Ayla's breath caught in her throat, and the world seemed to shift beneath her feet. She had never imagined that the strange incident she had thought was just a series of coincidences that night, was actually involving someone as important as Ethan Calloway. Now, she was dragged into a whirlpool she didn't understand.
Connor stood up, straightening his suit with an elegant, practiced movement. "Take your time to think, Doctor. But remember... one word slips out, and you'll be facing more than just work-related problems."
Without waiting for a response, he walked out, leaving Ayla standing frozen. Her body was half trembling. Her thoughts were spiraling out of control. The brown envelope in her hand felt like a thousand-ton weight.
Ayla closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm the pounding of her heart. She recalled Connor's words. She was told not to say anything. That meant they had no intention of taking this any further. Wasn't that what she had hoped for? She wanted to forget that night, and now it seemed like the man—whoever he was—wanted the same thing.
She exhaled slowly."Right. Forget everything, and it'll be fine. The man is already married. And I... I'm not the kind of woman who would destroy someone's marriage." Ayla opened her eyes slowly, then muttered again, more firmly, "Marriage? What is marriage? My only goal is to become a great doctor in the field of internal medicine."
She stared at the blank check. With determination, she threw the envelope away and slipped the check into her work folder—not to use it, but to keep it, to return it later. She didn't need that money. Because she never intended to open her mouth.
Consider it a bad dream. A one-night accident. A mistake caused by drunkenness and losing control. But Ayla knew full well that she was not a woman seeking sexual release from a stranger. That night was an incident—nothing more, nothing less.
Days passed like usual. But unbeknownst to her, someone was watching her from afar. That person was paid by Ethan Calloway to make sure Ayla stayed silent.
What Ethan didn't realize was that, over time, as the reports about Ayla came in, his curiosity grew. Ayla started to occupy his thoughts, replacing the attention he once gave to his wife. His marriage to Katherine was not out of love, but out of responsibility and childhood friendship. Affection? Maybe. But true love? Ethan began to doubt.
Today, Ethan decided to meet Ayla in person. He wanted to ensure that everything remained under control. Connor had arranged a meeting at a very private location, with tight security and a full alibi if needed. Ethan didn't like personal matters to tarnish the company's reputation.
A room on the upper floor of an exclusive restaurant had been prepared. Closed off from public view. The door opened. Ayla entered with a blank expression, her face emotionless. But her steps were slightly hesitant. Her heartbeat couldn't be controlled. Not because she was afraid of the man, but because she knew the situation could not be taken lightly.
Ethan sat quietly on the side of the room, his sharp eyes following Ayla's every step. His face was emotionless, cold, and full of control. He didn't speak until Ayla stood directly in front of him.
"Please, have a seat, Doctor Winters," Ethan said, gesturing for her to sit with a calm voice that carried an invisible pressure.
Ayla pulled out a chair and sat down. Her posture was straight. She kept her distance, both physically and emotionally. Ethan observed, silently admiring the calmness of the woman before him.
"Connor said you accepted the check," Ethan began the conversation.
Without saying a word, Ayla took the check from her bag and placed it on the table, right in front of Ethan. Her gaze was calm but firm, as if to show that she couldn't be intimidated.
"I don't need this," Ayla said in a flat tone, but with an underlying pressure. "From the start, even without you asking your secretary, I never intended to tell anyone about that nightmare. Unfortunately, your excessive actions made me realize who the man in that nightmare was."
Ethan stared at her without blinking, but Ayla was unaffected.
"Don't worry, Mr. Calloway. I won't tell anyone about you, except for the good your company has done for the hospital and my research," she continued, her voice slightly sharper this time, but still controlled.
"Good then," Ethan replied calmly.
Ayla smiled wryly. "The steps you've chosen are excessive. If you didn't want your personal affairs to be exposed, you shouldn't have shown up like this. Because this meeting could raise suspicion."
Ethan paused for a moment. Ayla was right. But for some reason, he wanted to see this woman in person. He wanted to make sure with his own eyes that Ayla would stay silent. Or perhaps because his curiosity had gone too deep.
"Let's consider this our last meeting," Ethan finally said, his voice firm but slightly heavy.
Ayla straightened her back, responding coldly, "I didn't even expect there to be another meeting from the start, Mr. Calloway."
For a moment, silence hung between them, filling the room with tension. Then, without further ado, Ayla stood up, straightened her small bag, and said, "I have to get back to work."
But before she could leave, Ethan's voice stopped her, this time softer, "Just a quick dinner. You just came back from the hospital, right? You've handled many patients today. Your face looks pale."
Before Ayla could respond, several waiters entered with a row of dishes, the aromas filling the room. Ayla turned, staring at Ethan with an unreadable expression. There was something strange about the change in his attitude. From all the tension at first to showing concern?
Her eyes flicked over the dishes on the table. But instead of feeling hungry, her stomach turned. The strong smell of the food made her head feel heavier. For the past few days, her body had felt weak and dizzy, due to the demanding work schedule plus the pressure from a research project that needed to be finished soon.
Ayla gripped her bag tighter, trying to hold back the nausea that was threatening to surface. She wanted to reject the dinner offer, wanted to leave this place immediately. But the world around her began to spin, her vision blurred, and before she could open her mouth to speak, her body swayed and fell.