Chapter 2: The Shadow Returns

The ride was silent except for the soft hum of the engine. Roy focused on the road, his grip firm on the steering wheel, while Sheila stared out the window, lost in thought. The warmth of his confession still lingered in her mind, but it also terrified her.

She had spent years believing that love was a transaction—something given in exchange for pleasure, power, or money. But Roy's love wasn't like that. It was pure, patient, and unshaken by the weight of her past.

Could she really deserve something like that?

As Roy slowed to a stop at a red light, a sleek black car pulled up behind them. The headlights illuminated the interior of Roy's car, casting a strange unease over Sheila. She shifted in her seat, glancing at the rearview mirror.

A chill ran down her spine.

She knew that car.

The man inside wasn't just anyone.

Betheul.

A name she had buried with the rest of her past. A name she never wanted to hear again.

Her hands trembled.

"Are you okay?" Roy asked, noticing the change in her.

Sheila forced a smile. "Yeah. Just tired."

She didn't want to tell him. Didn't want to explain why her past never truly let her go.

But deep down, she knew.

Betheul wasn't here by accident.

And he wanted something.

---

By the time they reached Roy's apartment, Sheila had pushed the unease aside. She wasn't going to let a ghost from her past ruin this moment.

Roy's home was simple yet elegant—a reflection of the man he was. A bookshelf lined the far wall, filled with novels and business journals. A single painting of a lighthouse hung above the couch, its light shining against a stormy sea.

"Make yourself comfortable," Roy said as he removed his jacket and set it on a chair.

Sheila hesitated before walking over to the couch, running her fingers along the soft fabric. Everything here felt so… normal. Like a life she had never known but desperately wanted.

Roy returned with two mugs of tea, handing one to her. "It's chamomile," he said. "It helps with stress."

Sheila took a small sip. The warmth settled in her chest, calming her racing heart.

"Roy," she started, her voice hesitant, "why me?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

She set the mug down, her hands clasped together. "I'm not like you. You come from a good family. You have a future, a name people respect. And me? I've slept with half the politicians in this city. I've done things that—"

"I don't care."

She looked up, startled by the firmness in his voice.

"I don't care about your past, Sheila," he continued. "I care about the woman sitting in front of me right now. The woman who wants to change. The woman I love."

Her throat tightened. "But what if I can't change?"

Roy leaned forward, taking her hands in his. "Then I'll be here, helping you every step of the way."

Tears welled in her eyes. No one had ever said that to her before. No one had ever wanted to fight for her.

And that scared her more than anything.

---

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit hotel room across town, Betheul poured himself a glass of whiskey, swirling the amber liquid in his hand.

He had been watching Sheila for weeks, waiting for the right moment.

She thought she had escaped. That her new life erased the past.

But she was wrong.

Betheul had once owned her—body and mind. And he wasn't about to let her walk away so easily.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he reached for his phone.

It was time to remind Sheila that shadows never truly disappear.

He dialed her number.

And waited.

---

Sheila's phone buzzed on the table, breaking the fragile moment between her and Roy.

She glanced at the screen. No name. Just a number.

Her heart pounded.

Only a few people had this number. And she knew, deep in her bones, that this wasn't a coincidence.

Roy noticed her hesitation. "Who is it?"

She swallowed hard. "I don't know."

Her fingers hovered over the screen before finally pressing answer.

A familiar voice filled her ears, smooth and laced with danger.

"Sheila," Betheul drawled, "it's been a long time."

A sharp breath escaped her lips.

Roy immediately noticed the way her body stiffened. "Sheila? Who is it?"

She couldn't speak.

Betheul chuckled. "Oh, come on now. Don't tell me you've forgotten me already. After all, you and I… we have unfinished business."

Her grip on the phone tightened. "Leave me alone, Betheul."

Roy sat up, watching her closely.

"Now, now," Betheul continued, "is that any way to talk to an old friend? Especially one who knows all your secrets?"

Her stomach twisted.

"What do you want?" she whispered.

There was a pause. And then, in a voice so cold it sent shivers down her spine, he said—

"Your new life? It's built on a lie. And I'm going to tear it apart."

The line went dead.

Sheila's hands shook as she slowly lowered the phone.

Roy reached for her.

"Sheila, talk to me. Who was that?"

She lifted her gaze, her eyes filled with fear.

"My past," she whispered. "And he's coming for me."