Chapter 4 The Ghost Of His Past

Leo woke up to the morning sun streaming through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse bedroom. His body felt cold, not because of the air conditioning humming softly in the background, but because of the emptiness beside him.

The bed was vast, covered in dark silk sheets, yet it felt unbearably small without her.

She wasn't there.

The one woman he had ever wanted to wake up beside-the one woman who had owned his heart completely-was nowhere to be found.

Three years.

Three fucking years, and she was still out of his reach.

Leo ran a hand through his messy dark hair, exhaling sharply. He had searched everywhere. Every corner, every place she could have gone. It was as if she had vanished into thin air, as if she didn't want to be found.

And that realization burned.

He sat up, running his tongue across his teeth, his jaw tightening. He might have been one of the wealthiest men alive now-a billionaire whose name alone held power-but none of that mattered if he couldn't have her.

No one knew who he really was. No one had seen his face. The world only whispered about him, about the elusive billionaire who controlled empires from the shadows.

But none of that filled the gaping void in his chest.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand. Without looking, he grabbed it and dialed a number he had memorized by heart.

A few rings. Then-

"Sir," came Liam's deep voice on the other end.

Leo didn't waste time. "Any updates?"

A pause.

Leo's grip on the phone tightened.

"No, sir," Liam finally responded. "Still trying to track her down. The place she lived before... she moved. No traces left behind. It's like she-"

"Doesn't want to be found," Leo finished bitterly. He leaned forward, rubbing his temple. The same damn answer he had been getting for years.

Liam sighed. "I'll keep digging. Someone, somewhere, knows something."

Leo clenched his jaw. "Alright, whatever. Just keep me posted."

"Understood, sir."

Leo ended the call and tossed his phone onto the bed. He needed to clear his head.

He got up, heading for the bathroom. A long, cold shower later, he dressed in an all-black tailored suit, his usual attire, and made his way downstairs.

The grand hallway of his mansion stretched before him, adorned with expensive art and high ceilings that would impress anyone-anyone but him.

At the bottom of the staircase, Madam Gracie was already waiting for him. The older woman, with silver-streaked hair and a stern yet warm gaze, had been more of a mother to him than anyone ever had.

She clasped her hands together. "Sir, breakfast is ready."

Leo adjusted his cufflinks. "Not in the mood."

Madam Gracie frowned, her eyes scanning him with motherly concern. "You're getting thin and thin."

Leo smirked faintly. "I'm fine. I just need to get to work."

She sighed but didn't argue. Instead, she reached out, smoothing the lapel of his suit like she always did. "At least eat something later, sir."

"I'll think about it."

She huffed but smiled softly when he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

And then, without another word, he strode outside, sliding into his black Lamborghini.

The engine roared as he sped down the long driveway, leaving the mansion behind.

-

At the entrance of Vortex Industries, one of his many companies, his personal assistant, Ethan, was already waiting for him.

Ethan, a sharp, clean-cut man in his early thirties, walked beside Leo as they entered the massive glass building.

"Sir, here's today's schedule," Ethan began, handing him a tablet. "Your morning is free, but you have a board meeting this afternoon regarding the new expansion project."

Leo barely glanced at the screen. "Good, fine, whatever."

"Also, the finance team needs your final approval on the-"

"Later," Leo cut in. "I need to rest a bit in my office."

Ethan nodded. "Understood, sir."

Leo walked into his sleek, modern office and shut the door behind him. The moment he sank into his leather chair, he exhaled.

But his mind didn't quiet.

It never did.

Not when thoughts of her still haunted him.

And then, it happened.

The memories rushed in.

The night he proposed.

The way her eyes lit up, tears of joy spilling as she whispered the word that had made his entire existence worthwhile-

"Yes."

He had kissed her then, deeply, hungrily, his hands tangled in her hair as he pressed her against him.

She had laughed against his lips, her fingers tracing his jaw, whispering how much she loved him.

And he had needed her.

Desperately.

The memory shifted, and suddenly, they were back in his bedroom that night.

Her body beneath his.

His lips exploring her, claiming every inch of her skin as if she would disappear if he didn't.

His mouth on her breasts, her lips, her thighs-

And then-

Her moans.

His name, over and over again, tumbling from her lips like a prayer.

He had worshipped her. Owned her.

"You're mine," he had growled against her throat as he drove into her, their bodies tangled in the heat of the night.

She had clung to him, nails digging into his back, whimpering-

And then-

BANG.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of the door slamming.

And there she was.

The last person he wanted to see.

That stupid woman.

The one-night stand who wouldn't leave him alone.

Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she sauntered in, her red lips curled into an annoying smirk.

Leo ran a hand down his face. "Goodness fucking gracious."

It was Vivian. One of the famous supermodels... who people didn't know, was a complete , and I repeat complete DULLARD without her beauty