THE GHOST BETWEEN US

Justin's POV

Dinner had been perfect. Too perfect.

As the servers cleared the last of the dessert plates and Elena laughed quietly at something I said God knows what it was I felt the weight of something unfamiliar press against my chest.

It was dangerous. Because it felt like ease. Like comfort.

 And I had long since buried the part of myself that still craved that but didn't want to get hurt

The Eiffel Tower sparkled in the distance, a thousand golden lights dancing across the sky like stars had come down to earth.

I glanced at her.

She was watching it, completely mesmerized by it. Her chin tilted up slightly, the breeze playing with her hair, her eyes reflecting the shimmer like they held galaxies and stars in it.

She looked like she belonged there.

Not with me.

But with someone whole. Someone kind. Someone who could match that light in her eyes.

And yet here she was.

With me.

"I've never seen anything this beautiful," she whispered. "All my life I've always wanted to be close to the Eiffel Tower" She said again.

I didn't reply. I didn't trust myself to.

Instead, I stood and extended my hand. "Let's go."

She blinked up at me. "Go where?"

"To the tower."

She looked stunned. "You mean…?"

"Yes," I said simply. "Let's see it up close."

We walked together, and for once, we didn't say anything. The silence wasn't cold. It wasn't filled with tension. It just… was.

Underneath the Eiffel Tower, tourists milled around, cameras flashing. There were musicians playing soft accordion tunes, couples kissing beneath the iron lacework, laughter echoing in every direction.

And yet, as I looked at her, it felt like the world faded away and I can see a new light.

We moved past the line, of course. The perks of who I was. One word to security and we were in the elevator, ascending slowly into the sky.

She gripped the railing, staring out at Paris as it unfolded beneath us.

"Breathtaking," she murmured.

I didn't answer.

Because I wasn't looking at the city.

I was looking at her.

At the way her lips parted slightly in awe. At the way her fingers curled when she was excited. At the way she could find wonder in a world I'd long stopped believing in.

When we reached the top, the doors slid open and the breeze hit us instantly. It was cooler up here, sharper.

Elena shivered slightly. Without thinking, I shrugged off my jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

She looked up at me with those eyes again. So open. So trusting.

And that was when it happened.

The stare.

We just stood there, the glittering city beneath us, and we stared at each other.

Unblinking.

Unmoving.

There was something in her gaze. Something raw. Something honest.

It was like she was looking past the façade. Like she saw more than she was supposed to. Like she wasn't just seeing me but understanding me.

How the hell did she do that?

My throat went tight. She took a step closer.

I froze.

Then I stepped back.

Quick. Cold. Deliberate.

The shift in her eyes was instant. The glow faded. The warmth dimmed.

I hated myself for it.

But it had to be done.

I can't fall victim to this again.

Not again.

Not after Ivy.

Elena stood there, her hands falling to her sides, her lips parted like she wanted to say something but didn't know how.

I turned away.

"It's getting late," I said sharply. "We should head back to the hotel."

She didn't argue.

We descended in silence.

Back into the car.

The driver opened the door and she slid in without a word. I followed, sitting beside her but not touching her.

The silence between us now was different. It was thick. Heavy.

And I hated it.

But I couldn't stop the reel playing in my mind.

Ivy.

Her voice. Her lies. Her betrayal.

The way she looked at me when she said she loved me.

And how the very next day, she slept with my business partner. Ruined my name. Nearly destroyed my company.

All for power.

All for ambition.

She was the reason I made that vow.

No more love.

No more trust.

No more pain.

Elena shifted slightly beside me, and I glanced at her from the corner of my eye.

She was looking out the window, her reflection soft against the glass, her expression unreadable.

But I knew I'd hurt her.

Again.

And part of me hated that I cared.

We reached the hotel, and I stepped out first, walking a few steps ahead of her. I didn't wait. I didn't speak.

I just went straight to the elevator.

She followed.

Still silent.

As we rode up, I felt her beside me. Close. Too close. And yet, we were miles apart.

Back in the suite, she went straight to the bedroom without a word. I heard the bathroom door click shut.

I stood there for a long time, staring out at the tower glowing in the distance.

This was supposed to be a reward. A distraction.

So why did it feel like I was unraveling?

I pulled at my collar and exhaled.

She was getting to me.

And that…

That was a problem.

Because the last time I let someone in, they shattered me.

And I swore I'd never let it happen again. Never again.

After some minutes of thinking about what happened I went to the room and knocked the door, then I realized the door was already open.

I saw Ivy curled up on the bed, the room dark. Just the light beside her, being the only illumination that made me see her. She looked like she needed someone for her and would take care of her fragile heart. Unfortunately I was not tha person and I'm not sure I would ever be. 

I went into the bathroom, had my bath and slept on my side of the bed. 

Kept reminding myself, I don't need to have a woman in my life right now. I just need my mother and as if my mum knew I was thinking about her . She called. She always knew when I needed her the most, she always knew that.

But I did not pick up, I need to sort this mess by myself. Just me alone!!! Just me!!!