Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
People know more about me than they realize.
They just don’t know it.
~ Ethan
CHLOé STOOD ON the lakeshore with the water lapping at her toes, staring up at the clear blue sky as the setting sun bathed her face in pinks and purples.
What a beautiful way to start the week. She couldn’t think of a better place to spend her days off than out here at the Holt Estate. They’d gotten down there late last night, and she’d fallen asleep the second her head hit the pillow. Today had been all about relaxing.
How could it not? It was so peaceful out here, with nothing but the sound of the rippling water and twittering birds who were enjoying the day as much as she was.
Deciding to go and rejoin her men, she headed up to the house, where she’d left Ethan and Zayne working before heading out for a walk.
Ethan had been on the phone with the manager of Le Bureau , busy going through the first month’s numbers and how they could improve or tweak things at the new location, while Zayne had been going through current client lists and seeing where he could make some new connections for the club back here.
After the public fallout with the senator, she knew Zayne had been stressing over places to network. But it seemed that he wasn’t only good at charming the pants off people—he was also very good at charming the names of friends out of some of their more prominent clients.
It was fascinating to watch, this side of them.
The professional side. Obviously they were good at running the club, but up until now she’d never seen it in action.
She’d only ever seen them at the club or after hours, not how they conducted themselves in the business world, and she had to admit, seeing them this way was a whole other level of hot.
She picked up her pace as she walked through the beautiful gardens.
With summer in full swing, the colors and scents were in abundance, with hyacinths, lavender, and daffodils all in bloom.
But what really caught and held her attention were the magnolia trees.
There were several around the property, and the sweet, fruity fragrance made her think of summertime and champagne.
She leaned in and inhaled, the aromas filling her senses and making her feel like she was floating.
“They were my mother’s favorite as well.”
Chloé spun around as though she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. But the soft smile on Ethan’s face told her she had nothing to worry about. He walked down the stairs then reached out to gently touch one of the pink and white petals.
“Every time they bloom, I think of her and the summer we planted them. There’s one around the corner too. She was so excited to see how big they’d grow.” He glanced up at the tall tree with the long arms and gorgeous spray of color. “I think she’d be pleased.”
Chloé’s heart thumped as she stared up at Ethan’s soft expression. The look on his face was one she’d only seen when he told her he loved her, or spoke of how he felt for Zayne.
He was such a controlled man, such an enigma. It was easy to see why he put Zayne out in front of their clients as the face of The Office, because Ethan wasn’t the kind to just let anyone in.
But he was letting her in now. This was the first time he’d ever voluntarily shared a memory of his mother—his parents in general—and Chloé was well aware of what a monumental step that was for him. For them.
“I think she’d be more than pleased.” She turned back to take in the breathtaking beauty of the tree. “With the magnolias and with you.”
“You think so, do you?”
She could feel Ethan’s eyes on her but kept her attention fixed on the pretty petals.
“I do. The magnolia represents nobility, perseverance, and dignity. All traits that encapsulate you.” Chloé shifted her eyes back to his.
“You hold yourself with an air of importance, you command respect like only one other person I know, and with everything you’ve been through, no one could accuse you of not persevering.
You’re incredible. A testament to what your parents instilled in you when you were a boy.
So yes, I think your mother would be very proud of the man you’ve become. ”
Ethan searched her face, probably looking for the audacity she’d just shown in passing judgment over something she knew nothing about. But when a soft smile curved his lips, her heart just about flew out of her chest.
“That’s very kind and means the world to me.” He reached for her hand and drew it up to his lips. “One of the most important things in my life was to make sure their legacy lived on.”
“And you did.”
He nodded but then tugged on her hand and drew her toward the house. “I don’t mean me. Come, there’s something I want to show you.”
They entered the living room, where Zayne was stretched out on one of the sofas, his hands behind his head, his eyes shut as he took an afternoon nap, and who could blame him?
