Chapter 18 – Unfinished Business

Ethan leaned back against the wall, phone in hand, his expression unreadable.

[Unknown Number]: Hey Ethan… You miss me?

For a moment, he just stared at the message.

At 3 AM, there were very few people who should be contacting him.

And none of them should be playing games.

His mind ran through the possibilities. An old enemy? A forgotten acquaintance? Or worse, someone who actually knew who he was?

His finger hovered over the reply button—

But before he could respond, another message popped up.

[Unknown Number]: LOL. Relax. It's me, Jordan. You should've seen your face right now.

Ethan exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple.

Of course.

Jordan.

The guy had zero sense of timing and an even lower sense of self-preservation.

Ethan: You seriously think that was funny?

Jordan: Hilarious, actually. Your reaction must've been priceless.

Ethan: You overestimate how much I care.

Jordan: Nah, I bet your whole life flashed before your eyes.

Ethan smirked slightly.

The idiot wasn't wrong.

For a split second, he had actually thought someone dangerous had found him.

Shaking his head, he tossed his phone onto the couch and ran a hand through his hair.

3 AM.

He should sleep.

But his body was still buzzing from everything that had happened tonight.

He had intervened in Mia's stream and humiliated Young Master Carlo.

He had chatted with Mia privately while she had no idea he was Fleeting Fable.

He had spent time at her place partying until late.

And now, this stupid prank from Jordan was keeping him awake.

With a sigh, he picked up his phone again, debating whether to scroll through the streaming app or just stare at the ceiling until sleep took over.

But then—his phone rang.

James Windsor.

Ethan's gaze sharpened.

James never called at this hour unless something serious was happening.

His fingers tightened around the phone as he answered.

"Talk."

James's composed voice came through. "Young Master, I regret to inform you that I failed to mention something important."

Ethan's brows furrowed. "Go on."

A pause. Then—

"It concerns your fiancée."

Silence.

Ethan blinked once.

"…My what?"

James sighed, as if he had expected this reaction.

"The engagement arranged by Alexander Langford."

Ethan exhaled sharply.

Of course.

Langford.

The ghost who had dictated Ethan's life without them ever meeting face-to-face.

A man whose legacy controlled him even in death.

James continued. "As you know, Alexander Langford had very specific plans for you. One of them was securing an engagement with his daughter, Myra Langford. You were given the choice to proceed or decline, but as per his final wish, he hoped you would at least consider it."

Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose.

So that was it.

Even from the grave, Alexander Langford was still pulling strings.

He paced across his small apartment, eyes flickering over the shabby furniture—his old couch, a desk with a laptop, the plain walls that didn't match his actual wealth.

Ethan had spent years keeping a low profile, living a life that wasn't defined by money or status.

And now, this?

An engagement?

"…We'll discuss this privately," Ethan finally said. "10 AM tomorrow. Pick me up from Hudson University."

James's voice remained steady. "Understood, Young Master."

The call ended.

Ethan set the phone down and leaned against the window, staring at the city lights.

So.

He had a fiancée.

His lips curled into a dry smirk.

What a joke.

---

3:10 AM –

Even though the conversation was over, Ethan found himself unable to sleep.

His mind was racing.

There were too many questions.

Why now?

James could have told him at any time.

Which meant one thing—something had changed.

Maybe Myra Langford was trying to make a move.

Or maybe James had been waiting for the right moment to tell him.

Either way, it didn't matter.

Tomorrow, Ethan would get his answers.

But tonight?

Tonight, he would do what he always did.

Wait.

---

3:15 AM –

He sat down on his bed and stared at the screen of his phone.

The streaming app was still open.

Mia's private chat window was still there.

She had gone offline hours ago, but her last message lingered.

[Mia]: Fleeting Fable! You came back!

[Mia]: Are you still awake too?

He had never replied.

Ethan's fingers hovered over the keyboard.

But what could he even say?

That he had spent the last few hours thinking about an engagement he didn't ask for?

That his entire life was being dictated by a man he never met?

That he could throw twenty grand into a stream without blinking, but couldn't sleep in the tiny apartment he chose to live in?

Instead, he just smirked and typed—

Ethan (Fleeting Fable): Still awake. You?

He doubted she would see it until morning.

And by then, he would already be dealing with his real life again.

His smirk faded slightly.

His world was so far removed from hers.

And yet, tonight, she had felt like the only real thing in it.

---

3:20 AM –

Ethan set his phone aside and finally lay down.

He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep easily.

Tomorrow, he would have to face James.

Tomorrow, he would have to decide what to do about Myra Langford.

Tomorrow, he would step one inch closer to the life he had been running from.

But for now—

For now, he would close his eyes and pretend that the weight of the world wasn't sitting on his shoulders.

For now, he would rest.

Because whether he liked it or not…

Tomorrow was coming.

And he had unfinished business.