When Contracts Turn to Forbidden Kisses Chapter 148

Amelia

Getting off the yacht felt like witnessing a military operation. I thought the sleek white vessel that had brought our group of eight to the island was now unloading what looked like a small army — I counted at least twenty people walking down the gangway in an organized line. Leading the pack was a familiar face that made me do a double take.

"Is that...?" I squinted against the afternoon sun, trying to get a better look at the man directing others with confident hand gestures.

"Everything okay?" Ethan appeared at my side, his fingers brushing against mine.

The procession continued efficiently, with several people carrying large equipment cases and others wheeling what looked like catering supplies. Despite the unexpected scene, I wasn't particularly surprised. This was classic Ethan—meticulous planning executed with military precision.

"I've seen enough wealthy people in my time to know that having security is standard," I said, watching as the crew dispersed in different directions. "Though this seems excessive even for you."

We reached the parking lot where several luxury SUVs waited. The others were already climbing into vehicles, with Sophie and Olivia chattering excitedly about the beach.

"Ethan," I turned to face him directly, "were all those people on the yacht with us?"

He nodded, his expression neutral. "Security detail, staff, advance team. Standard procedure."

I narrowed my eyes. "And the man leading them—he looks exactly like Kevin Chen. The financial manager I hired to oversee Thompson Enterprises before I left New York." I studied Ethan's face, looking for any flicker of recognition or guilt.

His poker face was good, but not perfect. A tiny muscle twitched near his eye—his tell.

"You know him, don't you?" I pressed.

Ethan sighed. "Yes, I do."

I stopped walking abruptly, causing Noah to nearly bump into me from behind.

"Mrs. Black, you're blocking traffic," Noah joked, but the humor didn't reach his eyes.

I reached for Ethan's hand and squeezed it—not affectionately, but with enough pressure to convey my seriousness. Standing on tiptoe, I whispered in his ear, "What else have you been doing behind my back?"

"I'll explain everything," he promised, his breath warm against my cheek. "Just not here."

The walk to the beach house took about ten minutes along a winding path lined with hydrangeas in various shades of blue. The sight was so breathtaking that even I momentarily forgot my irritation with Ethan.

"Oh my God," Sophie gasped as the house came into view. "This is straight out of a magazine!"

The beach house was a modern marvel of glass and weathered wood, nestled among flowering shrubs with the ocean visible beyond. It wasn't ostentatious in size, but every detail screamed careful design and quality.

"This is totally your style, Amelia," Sophie added, turning to me with wide eyes. "All those natural elements and the huge windows—it's exactly what you'd choose."

"Come on, let's go check out our rooms and change for the beach!" Olivia called out, already halfway to the front door.

Rachel let out a low whistle. "And here I thought Wall Street guys just blew their money on sports cars and overpriced whiskey."

"You wound me, little sister," James replied with mock offense. "We occasionally invest in real estate too."

Rachel shot back with a sharp grin, though her eyes remained cool.

We entered the house, which was even more beautiful inside. The children immediately ran to explore, with Lucas heading straight for the large glass doors leading to the deck while Ella went upstairs to check out the bedrooms.

Ethan guided me to a stunning master suite on the second floor, his hand never leaving the small of my back. The room featured a wall of glass overlooking the ocean, with waves crashing against the shore in hypnotic rhythm.

I walked to the window, momentarily speechless at the view. The afternoon sun created diamonds on the water's surface, and the private stretch of beach below looked untouched.

"Do you like it?" Ethan asked, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

I leaned back against his chest, allowing myself this moment of closeness despite my lingering questions. "It's incredible. The most beautiful place I've ever seen."

"Have you been here before?" I asked, turning to face him. "Is this where you bring all your... business associates?" I kept my tone light, but there was a genuine question beneath my teasing.

Ethan's eyes remained steady on mine. "This is my first time here. I bought it recently."

"I believe you," I said, surprising myself with how true it felt. Despite everything, I did trust Ethan—at least about some things. But my guard wasn't completely down. "Now tell me about Kevin Chen."

Ethan sighed and led me to sit on the edge of the bed. "Kevin works for me. He's part of my international investment team, specializing in emerging markets."

"And you just happened to place him as the manager of my mother's company?" I kept my voice level, though I could feel heat rising to my cheeks.

"I wanted to make sure your inheritance was properly managed," Ethan admitted, his expression earnest. "At the time, I didn't know you well enough to explain, and after... after everything happened between us, I didn't want to bring it up."

"So you've been secretly monitoring my family's business all this time?" I wasn't sure whether to feel violated or protected.

"Not monitoring—protecting," Ethan clarified. "Kevin reports directly to me, and he's excellent at what he does. Your mother's assets have increased by twelve percent since he took over."

I stared at Ethan, taking in his carefully controlled expression, the pleading look in his eyes. This man, who had initially married me as part of an investigation, had continued to look out for my interests even after our separation. It was infuriating and touching at the same time.

"You could have told me," I said softly.

"Would you have let me help?" he challenged.

"No," I admitted. "Probably not."

Ethan took my hands in his. "I'm sorry for keeping it from you. I should have been honest once we... once things changed between us."

I could see the genuine regret in his eyes, the careful way he was watching my reaction. Something in me softened.

"So," I said after a moment, "is there anything else I should know about? Any other ways you've been secretly managing my life?"

Ethan's lips curved into a cautious smile. "Does this mean you're not furious with me?"

"Oh, I'm still mad," I assured him, though without real heat. "But I also understand why you did it." I squeezed his hands. "Thank you for looking out for me, even when I didn't know it."

The relief in his eyes was palpable. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against mine. "I would do anything to protect you, Amelia. Anything."

For a moment, we sat there in comfortable silence. Then Ethan pulled back, his expression suddenly mischievous.

"So, aren't you going to thank me properly?" he asked, his voice dropping lower.

Before I could respond, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen—Olivia.

"Amelia Thompson! Get your ass down here in a bikini right now!" Olivia's voice blared through the speaker. "The water is perfect, and we're waiting for you!"

I laughed and hung up. "Duty calls."

As I left to change, I couldn't help smiling. Despite the surprise about Kevin, despite the complex history between us, something about being here with Ethan felt right. Maybe it was the sea air, or maybe it was simply that we were finally being honest with each other—mostly, anyway.