**Chapter 53: Not Siblings** The air in the room felt thick and suffocating as I sat frozen beside Rowan. My thoughts spun wildly in my mind, grappling with the shocking revelation Ethan had just thrust upon me. James and Kate Sharp weren't my parents? And Ethan claimed to be my brother? "What?" I screamed, the weight of his words crashing down on me like a tidal wave. "You slept with me knowing you’re my brother? That’s absolutely disgusting!" “You slept with him? Why would you sleep with him?” Rowan's voice boomed, his protective fury electrifying the atmosphere. It felt like a storm was brewing within the confines of the room, ready to unleash its wrath. I shot him a fierce glare, my anger flaring. “That's none of your business!” But truthfully, my mind was consumed by Ethan's damning declaration. If what he said was real, it meant that I shared a night of passion with my own brother, and he, fully aware of our relationship, had crossed that line. The thought churned my stomach, and nausea surged within me. What kind of twisted individual would willingly sleep with their blood relative? The more I learned about Ethan, the deeper my doubts sank. Had he been playing me all along? "You aren’t my sister," Ethan stated coolly, tearing through my racing thoughts. "But you just said Nora and Theo are your parents!" I shot back, struggling to wrap my head around the contradiction. "I was adopted. That part was true. After my father died, Nora and Theo took me in. We aren’t blood related, so we didn’t commit incest." A smirk danced across his face as he added, "But I can say I loved every second when you screamed my name." A wave of humiliation washed over me, my cheeks flushing with heat. Even if we were not related by blood, my disgust did not lessen. If his words were true, he should’ve never laid a hand on me in the first place. Rowan tensed beside me, his hands balled into fists, jaw clenched in barely contained fury. I ignored him, too immersed in the chaos of my own thoughts. Brian’s voice cut through the tension, pulling me back to the moment. “You said Nora’s baby died. Why then are you claiming Ava is that baby?” He pressed, his expression revealing his skepticism. “Yeah, it makes no sense,” Gabe piped in, his brow furrowing with confusion. It was true. There was no way Nora and Theo could be my parents. If the doctors had insisted that the baby had perished, I had to believe it was true. The depth of this lie felt insurmountable. After all, Ethan had described how the baby was unresponsive at birth, something Nora had witnessed herself before she passed away. “That’s what she believed," Ethan continued, his tone grave. "She even held a small ceremony and buried the baby. It was months of heartache for both of them, especially for Nora. She fell into a deep depression and had to be admitted to a psychiatric facility." His words resonated deeply within me, dragging out the empathy I felt. I didn’t know Nora, but as a mother, the thought of losing Noah — my child — was a terrifying pain I couldn’t begin to imagine. The anticipation of bringing a new life into the world, only to watch it slip away, would be more than I could bear. "It took time, but with the unwavering love from Theo and his parents, she eventually pulled through. They married when they were twenty-two, ready to attempt another baby. But fate dealt her another cruel blow — she was told she couldn't conceive. The doctors, when she was still very young, never informed her how those complications during labor damaged her womb for good." "It broke her," Ethan continued, his voice laced with a blend of sorrow and anger. "But she made the choice to adopt. That's when they brought me into their lives, giving me everything, including their last name." I recalled how fondly he spoke of his parents, the adoration etched in his words. Yet, the enormity of his revelations left me shaken. “So how does Ava fit into all this?” Rowan pressed, his glare burning like a brand on Ethan's face. “My grandparents died in a plane crash, but before their demise, they were quietly investigating the circumstances surrounding their granddaughter. They harbored suspicions of foul play. They chose not to tell Nora and Theo, fearful the truth might lead to more pain. It was during this time I learned they had a hidden stipulation in their will—one that Theo was completely unaware of. Everything, including their estate and company, was to be inherited by their granddaughter should Theo retire or, God forbid, die. The family lawyer was privy to their search and the stipulation.” Ethan's intensity heightened. "I couldn't let that happen. I worked for that company since I was twenty-five, clawing my way up. When I uncovered the truth—that there had been foul play—I was shaken to my core. Nora’s parents bribed the doctors and nurses to fake everything, even the death of their own granddaughter." I listened in disbelief, each word seeping deeper