Not long after, Ethan made his next move.
He contacted our lawyers and proposed splitting years of accumulated marital assets with Lila.
Including one of my properties.
He also reached out to the company and pushed for a full resolution on ownership of Free Wings.
Noah, sitting across from me at the dining table with furniture catalogs spread out everywhere, looked tense.
“We’re still not exposing them?”
I sipped my coffee.
“Not yet.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Because he already pushed me into the center of public opinion. He accused me of stealing a junior employee’s work. He set the stage himself.” I smiled. “Now all we have to do is let him hold the press conference.”
He stared at me for a second.
Then grinned slowly.
That grin on him should have been illegal.
I reached over and kissed his chin. “Did you pick the couch?”
“I picked everything,” he said proudly. Then, softer, “Sophia… I’m really excited about our home.”
I looked at him.
And meant it when I said, “Me too.”
The press conference was held three days later.
Lila wore white.
Of course she did.
Under the bright lights she looked delicate, devastated, saintly. The media ate it up.
“Ms. Greene, why didn’t you report the theft sooner?”
“Ms. Greene, records show you only transferred into R&D three months ago. Were you really developing Free Wings before that?”
Question after question hit her faster than she could handle.
Ethan stepped in front of her, expression cold.
“She’s not in good health. Please keep your distance.”
The room shifted instantly.
The reporters smelled something bigger.
“Mr. Carter, why help an outsider target your own wife?”
“Mr. Carter, there are rumors you’ve been seen leaving obstetrics with Ms. Greene. What’s your relationship?”
“Mr. Carter, are you having an affair with your wife’s employee?”
I stood near the back in a simple black dress and watched the whole thing unfold.
Every reporter in that room had been worth every cent I’d paid.
One by one, they cut exactly where it hurt.
Chaos rose.
Finally Ethan had no choice but to hand the mic to senior management.
According to his plan, leadership was supposed to confirm my misconduct, announce my dismissal, bury my name, and crown Lila with the future she’d built on top of me.
Instead, our division head adjusted his glasses and smiled into the cameras.
“Before we draw conclusions,” he said, “I think everyone should listen to a recording.”
Lila’s face emptied.
Then the audio began.
Her voice filled the room.
Every vile word from the hospital.
Every confession laced with envy.
Every slip.
Every ugly piece of obsession.
The room erupted.
Cameras turned. Reporters surged. Flash after flash after flash.
My boss stood again, expression now carved from ice.
“After investigation, the company has concluded that Mr. Ethan Carter and Ms. Lila Greene conspired to steal proprietary research developed by our chief perfumer, Ms. Sophia Bennett, leaked confidential materials, reversed the narrative to incite public attacks against her, and caused severe reputational harm. We will be pursuing all legal remedies.”
Ethan lunged toward the stage.
“That’s not right! You’ve got it wrong! Explain it properly!”
Security moved first.
Then the police.
Even as officers took hold of her arms, Lila kept screaming nonsense.
Ethan fought too, furious, disbelieving, unraveling in front of every camera he’d meant to use against me.
As they passed near the back of the room, he saw me.
Really saw me.
And all at once, understanding hit his face.
“It was you,” he said.
I smiled.
Slowly.
Yes.
It was me.
Afterward, Ethan’s assistant found me in the hallway, drenched in sweat, looking like his soul had left his body.
“Ms. Bennett, what is happening? Why did Mr. Carter get taken away?”
I handed him a flash drive.
“There’s something on here your boss needs to hear.”
It held the other recording.
The one about Noah.
The one Ethan deserved to hear all the way to the end.
Then I gave my lawyer the signed divorce papers and left North City with Noah.
I didn’t look back.