She tried to focus on her work, tried to move from meeting to meeting, but her mind kept circling back—over and over—to the same thought: didn't end things cleanly with Anthony.I dragged Ethan into my mess.
By the time dusk had fallen outside her office window, Lena sat at her desk, staring down at her silent phone.
Her fingers hovered above the screen for a long time. She needed to have closure with Anthony completely. Taking a steadying breath, Lena picked up her phone and scrolled for his contact number.
Her thumb lingered over the call button, heart pounding. For a moment, she hesitated, fear and regret warring inside her. Then she pressed the button before she could change her mind.
The phone rang once, twice and then three times.
Finally, the line connected.
There was a brief, heavy silence before Anthony's voice came through.
"Lena?"
She closed her eyes for a second, gathering every piece of strength she had left. "Anthony," she said quietly. "I need to talk to you."