Chapter 3 - The Kiss That Woke Ethan Thornton
Silence filled the room.
Ethan's voice had been weak.
But his question wasn't.
"Did you marry me?"
Gregory moved first.
"Ethan, you've just regained consciousness. This isn't the time."
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
He tried to raise himself.
The nurse immediately stopped him.
"Please don't move."
He grimaced.
His muscles were weak after months in bed.
But his mind was returning faster than anyone expected.
His gaze found me.
"You."
I swallowed.
"Yes?"
"Answer."
Gregory turned toward me.
"Natalie."
It was a warning.
I ignored it.
"Yes."
Ethan stared at me.
"Yes... what?"
I forced myself to remain still.
"Yes. I married you."
His face changed.
Confusion became disbelief.
Then anger.
"What?"
The monitor accelerated.
The nurse looked at Gregory.
"Everyone needs to step back."
Ethan tried to speak again.
I moved closer before Gregory could stop me.
"You were unconscious," I said.
"I know how terrible that sounds."
"Then why?"
I could have lied.
I could have repeated the polished explanation Claire had prepared.
Instead, I told him the ugliest truth.
"Money."
His eyes hardened.
That single look made me understand why business reporters called Ethan Thornton ruthless.
I continued.
"My mother needs surgery. I couldn't afford it. Your family offered to pay if I signed the marriage contract."
Ethan slowly turned toward Gregory.
"You... bought me a wife?"
Gregory's face tightened.
"It protected your interests."
"My interests?"
"Your voting shares were at risk."
Ethan closed his eyes.
The monitor continued beeping.
The nurse intervened.
"Mr. Thornton needs rest."
Gregory reluctantly left.
Claire followed.
I turned toward the door.
"Natalie."
I stopped.
Ethan's voice was barely audible.
I looked back.
He was watching me.
"Did you kiss me?"
Heat rushed into my face.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"For the photograph."
His expression became almost incredulous.
"And then I woke up?"
The nurse looked as though she was trying not to react.
"Apparently."
Ethan stared at me for several seconds.
Then, unexpectedly, the corner of his mouth moved.
Not quite a smile.
"That's inconvenient."
I blinked.
"What?"
His eyes closed.
"For everyone."
He fell asleep moments later.
Not unconscious.
Asleep.
There was a difference.
And suddenly the Thornton family's entire world had changed.
Mom underwent surgery the following morning.
I spent every minute at the hospital.
The operation lasted nearly five hours.
When Dr. Patel finally walked into the waiting room, I stood so quickly I nearly knocked over my chair.
"It went well."
I started crying.
Not graceful tears.
Not cinematic tears.
I covered my face and sobbed.
For weeks, I'd been carrying the possibility of losing her.
Now, for the first time, I could breathe.
"Can I see her?"
"Soon."
My phone buzzed.
A message from Claire.
Ethan is asking for you.
I stared at it.
I didn't respond.
My mother came first.
Always.
Hours later, Mom woke.
She looked at me through heavy eyelids.
"Still here?"
"Where else would I be?"
She smiled weakly.
Then she noticed the ring.
I had forgotten to remove it.
Her eyes sharpened.
"Natalie."
I looked down.
"Oh."
"Why are you wearing a wedding ring?"
This was the conversation I'd been dreading.
"I got married."
My mother stared at me.
"You what?"
"It's complicated."
"Who?"
I hesitated.
"Ethan Thornton."
Even medicated, Mom looked shocked.
"The billionaire?"
"Yes."
"The one who's unconscious?"
"Not anymore."
Her mouth opened.
I told her enough.
Not everything.
But enough.
When I finished, tears filled her eyes.
"You sold your life to save mine."
"No."
"Natalie—"
"I made a choice."
"You should never have had to."
"Maybe not."
I took her hand.
"But I'd make it again."
Mom turned her face away.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Finally she whispered, "What happens now?"
That was the problem.
I had no idea.
Three days later, I returned to the Thornton estate.
