Chapter 6 Too Late to Turn Back

Chapter 6: Too Late to Turn Back

For several long seconds, the ballroom remained frozen in absolute silence. Hundreds of guests stared at the stage, but no one was more shocked than the Hawthorne family.

Isabella stood motionless, her face completely drained of color. She couldn't hear the applause filling the room or the whispers spreading through the crowd. Her eyes were fixed on one person.

Ethan.

The man she had lived with for three years.

The man she believed had nothing.

The man she had divorced just two days ago.

Her fingers trembled uncontrollably as memories flooded her mind. Every morning he had prepared breakfast before she left for work. Every late night he had waited for her with a hot meal. Every time her family mocked him, he had simply smiled and changed the subject. She had mistaken his silence for weakness. Now she realized it had been restraint.

Marcus was the first to find his voice.

"This... this has to be a joke."

Gregory didn't answer.

He couldn't.

The businessmen sitting around them had already risen to their feet, applauding Ethan with genuine respect. Some of the country's most powerful entrepreneurs were waiting eagerly to greet him. These were people Gregory himself had spent years trying to approach, yet they were treating Ethan as someone far above their own status.

William Carter smiled proudly as Ethan reached the center of the stage.

"My grandson disappeared fifteen years ago because of a tragedy that nearly destroyed our family. Against all odds, he survived, built a life with his own hands, and returned without asking anyone for sympathy."

The audience erupted into another round of applause.

William continued, "Many of you know the Carter Group because of its success. But success means nothing without character. That is why I have chosen Ethan as my successor. He has already proven that he possesses qualities money cannot buy."

Ethan accepted the microphone.

His expression remained calm as he looked across the ballroom.

"I appreciate everyone who came tonight. My grandfather built this company through honesty, trust, and hard work. Those values will never change."

His voice was steady, carrying effortlessly through the hall.

"Carter Group welcomes partners who believe in integrity. We will continue investing in businesses that earn our trust, create opportunities, and contribute to society."

He paused for a moment.

"But we will never cooperate with people who build their success through greed, arrogance, or betrayal."

The words sounded simple, but they landed like thunder.

Gregory felt a chill run down his spine.

Was that statement directed at them?

Before anyone could think further, the master of ceremonies announced the beginning of the partnership ceremony. Executives from several multinational corporations walked onto the stage one after another, signing strategic agreements with Carter Group. Every contract represented billions of dollars in investments.

Gregory watched helplessly.

Many of those companies had been negotiating with Hawthorne Holdings only days earlier.

Now they were standing beside Ethan.

One after another.

Without exception.

Marcus clenched his jaw.

"We have to speak with him."

Gregory nodded immediately.

"No matter what happened before, we cannot afford to lose this opportunity."

Across the ballroom, Ethan stepped down from the stage and was instantly surrounded by business leaders eager to introduce themselves. Investors, bankers, and government officials patiently waited for a chance to shake his hand.

Samuel approached quietly.

"Young Master, Chairman Hawthorne has requested a private meeting."

Ethan accepted a glass of sparkling water from a waiter before answering.

"Tell him I'll meet him after the ceremony."

Samuel smiled knowingly.

"Yes, Young Master."

Meanwhile, Isabella stood alone near one of the ballroom windows, unable to take her eyes off Ethan. The distance between them was only a few dozen meters, yet it felt greater than ever before.

She remembered the tiny apartment they had once shared before moving into the Hawthorne estate. Ethan had repaired broken furniture himself because they couldn't afford new pieces. He had worked several part-time jobs without complaining. Even after she became CEO, he never asked for expensive gifts or a luxurious lifestyle.

She had always believed he lacked ambition.

Now she understood the truth.

A man born with everything had never cared about proving himself through money.

A soft voice interrupted her thoughts.

"President Hawthorne."

She turned to see Sophia Bennett standing beside her.

The elegant lawyer smiled politely.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Sophia Bennett, legal adviser to Carter Group."

Isabella forced a smile.

"It's a pleasure."

Sophia glanced toward Ethan.

"Our chairman speaks very highly of people with strong character."

There was a brief pause.

"Unfortunately, those who judge others by appearances rarely receive a second chance."

The words were spoken gently, yet they struck Isabella harder than an accusation.

Before she could respond, Sophia excused herself and walked toward Ethan.

Isabella watched as the two exchanged a few words before smiling at each other.

For the first time since their divorce, an unfamiliar feeling tightened around her heart.

Jealousy.

Not because another woman stood beside Ethan.

But because that woman was witnessing a side of him she had never taken the time to understand.

Moments later, Samuel returned.

"Chairman Hawthorne."

Gregory immediately stepped forward with Marcus close behind him.

"The Young Master is ready to see you."

They followed Samuel into a private reception room away from the crowd.

Ethan was already waiting.

He stood beside a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the glittering city skyline, his back turned as he admired the lights below.

The door closed quietly behind them.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Finally, Gregory forced a smile.

"Congratulations, Chairman Carter."

Ethan slowly turned around.

"Thank you."

Gregory cleared his throat.

"I must admit, your identity surprised us."

"I imagine it did."

"I hope the misunderstanding between our families won't affect future business."

Ethan looked at him calmly.

"What misunderstanding?"

Gregory hesitated.

"The divorce."

"It was... unfortunate."

Marcus quickly added, "We're all businessmen. Personal matters shouldn't interfere with cooperation."

Ethan's expression never changed.

"When I spent three years in your home, did you ever see me as family?"

Neither Gregory nor Marcus answered.

"When your relatives insulted me at every dinner, did either of you stop them?"

Silence.

"When I signed the divorce papers, did anyone ask whether I wanted to leave?"

Gregory lowered his eyes.

"No."

Ethan nodded once.

"Then there is no misunderstanding."

"There were only choices."

He walked toward them slowly.

"You chose wealth over character."

"You chose pride over respect."

"And you chose to throw away the man you believed had nothing."

His voice remained calm, but every word carried undeniable weight.

"I hold no personal hatred toward the Hawthorne family."

Gregory's face brightened slightly.

"But..."

Ethan's next sentence shattered that hope.

"Carter Group will not establish any partnership with people who cannot recognize integrity when it stands right in front of them."

Gregory's shoulders slumped.

Marcus opened his mouth to argue, but Samuel stepped forward.

"The meeting is over."

The two men walked out in complete silence.

Outside the room, Isabella stood waiting.

She looked at Gregory with hopeful eyes.

"Did he agree?"

Gregory slowly shook his head.

"No."

He walked past her without another word.

Isabella remained standing outside the closed door.

She stared at the polished wood for several seconds before quietly raising her hand.

Then she knocked.

Inside the room, Ethan heard the sound and closed his eyes briefly.

Without turning around, he already knew who was waiting on the other side.