Behind Familiar Smiles
(Ethan's POV)
Monday mornings were never Ethan's favorite.
The elevators of Ashford Holdings buzzed with employees carrying laptops, coffee cups, and stacks of reports. Conversations echoed through the marble lobby as another busy week began.
Normally, Ethan would head straight to his office.
Today, his thoughts were somewhere else.
His phone vibrated.
A message.
Ophelia: Sorry I missed your call yesterday. Work became... complicated.
A smile spread across his face.
He replied before stepping into the elevator.
Ethan: No apology needed. I was beginning to think you'd found someone who appreciated terrible jokes more than mine.
Her reply came almost immediately.
Ophelia: Impossible.
He chuckled.
The elevator doors opened.
As he stepped into the executive floor, another voice interrupted him.
"You're smiling again."
Ethan looked up.
His father stood outside his office, holding a cup of coffee.
"I was?"
Richard laughed.
"You're making it a habit."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, I think you do."
Richard handed him the second cup.
"So... how's Ophelia?"
Ethan sighed.
"Does everyone know about her?"
"No."
"But your face does."
Father and son spent the next hour discussing business.
When they finished, Richard closed the folder in front of him.
"I'd like you to join us for dinner tomorrow."
Ethan hesitated.
"You know how Celeste feels about me."
"I didn't ask how Celeste feels."
"I asked my son."
Richard's voice softened.
"It's been too long."
After a moment, Ethan nodded.
"I'll come."
Across town...
Ophelia sat inside her office, staring at a calendar.
Tuesday.
The Ashford family dinner.
According to Anonymous's notes, Ethan attended only when his father insisted.
It was one of the few opportunities to observe the entire family together.
Her phone buzzed.
A new message from Anonymous.
There was never a name.
Only an encrypted number.
Anonymous: Tomorrow night. Harrison Estate. Watch everyone. Trust no one.
Her stomach tightened.
She deleted the message immediately.
That evening, Ethan called.
"I have a favor to ask."
"What kind of favor?"
"My father is hosting dinner tomorrow."
"Okay..."
"I was wondering..."
He paused.
"Would you come with me?"
Ophelia's heart skipped.
She wasn't expecting that.
"You want me to meet your family?"
"I know it's sudden."
"You can say no."
She walked toward the window of her apartment, looking down at the city below.
Anonymous wanted her inside the Ashford Estate.
Ethan was inviting her in.
Two completely different reasons.
One dangerous coincidence.
"When should I be ready?" she asked quietly.
Relief filled Ethan's voice.
"So... that's a yes?"
She smiled.
"Yes."
"I'll pick you up at seven."
After hanging up, she rested her forehead against the cool glass.
"This is what you wanted," she whispered to herself.
"So why does it feel so wrong?"
The next evening arrived.
At exactly seven o'clock, Ethan pulled up outside her apartment building.
When Ophelia stepped out, he forgot how to speak.
She wore a simple emerald-green dress that fell just below her knees.
Elegant.
Timeless.
She had chosen almost no jewelry, only a pair of pearl earrings and a delicate bracelet.
"You've been staring for a full minute," she teased.
"I have?"
"You have."
"I was trying to think of something clever to say."
"And?"
"I failed."
She laughed.
"You look beautiful."
A faint blush touched her cheeks.
"Thank you."
"You clean up nicely yourself."
"I'll take that."
He opened the passenger door for her.
The drive to the Ashford Estate was filled with light conversation.
They laughed about the children at St. Anne's.
Argued over whether pineapple belonged on pizza.
Shared stories from work.
For a while...
The world felt wonderfully ordinary.
As the mansion gates came into view, Ophelia's smile slowly faded.
Her eyes followed every security camera.
Every guard.
Every entrance.
She wasn't admiring the property.
She was studying it.
Every detail might matter later.
Ethan noticed her silence.
"Nervous?"
"A little."
"My father is easier to impress than you think."
She forced a smile.
"I hope you're right."
He reached across the center console and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"You'll be fine."
She looked down at their hands.
If only he knew.
Inside the mansion, Celeste Harrison stood at the top of the staircase.
She watched Ethan help Ophelia out of the car.
Her expression remained perfectly calm.
But inside...
Questions swirled.
So... this is Ophelia.
The woman whose name had changed Ethan.
The woman who had brought laughter back into the house.
She smiled politely as the front door opened.
But behind that smile...
She had already decided.
She was going to find out exactly who Ophelia really was.