The CEO's Vow: His Shadowed Desires novel Chapter 4

Ethan woke early the next morning to a phone call from his mother.

"Ethan, darling, your childhood friend, Claire, will be landing soon. I need you to pick her up from the airport. We're swamped with work here."

"No." He had zero interest in playing chauffeur, especially not for Claire.

"Please, Ethan. It's just for a couple of days. I promised I'd have someone take care of her while she's here," his mother insisted.

He sighed, knowing he couldn't win against his mother's persistence. "Fine. Send me the details."

Twenty minutes later, he was at the airport, easily spotting Claire in the crowd. She rushed towards him, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Ethan! It's so good to see you!"

"Let's go," he said curtly, turning towards the parking lot without waiting for a response.

"Your place is still the same, right? That beautiful house on the hill?" Claire chattered excitedly, her voice filled with childhood memories.

"Yes," he answered, his tone clipped.

"Can I stay in the same room as before?"

He stopped in his tracks, his gaze finally landing on her. "No. You'll be staying on the first floor."

Disappointment flickered across her face, but she quickly masked it with a cheerful smile. "Oh, okay. Whatever you say, Ethan."

The drive back to his house was filled with Claire's incessant chatter, each question a test of his already frayed patience.

"Ethan, why can't I stay on the fourth floor?" she asked as they pulled into the driveway.

"That's none of your concern," he replied coldly, his thoughts drifting to Ava. He had a feeling tonight wouldn't go as planned.

Once inside the house, he led Claire to the guest room. "You'll be staying here. I have work to do."

"Okay, Ethan," she said, a little too brightly for his liking. He knew Claire well enough to recognize the calculating look in her eyes.

The moment Ethan left, Claire's facade crumbled. "He wouldn't let me stay on the fourth floor? He must be hiding someone up there. Well, two can play at that game."

She crept up to the fourth floor, a mischievous glint in her eye. She spotted two guards stationed outside a room at the end of the hallway.

"Hey, guys!" she called out, approaching them with a friendly smile.

The guards, relieved to see a familiar face, relaxed their stance. "Miss Claire! It's good to see you back."

"Shh! Keep it down, will you?" she hissed, glancing nervously at the closed door. "Wouldn't want to disturb Ethan while he's working."

"What are you doing here, Miss Claire?" one of them asked, confused.

"I was hoping to see what Ethan's been up to," she said, her gaze fixed on the door. "Who's in there?"

"The boss gave strict orders that no one is allowed inside," the other guard replied.

Claire feigned indignation. "I'm not just anyone! I'm practically family. Besides, Ethan said I could come up here anytime I want. Now open the door."

The guards exchanged nervous glances. They knew better than to disobey Ethan's orders, but Claire was a different story. She was practically family, and they didn't want to get on her bad side.

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