Chapter 20
NATALIE
When I was leaving Chicago, I had gone back to the hotel room, packed my things, and booked the next flight home. I had completely forgotten about my brother’s ex and her lunch invitation.
Hurrying out of the elevator, I enter the marbled lobby and look around.
It doesn’t take me long to spot the blonde woman in the navy blue dress sitting in the waiting area, her hair arranged in elegant curls framing her pretty face.
I approach her, and she jumps to her feet, beaming, “Natalie. I hope I didn’t bother you.”
“What are you doing here, Rose?”
She gives me a sheepish smile. “Well, I was visiting my aunt here and thought to look you up. You never made it to our lunch that day.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologize, feeling horrible. “I ended up leaving that very night, and I didn’t know how to get in touch with you. Please tell me you didn’t wait for me at the restaurant. ”
She struggles to maintain her smile. “I thought you didn’t show up because you didn’t want to meet me. I really did just want to catch up with you. I thought I would try again one last time before I left for LA. Do you think we could go get a drink?”
Rose has always been sweet, and I don’t have the heart to turn her down again. Checking my watch, I nod with a small smile. “Let’s get that lunch. There’s a very nice French restaurant a few blocks from here.”
“That sounds wonderful.” She loops her arm around mine in a familiar manner.
It’s not unlike her. She was always very touchy when she was dating my brother.
I glance at her discreetly as we walk out of the building.
I have so many questions, but I don’t want to dig up the past. At least not too much.
The French restaurant I recommended is usually busy during dinner hours, but lunch is always slow. When we arrive, we are seated quite quickly with menus handed to us. Rose goes over the wine menu, and I shake my head. “No alcohol for me.”
“Why not? They have such a wonderful selection.”
My personal business has been shared enough as it is, so I simply say, “I don’t drink during work hours. But I’ll have a glass of fresh juice if they have it.”
The waiter brings me a separate menu for the juices, and I choose one.
Disappointed, Rose orders a glass of wine, and then we go over the menu.
I’ve been to this place several times, so I know most of it.
I get a duck salad, which I know my nausea will be able to tolerate.
Once she’s placed her order, I try not to let the awkwardness get to me.
“So how have you been, Natalie?” She looks at me warmly. “I was surprised to know that you were working for Ethan, of all people.”
“It was a strange coincidence. He acquired the company I was working for.”
“You’re the head of HR, aren’t you? How exciting! You and Ethan must be working closely together. ”
I don’t remember telling her that I was working for Ethan, but then, if she found the company I was working for, it’s not that hard to find out who my boss is. And then there are those pictures floating around in the magazines of the event we attended together.
“Well, the company is going through a restructuring period,” I laugh lightly, “so you can probably say that.”
“When did you start working for him? Lucas must have some opinion about the fact that the two of you are working together.”
“He must have,” I say vaguely. However, the mention of my brother has my smile fading fast.
“How is Lucas?”
I struggle to stay composed. “We’re both very busy with our own lives. We don’t keep in touch all that often.”
“That’s a surprise.” Rose blinks. “He used to dote on you. So, he doesn’t know you’re with Ethan?”
Something about the way she phrases that has me tensing. “He’s my boss. What’s that got to do with Lucas?”
Rose just chuckles. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I just meant that Ethan’s got a reputation. I know the media used to play around with it, but since we move in the same circles, I know of his nature firsthand.”
“What kind of reputation?” I ask with a tight smile.
Rose just gestures with her hand, nonchalantly.
“He likes to sleep with his employees. At first, it starts with late night work meetings, spending time together, and then getting them in bed. He’s very selective about whom he takes to these out of city business trips.
That’s why I was taken aback when I found out that you had come to Chicago with Ethan.
I thought Lucas would have warned you, surely. ”
For one heartbeat, there’s a hint of doubt in me, but then I remember the small child growing within me and the contract that Ethan asked me to sign. The doubt fades away almost instantly.
The server brings us our drinks, and I sip my juice, considering how to handle this situation. “Ethan is very professional with me, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
Rose just watches me, and I can see she doesn’t believe it.
She leans forward, her voice lowering. “Just be careful, Natalie. I don’t know if you know this, but Ethan tried to come on to me as well.
