Ryan and Vanessa had once been involved.
Their relationship ended badly, but Ryan remained determined to win her back.
When work sent him overseas for several months, he asked Ethan to hire Vanessa temporarily.
At first, Ethan complained about her constantly.
“She’s impossible. Cold. Arrogant.”
Then the complaints changed.
“I have to admit, she’s incredibly good at her job.”
Irritation became admiration.
Admiration became curiosity.
Curiosity became attraction.
And attraction became excuses.
Ethan later admitted that part of Vanessa’s appeal was that she seemed difficult to win.
Ryan—a man who normally had no trouble attracting women—had spent years trying unsuccessfully to get her back.
The fact that she showed interest in Ethan fed his ego.
First came coffee.
Then dinners.
Late-night messages.
Small gifts.
Long conversations.
When Ethan believed I had lost a pregnancy, he felt guilty and tried to distance himself from Vanessa.
She challenged him.
“Look me in the eyes. Can you honestly swear you feel nothing for me?”
Ethan answered,
“I’m married.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Then she made him an offer.
“We have an entire month in Europe. When we come home, if you still want this to end, we’ll end it. But give me that month.”
Ethan spent the night on the balcony thinking.
By morning, he had decided to take her.
According to him, he believed it would be their goodbye.
Instead, Paris, Rome, Athens, and Santorini turned into exactly what they both claimed they weren’t doing.
By the time Ethan realized the secrecy had been more exciting than the reality, it was too late.
Vanessa had already built an entire online romance around them.
Every restaurant.
Every hotel.
Every gift.
Every romantic gesture.
And I had saved enough evidence to connect her version of the story to mine.
Once people discovered that Vanessa’s mysterious businessman was married, the image she had created online collapsed.
The same followers who had encouraged her began criticizing her.
