When Contracts Turn to Forbidden Kisses Chapter 24

Ethan

Under my grandfather's urging, I came to check out Amelia. However, I walked into the living room, and the scene before me instantly ignited a fury deep within my chest. Robert Thompson stood with his hand raised high, while Amelia backed away, her eyes wide with fear. In that moment, every shred of tactical restraint I'd cultivated over years of FBI training was overwhelmed by an instinctive need to protect her.

"I suggest you rethink that action, Mr. Thompson," I called out, my voice resonating through the room with unmistakable authority.

Robert's hand froze mid-air as if someone had hit pause on his movement. When he slowly turned to face me, I watched as recognition dawned in his eyes, followed by something I rarely saw directed at me—pure, visceral fear.

I strode purposefully toward Amelia, each step causing the hardwood floor to emit a dull thud. Positioning myself between her and her father, I swept my cold gaze across everyone present. The lawyer looked shocked, nearly dropping his legal documents, while the household staff stood with expressions of disbelief.

"Black... Mr. Black?" Robert stammered, his voice suddenly thin and unsteady. "What are you... this must be some misunderstanding..."

I ignored his pathetic attempt at backpedaling. Instead, I turned to Amelia, softening my voice as I touched her shoulder. "It's okay now. I'm here. No one will harm you anymore."

Then I faced the room again, my voice clear and firm, each word delivered with steel-like precision: "I am Ethan Black, and I am also Amelia Thompson's husband. Anyone who wishes to harm my wife will have to go through me first."

The declaration exploded through the room like a shockwave. Robert's face turned ashen, beads of sweat forming on his forehead despite the cool temperature of the room.

"This... this is impossible..." he muttered, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "Amelia couldn't possibly be married to someone of your... your status? It must be fake, it must be..."

I let out a cold laugh, one that carried the chill of a Manhattan winter. "Why would that be impossible? Do you think your daughter isn't worthy of me? Or perhaps you believe my judgment is flawed?"

The words hit like a sledgehammer, shattering Robert's last hope of maintaining control. On Wall Street, the Black family name carried the weight of modern royalty. We controlled the economic lifeblood of this city, and as the Black heir, my position far exceeded that of a small-time businessman like him. Now he finally understood why Amelia had been so calm in the face of his threats—she had the entire Black financial empire behind her.

"Now, I want you to leave immediately," I said, my voice cold as ice, each word carrying undeniable authority. "This is my wife's home, and you are not welcome here. Get out, and never appear before her again."

Robert attempted to protest, his mouth opening and closing, but it soon evaporated. He knew what would happen if he persisted. Finally, after shooting Amelia one last venomous glare, he slunk away like a beaten dog.

After Robert's figure disappeared completely, I turned to address everyone else in the room, my expression hardening once more.

"What I've said here today doesn't leave this room. Anyone who leaks today's events will face consequences they cannot imagine."

The lawyer nodded frantically. "Absolutely, Mr. Black. Complete confidentiality! I swear on my professional ethics that today's events will remain buried in my memory."

I dismissed the lawyer with instructions that Black Group's legal team would be in touch. Once everyone had left and we were alone in the spacious living room, I turned to find Amelia staring at me with an expression I couldn't fully decipher—a mix of gratitude, confusion, and something deeper.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice carrying genuine appreciation. "For showing up when you did, for stepping in. I know what this means for you."

I sat down across from her, trying to keep my voice level. "It's what I should have done. As your husband, protecting you is my responsibility."

"No," she shook her head, a bitter smile touching her lips. "You could have stayed completely out of it. Because of me, you've had to expose your real identity. This will cause you so many problems..."

She trailed off, and I noticed her hands were trembling slightly. I felt an inexplicable urge to reach out and steady them with my own, but held back.

Yet, as I watched her struggle with her emotions, a memory flashed through my mind—our first meeting, her defiant strength hiding a quiet vulnerability. It struck me harder than I expected.

She suddenly stood up with determination in her eyes, something in her posture making me uneasy. She walked to the modern-styled desk in the corner and opened a small drawer, pulling out something I hadn’t expected—a small velvet box. My stomach dropped as I recognized it.

"Our agreement should end now," she said, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions I could see in her eyes. She opened the box, revealing the simple wedding band we’d exchanged during our rushed, undercover ceremony. The sight of it hit me like a punch to the gut.

I stared at the ring, completely blindsided. According to the FBI's plan, I needed to maintain this marriage to continue investigating the Viktor Group. This wasn’t just a cover to me anymore, though, and that realization was messing with my head.

When I had brought up her breach of the confidentiality agreement, it was just a tactic—a desperate attempt to keep some control, to keep her close. I never expected her to take it this far, to pull out something as symbolic as that ring. What shocked me more, though, was my own visceral reaction—a surge of resistance that rose from somewhere deep inside me. I didn’t want to end this marriage, not now, not like this.

“I can’t keep dragging you into my problems,” she said, her voice softer now, almost breaking. “I’ll have my lawyer get the divorce papers ready as soon as possible. This… it’s for the best.”

I looked at the ring in her trembling hand, unsure what to say or do.