He's going to figure out I'm not actually your husband. Then whatever you accomplish tonight falls apart. Then I'll tell him it's none of his business. Victoria's voice was bitter. That my personal life is exactly that, personal.
That whether you and I are legally married or just together, it doesn't change anything about my competence to run Sterling Capital. Except he'll use it against you. Tell the board you're lying to investors. Probably. Victoria took a shaky breath.
Which is why I need to ask you for more than 10 minutes. Ethan had known this was coming. Hearing it still made his stomach drop. How much more? The Meridian Holdings partnership is contingent on board approval.
My board is split between members who trust me and members who think Marcus might be right about my judgment. She looked up at him, eyes showing exactly how much it cost her to ask for help. If I walk back into Sterling Capital on Monday alone, if they see that Marcus rattled me tonight, they'll start second-guessing everything. But if you walk in there with me, if they see I'm stable, that I've moved on, it changes the narrative. "You're asking me to keep pretending to be your husband?"
"Yes." Not forever. Just until the Meridian contracts are signed. Two weeks, maybe three. Ethan thought about Lily, about his three jobs, about the carefully balanced life that didn't include elaborate deceptions with billionaire CEOs.
I have a 4-year-old daughter. I work three jobs. My life is complicated in ways that don't fit into your world. I know, Victoria's voice cracked. And I'm not asking you to change your life.
I'm asking you to let me into it temporarily. We can figure out logistics. I'll make sure Lily's comfortable. Whatever you need. What I need is for my life to make sense again.
I know, but that ship sailed the moment I kissed you. Ethan thought about the nurse who'd held his hand 3 years ago, about Lily's questions about helping people, about all the small moments when someone had helped him survive the worst. 2 weeks until your contracts are signed. Then we figure out how to end this without destroying whatever you've accomplished. Thank you.
Victoria's voice cracked again. Thank you, Ethan. I know this is insane. Yeah, it is. They sat in the service corridor while the gala continued without them.
Two strangers who' just agreed to construct an elaborate lie. Footsteps echoed from the far end of the corridor. Marcus appeared. He stopped when he saw them sitting together. Ethan's hand resting on Victoria's shoulder in a gesture that could be read as supportive or intimate.