Chapter 5: The Woman Who Saved Ethan Cross
For the first time in years, Damian Cross had no idea what to say.
That frightened him more than any enemy ever had.
He had built his entire life around control.
Control over his businesses.
Control over his reputation.
Control over every conversation, every negotiation, every person who stepped into his world.
But standing in his office with Sofia holding a photograph that proved she had been connected to Ethan long before she became a maid at Cross Manor...
Damian felt something he hated.
Uncertainty.
"You saved his life?""
His voice was quiet.
Sofia nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
She looked at him.
"Would you have believed me?""
The question hit harder than she intended.
Because the honest answer was no.
Six years ago, if a nineteen-year-old woman with no power, no money, and no connection to his family had walked into his office claiming she knew something about Ethan's death...
Damian would have assumed someone sent her.
He would have investigated her.
He might have destroyed her life before discovering the truth.
Sofia saw the answer in his silence.
"That's what I thought.""
Damian turned away.
The photograph remained in his hand.
A picture of Ethan smiling.
A picture of Ethan standing beside Sofia.
A picture that proved there was an entire chapter of his brother's life Damian knew nothing about.
"When did you meet him?""
Sofia took a slow breath.
"Three weeks before he died.""
"Where?""
"St. Mary's Hospital.""
Damian looked at her.
"Why was Ethan there?""
Sofia hesitated.
"Because someone tried to kill him.""
The words changed the atmosphere instantly.
Not suspicion.
Not curiosity.
Danger.
Damian placed the photograph on the desk.
"Start from the beginning.""
Sofia sat down slowly.
For six years, she had replayed the memory in her mind.
But she had never spoken it aloud.
Not completely.
Until now.
"It was late.""
Her voice became distant.
"I was working the night shift. There had been a storm, and the emergency room was full.""
Damian listened without interrupting.
"Ethan was brought in under a fake name.""
That caught his attention.
"A fake name?""
She nodded.
"The hospital staff thought he was just another injured driver.""
"Who brought him?""
"No one.""
Damian frowned.
"No one?""
"He came in alone.""
That didn't make sense.
Ethan Cross was one of the most protected men in the city.
He didn't travel alone.
Not unless he was hiding something.
"What injuries?""
"A gunshot wound.""
The room went silent.
Damian's expression changed.
The official story said Ethan had never been injured before the crash.
The official story said everything began and ended on that rainy highway.
But Sofia was telling him the story had started weeks earlier.
"Where?""
"His shoulder.""
Damian looked down.
"Why wasn't this reported?""
"Because Ethan refused.""
"Why?""
Sofia looked at him.
"Because he said he couldn't trust the police.""
That sentence stayed between them.
Damian felt something cold settle in his chest.
Ethan had trusted almost nobody.
But if he had been shot, why hadn't he gone home?
Why hadn't he called Damian?
Why had he hidden?
"What happened next?""
Sofia looked at her hands.
"I treated him.""
"You?""
"I was training as a nurse.""
Damian stared.
"You weren't a maid.""
"No.""
"What happened?""
Sofia gave a small, bitter smile.
"Life happened.""
She looked away.
"My father died. I had to leave school. I needed money.""
Damian said nothing.
He knew what it meant to lose family.
But he also knew the world rarely cared about people who had nothing.
"After I helped Ethan, he wanted to thank me.""
"How?""
"He offered money.""
Damian almost smiled.
That sounded like Ethan.
Trying to solve everything with generosity.
"What did you do?""
"I refused.""
"Why?""
"Because he wasn't looking at me like someone who needed payment.""
She paused.
"He looked scared.""
Damian's expression tightened.
"Ethan was afraid?""
"Yes.""
That was something Damian struggled to accept.
His brother had always been fearless.
Or at least he had appeared that way.
"What was he afraid of?""
Sofia looked at him.
"His own family.""
The words landed like a weapon.
Damian immediately stood.
"Be careful.""
Sofia didn't flinch.
"I am.""
"You're accusing my family.""
"I'm telling you what he told me.""
"What exactly did he say?""
Sofia remembered.
Every word.
Every expression.
"He said there was someone inside the Cross family who wanted him dead.""
Damian walked away.
His hand moved through his hair.
"No.""
Sofia watched him.
"You asked for the truth.""
"I did.""
"And I'm giving it.""
He turned.
"Do you know how many people have wanted something from me?""
"Yes.""
"Do you know how many have lied to get close to me?""
"Yes.""
"Then understand why this is difficult.""
Sofia nodded.
"I do.""
That answer disarmed him.
She wasn't angry.
She wasn't demanding that he believe her.
She understood.
And somehow that made it harder.
"What else did Ethan tell you?""
Sofia looked toward the window.
"He said he had proof.""
