The applause faded. The cameras powered down. The last handshake was given.
Leon Valen stepped away from the flashing lights of the conference, his easy smile still lingering on his lips as he made his way to the waiting car. But inside, the smile no longer reached his eyes.
"Long day, boss?" his secretary, Kai, asked as they drove through the neon-lit city.
Leon leaned his head back against the seat, his well-built frame relaxing into the leather. He tugged at his tie with a quiet sigh, revealing the strong line of his jaw. His face was striking — sharp cheekbones, a straight nose, golden-brown eyes that seemed to see more than they revealed. His dark hair, tousled just enough to seem effortless, framed his face with natural elegance.
At six foot two, with broad shoulders and lean muscle beneath tailored suits, Leon commanded attention without speaking a word. He carried himself with an air of quiet confidence — not arrogance, but the weight of someone who knew his power and responsibilities well.
Leon leaned his head back against the seat, loosening his tie with a quiet sigh. "The usual. Smiles, speeches, shaking hands with people who only see the empire, not the weight."
Kai chuckled softly. "Well, you make it look easy."
Leon's lips quirked faintly. "That's the trick."
The car veered off the main streets, passing through security gates hidden from public view. They arrived at an underground facility — a sleek, high-tech base beneath the city.
Inside, monitors lined the walls, tracking global activity. Men and women in tactical gear worked silently, nodding respectfully as Leon passed.
This wasn't LV Industries. This was something deeper.
Leon strode into the command room, his usual humor replaced with quiet authority. "Report."
A senior operative approached. "No incidents today, sir. We intercepted a rogue shapeshifter in the northern sector. No civilians harmed. Situation contained."
Leon nodded. "Good work. We don't need chaos in the streets."
"Orders, sir?"
"Keep watching. We're not hunters. We're guardians. We protect the balance, not disrupt it." His voice was calm but firm.
After reviewing reports, Leon dismissed the team, returning to the car waiting at a private exit.
"Home?" Kai asked.
Leon gave a tired nod. "Yeah."
The car glided through the city until it reached an estate that looked like it belonged in a modern fairytale — sprawling gardens, marble fountains, towering glass windows. The media called it The Palace of Valen, a symbol of wealth and mystery.
Inside, the halls were silent, the air perfumed with faint sandalwood and old books. Staff greeted him quietly as he ascended the grand staircase, past gilded portraits and elegant decor.
But Leon ignored the luxury. He walked deeper into the mansion, down a lesser-used hallway, until he reached a plain wooden door. Unlike the rest of the house, it bore no adornments, no shine.
He unlocked it with a small brass key.
Inside, the room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a single lamp.
The walls were lined with paintings. Dozens of them. All of the same woman — captured in candid smiles, thoughtful gazes, moments frozen in time. Some paintings were faded, old. Others more recent.
Leon stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He walked to the center of the room, his gaze sweeping over the familiar face staring back at him from every frame.
His expression softened.
He exhaled quietly, a weight pressing down on his chest.
"I'm still waiting," he whispered, voice almost inaudible. "Whenever you return… I'll be here."
He stood there a long while, surrounded by her image.
Outside the room, the world knew Leon Valen as a genius, a mogul, a charismatic leader.
But here, behind the closed door, he was just a man — waiting for a promise only his heart remembered.
And somewhere far from that quiet room, Ruby Anderson worked late into the night, never knowing that a pair of golden eyes had been waiting for her… long before she was even born.
To be Continued...