THE GHOST OF HIS PAST

The laughter and music of the festival faded into a distant hum. For Xander, the world had narrowed to a single figure standing at the edge of the lantern-lit square.

"Edmund"

His half-brother. His enemy. The man who had stolen everything from him and left him for death.

The sight of him sent a surge of rage through Xander's veins, but he kept his expression carefully unreadable. His mind, however, was already calculating. Why was Edmund here? How had he found him? And what did he want?

Ella, sensing the shift in Xander, followed his gaze. She didn't know who the man was, but the tension in Xander's body told her all she needed to know, this was no ordinary visitor.

Edmund smirked, stepping forward, his fine boots crunching against the cobblestones. He was dressed in a tailored black coat, his dark hair neatly combed back, and his eyes gleamed with amusement.

"It's been a long time, little brother."

Xander clenched his fists. His voice was steady when he spoke. "Not long enough."

A Dangerous Encounter

Ella looked between the two men, her heart pounding. There was an undeniable resemblance, Edmund was taller, leaner, but they shared the same sharp features, the same piercing gaze. But where Xander's eyes held depth and unspoken pain, Edmund's held only cruelty.

"I never thought I would find you in a place like this," Edmund continued, glancing around the village square with mild amusement. "Hiding among simple folk. How… charming."

Xander didn't react. He knew Edmund was testing him, trying to provoke him. But he wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

"What do you want?" Xander asked coldly.

Edmund placed a hand over his heart in mock offense. "What? No warm welcome for your dear brother?"

Xander took a step closer, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "I stopped being your brother the day you tried to have me killed."

A flicker of something unreadable passed over Edmund's face before he chuckled. "Oh, come on, Xander. You know how things work in our world. It was never personal. Just business."

Ella gasped softly. Tried to have him killed? She looked at Xander, but his face remained stone.

The Warning

Edmund leaned in slightly, his tone shifting to something more serious. "You've made quite the name for yourself since then. I have been watching. You think because you built your own fortune, you can challenge me? That you can just waltz back into society and take what's mine?"

Xander's jaw tightened. "You stole what was mine."

Edmund's smirk widened. "And I will do it again."

A thick silence stretched between them. The festival continued around them, oblivious to the dangerous tension simmering in the air.

Then Edmund's gaze slid to Ella, and his smirk deepened. "And who is this?"

Xander stepped in front of her instinctively. "She's none of your concern."

Edmund chuckled, clearly amused. "Ah. So that's how it is." He tilted his head. "I wonder, if she know what kind of man you really are?"

Ella swallowed hard, but she stood her ground. "I know enough."

Edmund regarded her for a moment before turning back to Xander. "Enjoy your little hideaway while it lasts brother, but mark my words, this isn't over."

Then, with a final smirk, Edmund turned and disappeared into the night, leaving behind a silence heavy with unspoken threats.

The Aftermath

The moment Edmund was gone, Xander exhaled slowly, forcing himself to remain calm. His hands were still clenched into fists, his heart racing.

Ella touched his arm gently. "Xander… who was that?"

He turned to her, his eyes dark with emotion. "My past," he said simply. A past he could no longer run from.

She searched his face, trying to understand. "What did he mean? About taking what's his?"

Xander hesitated, then finally admitted, "He controls everything that was once mine. The fortune, the estate, the name. But he knows I have rebuilt myself and that means I am a threat to him."

Ella frowned. "Then he's afraid of you."

A humorless chuckle escaped Xander's lips. "Not afraid. Just preparing for a war."

Ella tightened her grip on his arm. "Then let him come."

He looked down at her, surprised. "You don't understand, Ella. Edmund is dangerous. He won't stop until he has destroyed me."

She held his gaze, unwavering. "Then I will stand beside you."

Xander stared at her, something breaking inside him. He had spent so long believing he was alone in this fight. But Ella wasn't afraid. He has someone who really care for him.