The Royal Contract

Instead of being alarmed, Alex was relieved after hearing Ethan ask about the file. It was a perfect opportunity for him to question Ethan about the evidence he had obtained.

"I have it in my possession and safekeeping." Alex divulged to him. "I also had gone through it." He admitted as he watched Ethan's reaction to what he said.

He had kept the file in a secure place, making sure it was safe from spies and prying eyes. It would be a scandalous problem if words got about the contents of those documents.

"So, you have seen it." Ethan shook his head as if it was not such a big deal. He smiled at Alex without any signs of distress. "So, what do you think?"

Ethan leaned back and rested both of his arms on the side of the armchair. He sat comfortably on his chair, observing his apprentice. He wondered what he would do with this kind of situation.

He debated if he should meddle with this situation or let Alex decide what to do with this new development. Before that ever happened, he believed that Alex should know the story behind those files.

"It is incriminating. It can ruin your name and cause damage to the company if not dealt with properly." He honestly expressed his opinion on the subject matter.

He would keep those secrets behind sealed doors if he could, but if Cassie were able to obtain that information, someone else might dig it up if they only knew where to look.

Then what? It could become one explosive expose and drag Ethan's name to the mud. It could destroy the credibility of the company, bringing it down to the ground.

"So, do you believe what it says about me?" Ethan remained calm and collected as if this news did not affect him at all.

He had hidden this secret for so long that he had prepared for the time it would blow up into his face. He expected it would be Cassie or Nick who would nail him to the cross. 

However, it would seem that he had to wait a little longer. Cassie seemed to change her mind, and Nick still had nothing to fight against him. His other enemies still could not take him down.

"I am not here to judge whether you were innocent or guilty." Alex leaned forward in his chair and focused his attention on the man sitting from across from him. 

He could never be positive if anything on those files could be true. Only Ethan could enlighten him of the accuracy of those data. He would not jump to any conclusion until he heard Ethan's side of the story.

"But, I would like to hear the story." He interrupted Ethan before he could make any remark. "It is the only way I could deal with this if it happens to come up with the press or in the hands of our enemies."

"I guess I owe you an explanation." Ethan knew that he could not keep hiding from his past.

Now that the cat was out of the bag, he had no choice but to deal with it while he could still control the situation. Preparing Alex for the eventuality would be the most sensible thing to do.

"I think that is a good idea." Alex could not wait to hear his part in this entire situation. He believed that for them to get this sorted out, he had to know the truth.

"Then, buckle up because it will be a long story." Ethan looked around, checking if anybody was around.

Once he guaranteed that they were alone, he took a deep breath and looked at the window outside. He thought of where he should start, but he guessed it should be from the very beginning.

He suddenly longed for a strong drink, if he could only drink one. He could also use good tobacco, a nice puff, and smoke could help with the long silence.

"Ok. Tell me." Alex had prepared himself for this. He had already conditioned his mind that whatever he was about to hear, he would not judge him or make a harsh conclusion.

"Cassie worked for me. As the daughter of a former late partner and friend, I took her in under my care." Ethan began telling him the start of his story.

He felt he owed it to his dead friend to help his daughter, who was now alone. Cassie was also Dani's friend. Therefore treating her like their own was never hard. She had become part of their family.

Until now, he could only speculate the reason for her betrayal. He still wondered why Cassie hated his family, him, and especially Dani. He could only think of one possible explanation. Cassie misunderstood the facts.

A commotion on the door made them both look up from their sitting position. When Alex's attention turned to the intruder, he was surprised to see who was standing by the door.

"Princess, how long have you been standing there?" This time, Ethan asked the question, finding his daughter with an inquisitive expression.

He did not mind if she heard the story he told Alex. He believed that it was time that she finally learned the truth. It was time to bury the misunderstanding between them and let the facts speak for themselves.

He was old, weak, and might be dying. He was tired of keeping this secret from his family. If he could keep it hidden forever, he would, but he gathered that it was fast catching up.

"Long enough to wonder what you two are talking about a minute ago. What is going on in here? Care to enlighten me." Dani walked further inside the room, looking from one man to the other.

Both men she cared about, but both kept secrets from her. She was tired of being in the dark, always being the last to know what was happening. 

For once, she wanted her father, even her fiancé, to treat her with respect. She wanted them to trust her by including her in the picture.

"I am telling Alex about a past that I wish I never kept from you." Ethan looked directly into his daughter's eyes, guilty for lying to her. She deserved the truth. It should come from him and not hear it from someone else. 

He knew he only kept everything from her to protect her. He did not want to taint her innocence with the cruelty of the world. As a father, he believed it was his obligation to take care of her.

He now realized that she was old enough to listen to the truth. She had grown to be an intelligent woman who could easily distinguish what was right and wrong.

"Sit down, Dani. Let us hear what your father had to say." Alex stood up and held her hand. He guided her back to the couch and sat next to her.

He also believed that whatever Ethan had to say, he should also share it with his daughter. His secrets had burdened them long enough.

The only way to resolve the issues that had almost ruined this family was to unleash the truth and face the problems head-on.. They could not keep on dodging the bullet and hope that nobody got hurt.