Chapter 4 The Mystery Left Behind

The first thing Wade noticed was the absence of warmth beside him. His eyes fluttered open, squinting against the soft morning light spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He reached out instinctively, his hand finding only the cool emptiness of the bed. She was gone. For a moment, he lay still, replaying the hazy memories of the night before: the heat of her touch, the fire in her kiss, the way she'd whispered his name-or rather, his lack of one. She'd never asked who he was, and he hadn't volunteered.

It had been a night without labels, without expectations, and he'd reveled in the rarity of it. And now, she'd vanished like smoke. Wade sat up, running a hand through his tousled hair as he scanned the room. Her dress was gone, along with the heels she'd kicked off in the heat of their passion. Even her mask, once draped over the back of a chair, was missing. If it weren't for the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air-a delicate blend of jasmine and something sweet-he might've thought he'd imagined her entirely. Then, his eyes landed on the note. It sat folded neatly on the pillow beside him, its presence as tantalizing as the woman who'd left it. Wade picked it up, his fingers brushing the edge of the paper as he unfolded it. The handwriting was elegant but hurried, the kind of script that spoke to someone who was both confident and conflicted. Thank you for a night I'll never forget. Sometimes it's better not to know the whole story. -E He read it twice, then a third time, his lips curving into a slow smile. "E," he murmured, his voice still rough with sleep. "So that's all I get, huh?" Leaning back against the headboard, Wade let the note dangle between his fingers as he stared out at the skyline. Most people might've felt annoyed, even slighted, at being abandoned without a goodbye. But Wade Barrett was not most people. He thrived on puzzles, on challenges. In business, nothing excited him more than an impossible deal, a risky investment that no one else dared to touch. And now, it seemed that philosophy had spilled over into his personal life. Who was she, this mysterious woman who had turned his carefully controlled world upside down for one unforgettable night? Wade replayed every detail he could recall about her. The way her voice had wavered when she'd asked him to take her away from the ball, like she was teetering on the edge of breaking. The way her lips had tasted of wine and something sweeter, a flavor he couldn't quite place. The way her laughter had bubbled up, soft and uncertain, when he'd teased her. She wasn't like the women he usually encountered-those polished, practiced socialites who orbited his world, vying for his attention. No, she'd been something else entirely: raw, vulnerable, and utterly captivating. And now she was gone. Wade swung his legs over the edge of the bed, the cool floor grounding him as he stood. The note was still in his hand, and he folded it carefully, slipping it into the pocket of his robe. As he moved through the suite, he spotted the empty champagne glasses from last night, the rumpled sheets on the couch where they'd started before making their way to the bed. Each trace of her felt like a breadcrumb leading him deeper into a mystery he had no intention of leaving unsolved. He paused by the window, the city stretching out before him. Somewhere out there, "E" was returning to her life, slipping back into the anonymity she clearly cherished. But Wade had no intention of letting her disappear so easily. His phone buzzed on the bedside table, snapping him out of his thoughts. Picking it up, he saw a text from Nathan, his assistant: Meeting at 10 with Reuters & Co. to initiate the Harborfront project. Shall I reschedule? Wade glanced at the clock. It was barely 7 a.m. Plenty of time to prepare, though his mind was far from the intricacies of architectural plans and real estate contracts. But on second thought, his project with Reuters is not something he wants to jeopardize. Reuters, being one of the top firms in the city, was run by a man whose reputation was as impeccable as his designs. A lot of work has gone into getting to this point of implementation. No need; I'll be there. he replied Wade made his way to the shower, the water scalding as it cascaded over his skin, washing away the remnants of sleep but not the memory of her. By the time he stepped out, he'd made up his mind. Whoever "E" was, he'd find her. Not because he needed to. Not because he was a man unused to loose ends. But because she'd left a mark, one that refused to fade. As Wade dressed in his perfectly tailored suit, his mind was already churning with plans. The city was big, but not big enough to keep her hidden forever. And if there was one thing Wade Barrett excelled at, it was getting what he wanted. "See you soon, E," he said softly, his reflection smirking back at him in the mirror. He straightened his tie, slipped the note back into his pocket, and strode out the door, ready to start the chase.