He is completely changed.

Next Morning

I woke up and smiled, seeing Dylan sleeping on the couch in my room. Dylan was truly a very good friend who had supported me since kindergarten. He was the common friend between Ethan and me—the bridge that started our friendship.

Two years ago, during the time of my life’s miseries, I tried to contact Ethan but could not. That was when Dylan came into my life as a brother figure to help me. He was the one who reintroduced Betty to me, giving light back to my dark life.

I stood up and walked toward the kitchen. I searched for coffee ingredients and brewed two cups. I re-entered the room with the tray in hand.

“Morning,” I smiled at Dylan, who was already awake.

“Morning,” he smiled back, taking a cup.

After coffee, we both went to our respective bathrooms to bathe. I wore my new navy blue skirt, which highlighted my features. I applied a little makeup and left my hair open, just the way Ethan used to love. I blushed thinking of him; he still had that effect on me.

After getting ready, Dylan introduced me to his house cleaner, who served us breakfast. Once our tummies were full, we moved toward King Enterprises. My heart was beating fast with anxiety and anticipation; I truly didn't know how Ethan would react to seeing me. I just hoped his reaction would be positive, not angry.

We reached the building where Kings Corporation was located. With my heels clicking, I entered the lobby followed by Dylan.

“Ashley, is Ethan in his office?” Dylan asked a woman rushing out of the elevator.

“He is in his office,” she gave the green light. Dylan nodded, pushing me into the lift as we ascended to the fifty-first floor.

“This is where mine and Ethan’s offices are located,” Dylan informed me. I nodded, but as we stepped out, his mobile buzzed. “Just go straight and you will see Ethan’s office. I have to attend this call; it's very important,” he apologized.

“No problem,” I told him. I began walking toward the door, my heart hammering. I trailed my fingers over his name, carved in gold on the door. With shaky hands, I gripped the handle. Taking a deep breath to gain courage, I entered the office.

The scene in front of my eyes blew me away like a shock. My heart skipped a beat as tears filled my eyes. Suddenly, I felt suffocated. There, right in front of me, my Ethan was standing entirely nude with a girl in his arms who was kissing him hard.

Ethan was about to enter her when I lost my composure. I moved backward, accidentally knocking over a vase. The crash alerted both of them; they turned to look at me in shock. Ethan’s eyes found mine. Anger, shock, and guilt passed through his gaze before he stood there, naked and unashamed, in front of me.

Covering my eyes, I rushed out of his office toward Dylan.

“Dylan!” I cried, throwing my arms around him.

“Hey, what happened?” he asked worriedly, pulling me toward another office—likely his own. He quickly ended his call. Once we were within the closed walls of the office, I lost it, crying hard against his shirt.

“What happened?” he asked again. I rubbed my nose against his shirt, tears flowing non-stop. Flashes of the scene played before my eyes, breaking my heart. I never thought our first meeting after all these years would be like this.

Dylan gave a hollow chuckle and cupped my cheeks. “I told you, he is no longer your Ethan. This is the new Ethan—the one who doesn't have a heart and doesn't care for others' feelings. You will have to work hard to get your old Ethan back.”

I nodded and roughly wiped away my tears. Now I was certain that something terrible must have happened to make him this way. I remembered how he once wanted to have a physical relationship only with the girl he loved—me. He used to hate random make-out sessions.

I knew I had to marry him to bring the old Ethan back with my love.

“I will bring back my old Ethan,” I told Dylan with a smile. He returned it with a bright one.

“Beware—he will try to hurt you and push you away, but you must come out as the winner,” he motivated me. I smiled, walking back toward Ethan’s office with Dylan following close behind, not wanting me to be alone with him this time.

We entered the office. Thankfully, this time Ethan was sitting at his desk, properly clothed, with no hint of the previous encounter.

“Ethan,” Dylan said, walking in front of me. “Meet your soon-to-be wife.” He introduced me to Ethan, who looked me up and down before averting his gaze to Dylan.

“Finally, you found a girl for me,” Ethan said, standing up and walking toward me. “Let’s see what specialty this girl has.”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of "this girl." It felt strange to hear him speak of me as if he didn't remember me—as if I were a total stranger.

“Now you can leave, while I would love to talk with my soon-to-be wife,” Ethan dismissed Dylan. Dylan gave me a thumbs up before exiting.

Ethan looked me up and down again. I gulped as I felt his intense gaze linger on my legs before he looked at my face blankly.

“So, you are my wife, Miss...?”

My heart was crushed. He looked at me as if he truly didn't know me. Was it possible he had forgotten?

“Olivia. I am Olivia Knight,” I said, expecting recognition, but his eyes remained blank.

“So, Miss Olivia,” he began, walking toward me. It broke my heart that he used my full name; he had never called me anything but Oli. “Tell me something about yourself.” He stood so close now that his aftershave filled my senses—that familiar smell I used to love.

I looked up, studying his features. In the last seven years, he had changed; his body was more muscular, and he wore a five o'clock shadow. His black hair, which used to be a mess, was now perfectly set. The boy who wore casual t-shirts was now in a formal suit with the top two buttons open, revealing his chest.

“Tell me about your education?” he asked, pulling my chin up to force me to look at him. His hot breath fanned over my face.

“Bachelor’s in Business from Harvard.”

“Parents?”

My heart twisted. “Nile Knight and Carton Knight. Unfortunately, they are no more,” I said, tears slipping out. I searched his eyes for pain, as my parents had been close to him too, but his gaze remained hollow.

He threw more questions at me, and I replied robotically, hurting because he didn't care about my grief.

“So, it’s decided that you will be my wife,” Ethan said, tracing a finger over my cheek with emotionless eyes.

“I have some rules for you,” he announced, pushing me against the cabin wall and trapping me against his chest. “Rule number one: You will never ask me for your wifey rights.” Tears threatened to fall, but I nodded. I wouldn't ask for rights, but I would try to change him.

“Rule number two: You will never stop me when I bring girls to the house. The scene you witnessed earlier will be a daily story.” My heart churned with disgust. Did he plan to have affairs openly?

“Rule number three,” he paused, gripping my shoulder. “Just stay away from me and my business.” Sudden rage filled his voice. “Just remember that I am marrying you only to get the deal. After that, you are free to move away from my life, and I will be very much obliged if you do.”

He looked at me with rage before turning away. “Be ready tomorrow morning; we are getting married. You may leave now. I have work to do.”

Without a second glance, he sat down and started working on his files. I stood there, wondering what had happened to my Ethan. The boy who spoke so lovingly was gone. I knew I needed answers, and I would get them once we were married.