Ethan was sitting upright.
He looked stronger.
Still pale.
Still thin.
But unmistakably alert.
A physical therapist had apparently already begun working with him.
When I entered, he dismissed everyone else.
"Close the door."
I did.
He looked at me.
"Sit."
"I'm not one of your employees."
A faint expression crossed his face.
"Good."
I sat anyway.
On the table beside him was the contract.
My stomach tightened.
"You read it."
"Every page."
"I'm sorry."
"For which part?"
"All of it."
He studied me.
"Claire says you initially refused."
I looked at him.
"She told you?"
"I asked."
"Yes. I refused."
"Then why come back?"
"You know why."
"Your mother."
"Yes."
He was quiet.
"How is she?"
The question surprised me.
"Recovering."
"Good."
He looked toward the window.
Then he said, "My father expected me to remain unconscious."
I didn't know how to answer.
"So did everyone."
"No."
His voice changed.
"I mean he needed me unconscious."
I stared at him.
"What are you saying?"
Ethan looked at the contract.
"There are things about my accident I don't remember."
"That's normal after trauma."
"Maybe."
He met my eyes.
"But there are things about the company I remember perfectly."
He explained the voting structure.
Trustees.
Control provisions.
A pending corporate restructuring.
His father had claimed the marriage protected Ethan's shares.
Ethan believed there was more to it.
"Why you?" he asked.
"Because I'm broke?"
"Thousands of people are broke."
I flinched.
He noticed.
"I'm not insulting you."
"It sounded like it."
"I'm asking why Claire Evans selected Natalie Brooks specifically."
"I don't know."
"Did you know anyone connected to Thornton Group?"
"No."
"Did your mother?"
"Not that I know of."
He leaned back, exhausted.
Then his expression changed.
"What?"
I asked.
"The photograph."
"What about it?"
"Where is it?"
"I don't know."
"My father wanted proof of the marriage."
"Yes."
"Then the photograph matters."
I stood.
"You're supposed to be recovering."
"And you're supposed to be my wife."
I stared at him.
"Contract wife."
"Legally, apparently there's no checkbox for that."
Despite everything, I almost laughed.
Almost.
He watched me.
Then his expression softened.
"I don't blame you."
I wasn't prepared for that.
"You should."
"No."
"I married an unconscious stranger for money."
"You married an unconscious stranger to save your mother's life."
"Still wrong."
"Maybe."
He paused.
"But desperation and greed aren't the same thing."
Something in my chest tightened.
Ethan picked up the contract.
"My father is greedy."
He handed it to me.
"You're desperate."
I took it.
"There's a difference."
Before I could answer, someone knocked.
Claire entered.
Her face was tense.
"Ethan, your father needs to speak with you."
"About?"
"The board."
Ethan smiled without humor.
"Of course."
Claire glanced at me.
Then back at him.
"There's another issue."
"What?"
She hesitated.
"The wedding photograph leaked."
My stomach dropped.
"Leaked where?"
Claire handed Ethan a tablet.
The headline filled the screen.
COMATOSE BILLIONAIRE SECRETLY MARRIED—MYSTERY BRIDE REVEALED.
Below it was the photograph.
Me kissing Ethan.
And beneath the headline was another sentence.
Sources question whether Natalie Brooks was paid to become the billionaire heir's wife.
Ethan read it silently.
Then he looked at Claire.
"Who had access to this?"
"Only a few people."
"Names."
Claire hesitated.
Ethan's voice hardened.
"Names, Claire."
She gave them.
Gregory.
Two lawyers.
The photographer.
Claire herself.
And one senior Thornton executive.
Ethan stopped her.
"Who?"
Claire's expression changed.
"Victor Hale."
Ethan went completely still.
I noticed.
"Who is Victor?"
Ethan looked at me.
For the first time since waking, I saw something darker than anger in his eyes.
Fear.
May you like
"The man who was supposed to meet me the night of my accident."
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