Chapter 1: A Love That Shouldn’t Be

The rain poured heavily, washing the streets of Glenfort, a bustling city where secrets lay hidden beneath the glitz and glamour. Nightclubs buzzed with loud music, and expensive cars lined the streets, their owners indulging in pleasures money could buy. In one of these clubs, a woman sat by the bar, sipping a glass of wine with slow, deliberate sips.

Sheila.

Her beauty was undeniable—long, wavy hair, piercing green eyes, and a figure that made men forget their morals. But behind the flawless face and the red lipstick was a past too dark to erase. She had been with many men, some of the wealthiest and most powerful in Glenfort. They adored her, paid for her, and whispered sweet lies in her ears. She gave them what they wanted, and in return, she drowned her pain in luxury.

But tonight, she felt empty.

The man beside her slid closer, his cologne mixing with the scent of alcohol. "Sheila, it's been a while," he murmured, running a finger down her arm.

She flinched. She used to enjoy this—men chasing after her, making her feel wanted. But now, it felt... wrong.

"Not tonight, Gabriel," she whispered, pulling away.

Gabriel laughed, swirling his drink. "Come on, don't act like you've changed. We both know you don't say no."

Her grip tightened around her glass. Maybe she hadn't changed. Maybe she was still that woman who gave herself away so easily. But then, she thought of him.

Roy.

The only man who looked at her like she was more than a body to be used.

---

Roy Lancaster was everything Sheila wasn't. A man of integrity. A man with a past so clean it made her sick with envy. He came from a respected family, the kind that had deep roots in business and philanthropy. Yet, despite their differences, he had fallen for her.

He had seen her at a charity event six months ago. She wasn't supposed to be there—one of her wealthy clients had brought her along. But Roy noticed her, not for the reasons most men did.

While others saw her beauty, he saw the sadness in her eyes.

From that day, he pursued her, not with money or gifts, but with patience. He spoke to her like she was worth something. He asked about her dreams, her fears. And when she told him she had none, he made it his mission to change that.

Tonight, she was supposed to meet him. But here she was, in the same place she always ended up, drowning in her past.

Her phone vibrated.

Roy: I'm waiting outside. Are you okay?

Her heart clenched. She glanced at Gabriel, who smirked as if he knew she wouldn't resist. Then she looked at the glass in her hand.

She had a choice.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her purse and walked out without a word.

---

The cold night air hit her skin as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Roy stood by his car, hands in his pockets, watching her. He wasn't like the other men. He didn't have that hungry look in his eyes. Instead, his gaze held something else.

Hope.

"You're late," he said softly.

She wrapped her arms around herself. "I was... caught up."

Roy didn't push. He never did. Instead, he opened the car door for her. "Let's go."

She hesitated for a moment before getting in. As he drove, the silence between them was thick, filled with unspoken words.

"You don't have to keep doing this, Sheila," he finally said.

She let out a bitter laugh. "Doing what?"

"Pushing yourself back into the life you hate."

She looked away. "It's all I know, Roy."

"It doesn't have to be."

She turned to face him. "You say that like it's easy. Like I can just wake up one day and be someone else."

Roy pulled the car over, his eyes meeting hers. "It's not about being someone else. It's about becoming who you were meant to be."

Her chest tightened. No one had ever said that to her before. No one had ever believed in her enough to make her believe in herself.

"Why do you care so much?" she whispered.

Roy's hand reached for hers. His touch was warm, steady. "Because I love you."

The words hung in the air, suffocating and freeing all at once. Sheila had heard men say those words before, but they always came with conditions. With expectations.

Roy's didn't.

Tears burned in her eyes. "You don't know what you're saying."

"I do," he said firmly. "And I'll keep saying it until you believe it."

Sheila pulled her hand away. "You shouldn't love me, Roy. I will break you."

Roy didn't flinch. "Then I'll pick up the pieces and keep loving you anyway."

Sheila turned away, staring at the city lights. Love? She wasn't sure if she even knew what that meant. But as Roy started driving again, she felt something new stir inside her.

Hope.

For the first time, she wondered if maybe—just maybe—she could be more than her past.

But the past wasn't done with her yet.

As they drove through the city, a car followed closely behind. And inside that car, a man watched Sheila with cold, calculating eyes.

Betheul.

A ghost from her past.

And he wasn't here for a reunion.