"Proof of what?""
"Who was trying to destroy him.""
Damian stepped closer.
"What proof?""
"I don't know.""
"You don't know?""
"No.""
She looked at him.
"He was supposed to meet someone the night he died.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
"Where?""
"A parking garage.""
Damian froze.
"What?""
Sofia looked confused.
"What?""
"The crash happened near a parking garage.""
Her face changed.
"That wasn't a coincidence.""
No.
It wasn't.
The pieces were moving into place.
Ethan had been meeting someone.
Someone who had information.
Someone who knew about the threat.
And someone who wanted him silenced.
Damian looked at the photograph again.
"Why were you with him the night he died?""
Sofia went quiet.
Damian noticed immediately.
"You haven't told me everything.""
She looked away.
"I went looking for him.""
"Why?""
"Because he called me.""
"When?""
"The day he died.""
Damian's eyes sharpened.
"You spoke to him?""
"Yes.""
"What did he say?""
Sofia swallowed.
"He said he needed help.""
"What kind of help?""
"He said he didn't know who to trust.""
Damian felt his chest tighten.
Not because of the words.
Because of who Ethan chose to call.
Not him.
Not his father.
Not anyone in the Cross family.
A stranger.
A hospital worker.
Sofia.
"Why you?""
"I don't know.""
"Yes, you do.""
Sofia shook her head.
"No.""
Damian studied her.
Then he realized something.
Sofia wasn't hiding because she was guilty.
She was hiding because she was scared of what the truth meant.
"What happened when you arrived?""
Sofia closed her eyes.
"I found the car.""
"Then?""
"Ethan was alive.""
Damian stopped breathing for a moment.
"You spoke to him.""
"Yes.""
"What did he say?""
She looked at him.
"I already told you.""
"No.""
His voice lowered.
"You told me what you remembered.""
A pause.
"Tell me everything.""
Sofia looked down.
The memory she hated most returned.
"Ethan grabbed my hand.""
Her voice shook.
"He was losing blood.""
Damian's expression softened.
"He looked at me and said he was sorry.""
"Sorry?""
She nodded.
"He said I got dragged into something I shouldn't have.""
Damian clenched his fist.
"What else?""
"He told me to run.""
"From who?""
Sofia's eyes met his.
"The person coming.""
A chill moved through him.
"Someone came?""
"Yes.""
"Who?""
Sofia hesitated.
"The man with the black ring.""
Damian's face hardened.
"Victor Hale.""
She nodded.
"But that's impossible.""
"That's what you said before.""
Damian ignored the comment.
"Why would Victor Hale be there?""
"I don't know.""
"What happened next?""
Sofia's voice became barely audible.
"He saw me.""
Damian froze.
"He saw you?""
"Yes.""
"And?""
"He didn't kill me.""
That was the part that bothered her for six years.
The part she never understood.
"He looked at Ethan.""
A pause.
"Then he looked at me.""
"What did he say?""
Sofia looked terrified.
"Nothing.""
"Nothing?""
"He just smiled.""
Damian felt anger rise.
Not explosive.
Not uncontrolled.
Something colder.
"And then?""
"Then he walked away.""
"Why?""
"I don't know.""
Damian stared at her.
But suddenly he did.
He understood.
Victor Hale hadn't spared Sofia because he was merciful.
He had spared her because he knew she was harmless.
A nineteen-year-old girl.
A witness nobody would believe.
A person nobody powerful would notice.
Until now.
His phone rang.
Marcus.
Damian answered.
"What?""
The voice on the other end was urgent.
Damian's expression changed.
"What do you mean missing?""
Sofia watched him.
A few seconds passed.
Then Damian ended the call.
"What happened?""
He looked at her.
"The phone from Ethan's car disappeared.""
Her face went pale.
"What?""
"Someone broke into the security room.""
"But there are cameras.""
"There were.""
A terrible silence followed.
"What does that mean?""
Damian looked toward the door.
"It means someone inside this house helped them.""
Sofia felt cold.
Inside Cross Manor.
Someone close.
Someone trusted.
Someone who had access.
Damian picked up the photograph again.
Ethan.
Sofia.
Victor Hale.
The hidden truth.
Everything connected.
Then his phone buzzed once more.
Another message.
This time, there was a picture attached.
Damian opened it.
And his expression changed.
Sofia noticed.
"What is it?""
He didn't answer.
"Damian?""
Slowly, he turned the phone toward her.
The picture showed Cross Manor.
Taken from outside.
Taken minutes ago.
And beneath it was a message.
*You should have left the maid alone.*
Sofia felt her blood turn cold.
Because the message wasn't a warning.
It was confirmation.
Someone was watching them.
May you like
Someone knew everything.
And someone inside Cross Manor had just declared war.
