4-Leon

“Sir, we have an issue.”My PA, Ben, walks into my office without knocking.

I look up from my desk.

"What?"It is barely morning, and he is already barging into my office like he owns the place.

He places a tablet in front of me.

“There was an email from St. Aurelia Hospital.”I glance at the screen.

A child has just been born.

And the child carries my DNA.

I read it again.

Then once more.

“This must be forged.”“Sir, it was sent by your family doctor.”I lean back slowly.

My jaw tightens.

If I count correctly, it has been about eight months since I was with that woman.

Eight months.

Ben watches me carefully.

“Let's go check.”I stand.

---

The moment we get into the car, one question comes to mind.

“Have you found the woman from that night?”Ben shakes his head.

“Sir, we've been searching for nine months.”Nine months.

"No traces?"“None.”

He hesitates.

“All the cameras were put in a loop. The CCTV footage was wiped out.”My fingers tighten around the armrest.

I had been so harsh with her that night.

Only after digging deeper did I discover the truth.

The person who drugged me was my uncle.

He had prepared another woman for me.

A trap.

A setup.

But somehow, she ended up in my room instead.

Ruby Jere.

She had saved me without even knowing who I was.

And I had repaid her by calling her shameless.

When I went back to find her, she had already been fired.

I had to beg several staff members just to get her name.

Ruby Jere.

The woman I had never been able to find.

Until now.

At least, that's what I thought.

---

As we enter the hospital parking lot, something catches me.

A scent.

Faint.

Sweet.

Familiar.

Daisies and honey.

My entire body goes still.

I don't know why, but the scent feels carved into my bones.

“Sir, we're here.”I barely hear Ben.

I open the door and walk toward the elevator.

Fast.

Too fast.

My mind is already racing.

What if the email is real?

What if she had my child?

What if—

The elevator doors open.

I step out.

When we reach Doctor Sam's office, I enter without knocking.

“Where are they?”Sam freezes.

For a moment, he seems to forget the person sitting in front of him.

Then he stands.

“I'm sorry, Sir.”My eyes narrow.

“Where are they?”He looks down.

“The mother died immediately after giving birth.”My stomach drops.

“And the baby?”Sam swallows.

“The babies followed thirteen minutes later.”“Babies?”

Ben's voice slips out before he can stop himself.

Sam nods.

“They were twins.”The ground seems to shift beneath me.

Twins.

I stare at him.

“You're certain they were mine?”My voice comes out rough.

Then I correct myself.

“My children.”Sam reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a paper.

“The lab results.”I take it.

99.99% DNA compatibility.

For a moment, I can't breathe.

My children.

She kept them.

She carried them.

She gave birth to them.

And now they're dead.

My hand trembles around the paper.

“Where are their bodies?”Sam doesn't look at me.

“They were taken by the family to be cremated.”“The family information.”Silence.

I look up.

Sam finally meets my eyes.

“I'm sorry, Sir. That's the only information I can't share with you.”Something inside me burns.

I need to hit something.

"Ben."I turn and walk out.

---

The moment I reach my private estate in Valemont, I tell Ben to leave me alone.

I remove my jacket.

Then my suit shirt.

I walk straight to the gym.

I don't bother putting on gloves.

My fist slams into the punching bag.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

“Who are you?”Her voice.

Shaking.

Afraid.

And all I said was—

Shameless.

My fist crashes into the bag again.

She knew nothing.

She had been dragged into my mess.

Into my family's fight for power.

Into a war she had never asked to be part of.

What did you do to me?

Her question echoes inside my head.

My carelessness cost me an heir.

Maybe two.

And the woman who could have become my wife.

Another punch.

She was scared.

Another.

She was confused.

Another.

She was innocent.

I stop.

Innocent.

My mind flashes back to the blood on the sheets when I left that room.

It was her first time.

I was her first.

My breath catches.

"Ahhh!"I hit the bag again.

Harder.

My knees finally give out.

I collapse onto the floor.

I misjudged her.

And now she was dead.

---

"Leo?"Charity's voice.

I don't lift my head.

"Leave."My voice is low.

Deadly.

Charity is my childhood friend.

I've known for years that she has feelings for me.

But I've never been able to return them.

“What happened to you?”She walks toward me carefully, like she's approaching a wounded animal.

My jaw tightens.

“Nothing you need to know.”“Don't lie to me.”She crosses her arms.

“I've known you since we were kids. I know when something is troubling you.”I slowly rise from the floor.

“Charity, there are things you won't understand.”I stare at her.

“And things I won't explain.”She steps closer.

Her voice softens.

“Then let me help you carry the burden.”“Help?”

I slam my fist into the punching bag.

“You can't help me.”Another punch.

“Not with this.”Another.

“Not with anything.”“Leo, you're worrying me.”Her brows pull together.

“What's so terrible that you can't even tell me?”“It is not your burden to carry.”I turn away.

She stares at my back.

“You always push me away.”Her voice trembles with frustration.

“But mark my words, one day you'll regret not letting anyone in.”She turns and walks away.

I close my eyes.

And immediately, Ruby's voice returns.

Sir, are you okay?

My eyes open.

"Sir."Ben's voice.

I turn.

“I found something.”I glance toward the door.

Charity is already gone.

"Speak."Ben steps closer.

His voice drops.

“The cremation record.”I wait.

“It wasn't signed by her family.”My blood runs cold.

“Who signed it?”Ben looks me directly in the eyes.

“Your uncle.”Silence.

For several seconds, I can't move.

Then I speak.

"You're certain?"Ben nods.

My fist slams into the punching bag.

The chain rattles above us.

He isn't just my enemy.

He's a murderer.

I turn toward Ben.

“What do you want me to do?”He hesitates.

“What do you want me to do?”I stare at the floor.

Ruby's shaking voice echoes in my head again.

What did you do to me?

My hands slowly curl into fists.

“I will make everything right.”I look up.

“Whatever my uncle did…”My voice turns cold.

“I'll uncover all of it.”I walk past Ben.

“And when I do, I'll destroy him from the inside out.”