With the doors open, the summer breeze and sound of the water washing up on the shore was enough to lull anyone into dreamland.
Ethan led her down one of the many hallways and through to his office. She’d never been in there before. Not because she’d been told not to go but because she knew how her papa felt about being disturbed when he was in his office.
So when Ethan opened the door and gestured for her to come inside, she paused and said, “Are you sure?”
“Of course. You can go anywhere in this house, petite fille . What’s mine is yours.”
She stepped into the large office space and was immediately hit with a panoramic view of the lake and the other magnolia he had spoken of. The desk was situated so it faced the view but also kept sight of the door, and shelves full of books, knickknacks, and a few photos lined the opposite wall.
“Wow, Ethan.” She walked over to the window and stared out at the lights glistening off the dark lake. “How do you ever get anything done in here?”
Ethan walked up behind her and put a hand on her waist. “That’s a good question. I thought about turning the desk to fully face the door, but—”
“Oh no.” Chloé shook her head and looked back at him. “That would be a crime.”
“I agree. Which is why it’s half and half, and why I spend half the time staring out at the view instead of my work. Hence, I usually get most of it done at The Office.”
Chloé smirked. “Well, so do most people, Mr. Holt. But then again, your office is a little different to most.”
He chuckled and drew a finger down her cheek. “So it is. This was originally my father’s office.”
Again with the voluntary information on his family. The level of trust he was extending this afternoon made Chloé’s heart feel so full it might burst.
“He spent many hours in here. We all did. See that couch over there?”
Chloé spotted a gorgeous loveseat that faced the window and an ornate lamp that was situated at one end of it.
“My mother and I would sit over there, and while he worked, she’d read to me. After they died, I used to lock myself in this room and refuse to come out. It was my sanctuary until I was sent away to Kings.”
“The boarding school.”
“That’s right.” He slipped his hands in his pockets and turned away from her, walking over to the built-in shelves. “I thought my world was coming to an end. I was in a strange place, I had no one, and instead of being somewhere familiar, I was locked away in a prison. Then I met—”
“Zayne.”
Ethan glanced over his shoulder, those beautiful amber eyes all but smiling.
“Yes. My light in a dark room, and it had become very dark. I was angry and sad. I thought everything in my life had been taken from me. What I didn’t realize was that all of it was still here—my parents had made sure of that.
So even though they were physically gone, I still had them with me at all times. ”
He gestured for her to come over to him. Chloé crossed the office and stopped by the shelves, where he picked up an old black-and-white photograph and handed it to her.
Chloé took the framed picture, looked at the image that had been lovingly preserved, and frowned. “I’ve seen this before.”
“Have you?”
“Of course—everyone has. Holtson’s is the biggest company in the country. Everyone goes there. It’s practically an institution. Not to mention they’re the richest family too.”
“Right.”
She looked back at the image of a man dressed in a suit, standing by the very first Holtson store. He was the founder, the owner, and he looked a lot like—
Chloé’s head snapped up, her wide eyes locking with Ethan’s. No , there was no way.
But as the chaos that was her life these past few months flashed before her eyes, the luxury and extravagance of it all began to make sense.
“This is my grandfather, Edward—”
“Holt…” Oh my God.
Oh.
My.
God.
“Yes. He had a son, my father, so he called his first store Holt-son.”
Chloé blinked up at Ethan, trying to wrap her head around the fact that— “So now you’re the son in Holt son ?”
“That’s right.”
She took a couple of steps back and sat down on the couch, the photo still clutched firmly in her hand. This was insane. Completely and utterly insane.
“You’re… You own Holtson’s ?”
“Technically I own seventy percent of it. I sold some of the company’s stock a few years back. But yes, I own it.”
Putain… How many times had she shopped at a Holtson’s store? At least once a week her entire life. They sold anything and everything, and usually at the best price.
“I… I don’t know what to say.” She looked back at the picture again, completely flabbergasted. “When do you run it? How do you—”