When your brother and I got engaged, we threw an engagement party. You remember, right? You were there.”
I don’t bother correcting her that I wasn’t invited.
Rose continues. “Ethan took me aside at some point and confessed his feelings for me. We’d all been together since college.
I never knew he felt that way. He wanted me to leave your brother for him.
Thankfully, Lucas walked in when he did, and I managed to get away.
He badgered me for weeks, even showing up at my favorite restaurants.
I finally told him to stop and threatened to tell Lucas. That’s when he stepped back.”
My blood runs cold at her words.
Rose’s face is pale, and she fiddles with her wine glass. “I never told Lucas what happened. I couldn’t. He really trusted Ethan. But some of the things Ethan said made me realize that he didn’t share the same loyalty towards your brother.”
Her lower lip quivers, and her eyes well up with tears.
“I was never going to bring this up, Natalie. But when I found out you were working for Ethan, when I saw those pictures in the Business Times magazine, I had to warn you. You can’t trust him.
He’s capable of saying anything to get what he wants.
I know Ethan better than you think. He’s not the person you think he is. ”
I stare at her, trying to come to terms with the picture she’s painting and the man I know.
Two months ago, I might have believed her. That’s not to say I don’t believe something happened. But I cannot reconcile the Ethan I know with the man she’s talking about .
“Thanks for giving me the heads up, but like I said, my relationship with Ethan is not like that.”
Rose wipes her eyes. “I’m just trying to warn you, Natalie.”
“I understand.” I give her a brief smile.
It’s obvious she expects me to ask more questions, and when I don’t, it seems to bother her. “You do believe me, don’t you?”
Everything I know about Ethan doesn’t come close to the man she’s describing, but I’m not so insensitive as to call her a liar. “I’m just having a hard time understanding why you came all this way to warn me about Ethan.”
She hesitates. “You’re Lucas’s baby sister.
I know things did not work out between the two of us, but I always liked you, Natalie.
I don’t want you to get hurt. When Lucas and I got together, Ethan wasn’t very happy about it, but I simply thought it was because he was under the assumption that our friend group was changing.
I never knew he had such feelings towards me.
But there are a few things he said to me that stood out.
He chose to wait till my engagement party to tell me to dump Lucas.
He said Lucas didn’t deserve someone like me.
It almost seemed like he was jealous of him.
I always sensed that Ethan would go after whatever Lucas wanted to have.
At first it seemed like nothing more than friendly rivalry, but now I’m not so sure. ”
I watch her, trying to keep my emotions in check. “You believe he’ll be interested in me because I’m Lucas’s younger sister?”
“Of course, why else would he kiss you at the fundraiser? He’s trying to get to Lucas!”
“I see. Ethan has changed, Rose. I’ve been working with him for the past couple of months. He’s not like that. He’s definitely not interested in my brother or anything.”
I see the shift of emotion in her eyes. “So you won’t believe me then? ”
I can sense the hurt, and I say quickly, “I believe something happened. But I don’t know what you expect me to do.”
She leans forward, grabbing my hand and nearly spilling my drink in the process. “I want you to be careful, Natalie. He’s not to be trusted.”
“I appreciate that, Rose.” I cover her hand with mine and gently push it away. “But I told you that Ethan is my boss, nothing more. I’ll try to be careful.”
By the time lunch ends, I can’t get out of the restaurant fast enough. I’ve always liked Rose, but tracking me down for something like this is throwing me off kilter. It’s obvious to me she expects me to leave my job.
“Let’s stay in touch.” Rose hugs me, and I stand there stiffly, feeling a sick feeling form in the pit of my stomach. Just talking to her makes me feel like I’m being disloyal to Ethan.
To even think that Ethan would be interested in my brother’s fiancée seems off. It’s hard to believe, but I don’t want to think that Rose is lying.
She has to be, though. And this whole idea that Ethan was jealous of Lucas is so ludicrous that I want to laugh. I remember how my brother practically used to worship the ground Ethan walked on. I can imagine Lucas being envious. But Ethan?
Ridiculous is a mild word.
I decide to walk back to the office rather than take a taxi. I need to clear my thoughts.
Rose was so certain Ethan went after everything Lucas had. If I follow her logic, Ethan tried to get Rose and failed. And then he came after me.