Chapter 6

The Central Park playground was alive with the sound of children’s laughter and the crisp rustle of autumn leaves, but Lucian Thorne felt like a ghost haunting a life he was never meant to have.

He stood behind a thick oak tree, his dark sunglasses and casual hoodie—a far cry from his usual $5,000 suits—acting as a flimsy disguise. His eyes were locked on a small figure in a red jacket.

Leo.

The boy was sitting on a bench, his little legs swinging, but he wasn't playing with the other children. He was staring intensely at his tablet, his brow furrowed in a way that made Lucian’s chest ache. Beside him, Mia was being pushed on the swings by Julian.

Every time Mia soared into the air, she squealed, "Higher, Daddy J! Higher!"

The word Daddy hit Lucian like a physical blow. He gripped the rough bark of the tree, his knuckles white. That should have been him. He should have been the one catching her, the one hearing those giggles.

"You’re not very good at being invisible, Lucian."

He jumped, nearly losing his balance. Elara was standing a few feet away, holding two steaming cups of coffee. She looked effortless in a cream trench coat, her hair windblown and beautiful.

"I wasn't stalking," Lucian stammered, feeling like a teenager caught in a lie. "I just... I needed to see them. In their world."

"Their world doesn't have room for shadows," Elara said, stepping up beside him. She didn't look at him; she watched Julian and the kids. "Julian has been their world since the day they were born. He was the one who stayed up when Mia had the croup. He was the one who taught Leo that not everyone who looks like him is cold."

"I found out about Serena," Lucian said abruptly, his voice raw. "I know she framed you, Elara. I have the digital logs. I’m going to the police tomorrow."

Elara finally turned her head. There was no joy in her expression, only a weary, hollow kind of sadness. "And you think that changes things? You think I’m upset because you believed a lie?"

She stepped closer, her voice a fierce whisper. "I’m upset because you didn't believe me. You knew me for three years, Lucian. You slept beside me. You saw my heart. And yet, the moment a 'better' story came along, you threw me away like a prototype that didn't work."

"I was a fool!" Lucian choked out. "I'm a man who lived in the dark, and I didn't realize it until the light walked out the door."

Before Elara could respond, a rogue soccer ball tumbled across the grass, stopping at Lucian’s feet.

"Hey! Mister!"

Leo had stood up from his bench. He walked toward Lucian with a suspicious squint. He looked from the ball to Lucian’s face, then back to the ball.

"You're the Shark Man," Leo said, his voice ringing out.

Julian stopped the swing and walked over, his protective aura instantly radiating. "Leo, come back here."

"No, it's okay," Lucian said, his voice trembling. He knelt down so he was at eye-level with the boy. He picked up the soccer ball and held it out. "I'm... I'm a friend of your mom’s. My name is Lucian."

Leo didn't take the ball. He crossed his small arms. "Mama says we don't talk to people who make her cry. I saw her crying after she met you yesterday."

Lucian felt the world tilt. He looked up at Elara, who had turned her face away, but not before he saw the shimmer of a tear.

"I made a mistake, Leo," Lucian said, his voice breaking. "A huge, terrible mistake. I'm trying to fix it."

"Some things can't be fixed with glue," Leo replied with the terrifying logic of a child. "Like the vase Mia broke. It looks okay, but it leaks water now."

Julian reached them, placing a firm hand on Leo’s shoulder. He looked down at Lucian with a mix of pity and warning. "I think you’ve stayed long enough, Mr. Thorne. The kids are getting cold."

"Wait," Lucian said, standing up. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, old-fashioned silver compass. It was a Thorne family heirloom. He held it out to Leo. "Take this. It always points North. So you’ll never get lost."

Leo looked at the shiny object, his curiosity fighting his loyalty. He looked at Elara. She gave a microscopic nod.

Leo took the compass, his tiny warm fingers brushing Lucian’s palm for a split second. The contact felt like an electric shock to Lucian’s soul.

"Thank you, Shark Man," Leo said quietly.

As the four of them—Elara, Julian, and the twins—walked away, Lucian stood alone in the middle of the park. He watched Julian pick up Mia and put her on his shoulders. He watched Elara lean her head against Julian’s arm.

His phone vibrated. It was a message from Marcus.

Sir, we just tracked Serena’s burner phone. She’s meeting with the Valenti Group CEO tonight at 9:00 PM. She’s planning to sell your new patent to them before you can fire her.

Lucian’s eyes turned from grief to a cold, predatory fire.

"You took my family," he whispered into the wind. "Now I'm going to take everything you ever cared about."