Chapter 8 - The Ghost of the Past
While the Mitchell family sank into obscurity, a new chapter was beginning for Carter Global.
Lucas, the young server who had shown me kindness on that fateful day, excelled in his new role at our headquarters. Under Ethan’s direct mentorship, he proved to be hard-working, honest, and exceptionally bright. His presence in our company served as a daily reminder of the values Carter Global stood for.
However, Ethan was still carrying a heavy emotional burden. The betrayal and shame of having almost married Vanessa weighed on him deeply. He threw himself into work, spending eighteen hours a day at the office, isolating himself from any social life.
One afternoon, I walked into Ethan’s office to find him staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows, holding a small silver locket in his hand.
"Ethan?" I called gently.
He turned around quickly, hiding the locket in his pocket, but I had already seen it. It was a locket he had owned since his college days—a gift from a girl named Clara, his first love, whom he had lost touch with years ago when her family moved away due to financial hardships.
"Are you all right, my son?" I asked, taking a seat on the leather sofa.
Ethan sighed, sitting down across from me. "I was just thinking about how lost I got, Mother. I was so focused on finding a partner who 'fit' the corporate image—someone wealthy, well-connected, polished—that I completely forgot what real love and character look like."
"You were seduced by the illusion of perfection, Ethan," I said gently. "Vanessa was a mirror of social ambition, not a partner of the heart."
"I miss Clara," Ethan admitted quietly, his eyes glistening. "She had nothing. Her father was a mechanic, and her mother worked two jobs. But she was the kindest, most genuine person I ever knew. When my father passed away, she stayed by my side for three weeks straight, making sure I ate. And I let her walk away because my advisors told me a relationship with someone from her background wasn't 'strategic' for the future heir of Carter Global."
I smiled softly, leaning forward. "Ethan... do you know why I went to the thrift store near Nashville the morning of your engagement party?"
Ethan looked at me, puzzled. "No... I thought you just wanted a disguise."
"I went there because I heard that a local community center for underprivileged youth was being funded by a quiet, hardworking young woman who managed the store," I revealed. "I went there to make a large donation anonymously."
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Ethan’s eyes widened. "Who was running the center, Mother?"
"Her name is Clara Vance," I said with a warm smile. "And she is still the same kind, humble soul she was six years ago."