into my consciousness. "They feared the embarrassment of their daughter becoming a mother out of wedlock. While she was pregnant, hiding her 'sin' was easy enough, but once that baby was born, it would have been impossible to conceal. They executed a cover-up, faking everything so they could offer their granddaughter up for adoption instead." "My search led me to you,” he continued, a cruel malice evident in his tone. “I decided the only way to dismantle this would be to eliminate you. If you didn’t exist, that clause would be null and void. I arrived here, gathering information, and given the contempt surrounding you—your supposed family, including your husband—I thought I was doing them a favor. After all, a woman who would deceive and ensnare her sister's boyfriend couldn't possibly be worth knowing." His words struck me as if he had slapped my face. The same man who comforted me, who assured me my past mistakes weren't my fault, was the very person who believed I deserved death for them. I gasped, struggling for breath against the sharpness of my growing agony. "I have to clarify,” Ethan continued, “the first hit wasn't ordered by me — merely a circumstance I seized. I saw an opportunity to gain your trust. What better way than to play the hero? It worked; you let me inside your world.” My heart cracked wide open as I recognized the magnitude of his betrayal. I had been a fool, a mere pawn in his sinister game. “Why would you need to get close to me if you had already hired goons to kill me?” I whispered, desperation lacing my voice as I sought answers. He shrugged dismissively. “Because it would be entertaining to toy with you. I figured I could take my time, make your destruction all the sweeter. You were so naïve, so trusting. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. And my Plan B? Well, that was simple: if my hired guns failed, it would be easier to finish the job myself if I’d already gotten close to you.” I hung my head, shame washing over me in waves. I had begun to feel something for him while all the while he was devising my downfall. “It was meant to be straightforward—get to know you and then dismantle your existence.” His voice trailed off as his eyes scanned the room, landing back on mine, awakening something within them—was it guilt? Regret? In the blink of an eye, it vanished behind a cold façade once more. I wanted to ask what had stopped him, but fear gripped me. Did it even matter now? "Yet, even if Ava had died, wouldn’t the company have passed to Noah?” Letty interjected, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Not quite. I erased every scrap of her existence, ensuring the family lawyer couldn't trace her,” Ethan replied curtly. “Moreover, the will makes no mention of any children Ava might have had.” “This is insane! Are you implying that Ava is not our blood relative? Our parents must have known about this the entire time!” Travis shot to his feet, disbelief and rage battling on his features. Ethan sighed, throwing Travis an icy glare. “That’s exactly what I mean. And honestly, knowing the kind of woman she is, I’m relieved she’s not tied to such a disgusting, hateful family." The atmosphere erupted as Travis lunged at Ethan, but Ethan nimbly dodged, leaving Travis sprawled across the table. Rowan’s eyes burned holes into Ethan’s forehead. “That’s rich coming from the man who wanted her dead.” Ethan met Rowan’s rage head-on before returning his focus to me. “I was about to terminate the hitman’s services, but he vanished. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. He had already taken you,” he breathed, a flicker of desperation washing over his features. “If you don’t believe anything else I’ve said, then at least believe me on that.” I couldn’t hold his intense gaze any longer. I turned away, my feet propelling me out of the room. I found myself outside, my heart clenching painfully in my chest as if someone had gripped it tightly. Tears streamed down my cheeks, no longer willing to be restrained. A sob exploded from the depths of my soul, the full weight of his betrayal crashing over me. Suddenly, a strong presence enveloped me, pulling me into a solid chest. The comforting scent of Rowan's cologne wrapped around me like a blanket. “It’s okay, Angel. Let it all out,” he murmured, his deep voice a soothing rumble that calmed the storm inside me. I pulled away slightly to face him, allowing my tear-streaked visage to be laid bare. “It’s okay. You can say it. Tell me how much of a fool I was. You can tell me you warned me,” I stammered between sobs. His gray eyes softened, and he enveloped me in his warm embrace once more. “Shh,” he whispered gently. “I will never say that to you, Ava. Never!” I continued to cry, wishing for the pain to melt away. In that moment, I found myself weeping in my ex-husband's arms, the man I had once loved holding me after the man I had dared to trust shattered my heart with his betrayal.