Trust in You

Chapter 10 - Ethan

"Grandma, I'm starting the meeting now," I tell my Grandma. She still sits at the head of the table, even though I'm the CEO of the company. My Grandma, Helen Hall, is still the head of the Hall family and businesses. And it will stay like that even though verbally she repeatedly tells everyone that I'm the next head of the Hall. And she also wrote that in her will. But as long as she is alive, she is the head of the Hall and I don't want the other way as well.

I just stand up, ready to give a cue to Sarah to start the meeting when the big monitor shows some pictures. What the...

"What the hell is this?" Ben's voice booming in the room and everyone pays their attention to the monitor now. I hear some of them gasp.

"Madeline, is that you?" Other voice comes. I turn around to see a guy talk to Madeline. She stands near the guy, with Sarah next to her. Sarah's face is pale, but Madeline's face is paler than Sarah. And that guy keeps asking Madeline about the picture. Why is she near the multimedia? Is she the one who provided this picture?

"Ethan! Explain to us. What is this?" Ben asks me. He's standing from his seat, approaching me. Everyone's eyes on me now. What should I do? If I answer it wrong, they can take me down from the CEO seat, and I will disappoint Helen. Not to mention I will be the headlines on every news, and it will hurt Hall Industries, my legacy. Who trapped me? Madeline Parker? I feel the bile in my mouth.

"You raped her!" The guy who was talking to Madeline approaches me as well. What the fuck is wrong with this guy?

"You raped her, Ethan?" Ben asks again with his loud voice. Doesn't he realize he doesn't have to scream like that and everyone still can understand him?

The guy pushes me. "Why did you rape my girlfriend?"

What the fuck? Madeline has a boyfriend?

I can see from my peripheral vision some of my worker's eyes almost pop out of their eyes.

"Who are you?" I ask him. My voice is clipped and cold. I study the guy who just says he is Madeline's boyfriend. My gut says something is not right with this guy.

"Thomas. Thomas Hudson. I work at Hall Media," He says smugly. Why does he still talk to me like that? If he really is Madeline's boyfriend, he should just punch me in the face. I would if I were her boyfriend.

"Now tell us, Ethan," Ben demands impatiently. "How can you explain about those pictures?"

"You raped my girl! She was a virgin! We wait for the wedding," Thomas says.

Fuck! What should I do. Was it rape? Madeline says I took advantage of her. She was asleep. I remember that. But what if she faked it? What if she is a part of this? But if I tell the truth...

"You raped her! You think you are a CEO, a billionaire, you can do everything you want?" Thomas asks angrily.

"Stop," someone says with a shaky voice.

Everyone's heads swivel to the owner of the voice. Madeline.

Her knuckles white. Her eyes flamed with anger. She comes to our way. I really don't know what she will do. Is she going to say I raped her? I don't think I can deny it. Even though there is a big possibility that she was faking her sleep at that moment.

"You can tell me everything, Mads," says Thomas, approaching her. And the next thing happens is like a slow motion.

Madeline slaps Thomas right in the face. Thomas struggles back. She takes a glass of water and throws it at him.

Everyone is watching in awe, including me.

Madeline comes to me. Her breath is still shaky. I study her aquamarine eyes. What are you going to do, Madeline Parker?