Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 41

Alexander let out a long, weary sigh; he was utterly confounded at the storm of emotion and sensation whirling around him. The room was filled to the point of near-suffocation with tension and familiarity. He sat, stock-still, feeling that he was being pulled under by some

fathomless current, down into the darkness he had striven so desperately to rise above.

Smell hit him first: that faint, unmistakable cologne wafting ghostly and intoxicating through the room. It was a smell he hadn't encountered in years, and yet the instant he caught a whill, something visceral and primal flared within him. His heart thundered painfully, and he let out a low, involuntary grow-a sound full of longing and frustration. He'd never imagined he'd miss that scent, miss her, so deeply. And yet, the yearning was undeniable.

And then, as if the room itself had a hand in conspiring against him, she spoke. Her voice, like a viper, slithered into his ears, a sound he'd tried to despise, tried to erase from his mind a thousand times, but it seemed it was etched there permanently- a scar that refused to fade. He fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat, his fists clenched as he strained to focus, yet with every word she uttered, memories he wasn't ready to battle surfaced. Anger ached through him, mixed with unquenchable curiosity-a need to expose the truth buried beneath the polish of her words. She was hiding something; he could feel it behind each guarded response, each slight hesitation.

And then she almost slipped. When he'd asked her that question-so innocent, so probing-she'd faltered, almost letting slip something about him, something private, something only she'd know. That sealed the deal, finally. A red-hot conviction surged through him; whoever this girl was, she wasn't just this nameless CEO she made herself out to be. She kept secrets, harbored memories, and for reasons he couldn't fathom, something in every cell of his body insisted that he find those out. But her voice, that tone-it taunted him. And as they continued talking, his mind began to wander, attacked by glimpses of Emma, by memories he had worked so hard to push into the darkest recesses of his mind. He could almost see her face, the way she'd laughed, the way she'd looked at him before it all broke. His fists clenched further, the knuckles white from the force of his grip as he fought to push Emma back into the past, where she belonged. But every word this woman spoke pulled her closer, making her harder and harder to keep at bay.

His mind snapped to the present the moment she uttered the words, "Mr. Black. The inflection of his name from her mouth-omonotonous, it was just like Emma used to say it, her voice laced with that damned combination of bitterness and defiance. His patience broke, snapping in two. He just couldn't take it any longer.

In one sudden, careless moment, Alexander shot to his feet, heart racing, as he stormed toward the door. Protocol and rules and agreements meant little. He had to know who this woman was. He chose to ignore the warnings buzzing in his head and yanked at the door handle, but it refused to budge. Locked.

From inside, he watched her rise, her silhouette sharp and poised as she turned toward him. Her voice sliced through the air, oozing disdain. "What do you think you're doing? People were right about you-impulsive, reckless. I'm leaving. This meeting is over, and W2 Holdings will reconsider any dealings with Blackthorn Holdings. Good night."

Her words left him fuming, helpless fury coursing through his veins as he just stood there, shocked. He had blown it completely, taken a whole deal and thrown it away in an instant driven by something he could hardly explain even to himself. His frustration overflows, and his fist slams against the door. Yet, when she was gone, a thought suddenly lit up-a last glimmer of hope.

He ran down the stairs, racing into the car park, hoping against hope to catch a glimpse of her, to finally see her face. By the time he reached there, she was well gone-and-speeding her way out of his sight into a modest car that had nothing on the sophistication of her presence. Full of regret, he could only stand and watch, cursing his Tuck under his breath as she disappeared into the night.

He clamped his jaws shut in a mix of regret and resolve, stalking back to his car. As soon as he climbed inside, he barked at Kevin, I want the hames of everybody who entered the country in the past week. Every single one. By land, air, and sen

Kevin turned to him alarmingly. "Sir, why? Has something happened?

Alexander's jaw tightened, his eyes hard, unyielding. I'm not suhe growled. "But I want those files on my desk by morning:

2-54

Tue, Dec Chapter 41

Kevin nodded, reading the agency in his voice. "Yes, sir."

As they drove off into the night, Alexander's thoughts ran a mile a minute. Whoever she was, she held the key to something he couldn't afford to ignore.

MAA

Out of the car, Emma's breath was still in quick, shallow bursts as she sought to calm her racing heart. Relief washed over her-her plan had worked. Without having paid the restaurant staff that extra fee for locking the door, Alexander would have been onto her identity in a heartbeat. She let out a shaky sigh, her mind replaying the scene in vivid detail-the way she'd bolted toward her car, knowing full well he was right behind her, chasing her down with that relentless determination she knew all too well. But she'd been faster, closer to the parking lot, and that slight advantage had saved her."

She slid into her apartment, kicking off her shoes as she looked around. The dim lights of the quiet home were balm, and the babysitter waved hi, slipping out with a quick smile. Her kids were already sound asleep, peaceful, oblivious to the tension that had just a moment before gripped her heart.

A small, worn smile pulled at the corners of her lips as she peered in on them, their small bodies curled up under the blankets. Because of Alexander, she mused with a hint of relief and defiance, I will never have to deal with him again. She'd taken advantage of the opportunity to dissolve the business arrangement between their companies, thus severing the last connection she'd once thought she could never be free from. Now that he was no longer overshadowing her life, she could finally turn her attention to her children and consider further her next step in life.

She leaned toward the bed and couldn't resist brushing a strand of hair away from her daughter's face as warmth radiated off the child. Some of the heaviness of the evening washed off, setting in its place an assured calmness. She was here for them, and nothing-least of all Alexander-would get in the way of that. She would stay in the city long enough for Emily recover her health, and then they would be free to go, free to begin anew, somewhere far from the ghosts of a past she was so desperate to outrun.

She crawled into bed that night beside them, their soft, regular breathing like a lullaby soothing around her. It was their presence wrapped around her, balm to an ache in her heart. For the first time in ages, Emma felt at peace. With her children close, she finally slept, their gentle heat giving her some of the strength that had long eluded her.

AMA

Kevin walked towards Alexander, holding a file that could contain secrets of one's lifetime in it. Both of them had never seen such a huge document, which seemed to almost burst with seams filled with information.

"Sir, here is the information you requested last night," Kevin said almost apprehensively.

Alexander jerked the file from him, his face black as the storm of frustration and exhaustion that seemed to build up inside. He had not slept a single wink, the mystery of last night chewinght him, the endless what-ifs that would not let him rest, leaving him sour and bitter. He wanted confirmation, a sign that his instincts were wrong-but deep inside, he feared they had been spot on.

"Thanks," he muttered, flipping the file open. But the weight of all was pressing in, and his agitation must have shown as Kevin hesitated a moment before speaking.

"Sir, may I ask what transpired last night?" Kevin's voice trailed off, laced with concern. He couldn't help but think of Alexander's behavior following the meeting-the fidgeting, the urge to compile this highly detailed report. Alexander was normally stoic, stone-faced, but this-this was different

Alexander lifted his gaze from the file, his face twisted in a tangle of emotions. For a moment, he almost wrestled with the words, as if saying them aloud would make it all too real. "I think I believe I saw Emma last night. But maybe I'm wrong." he said practically to reassure himself. "But the cologne, the voice-e way she spoke, it all screamed Emmu. I know this sounds crazy, Kevin, but I practically grew up with her. I know each word in her voice, the background-everything.

Kevin's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Emuna. He, too, bl never forgotten her, and though he had cloaked his feelings, he'd missed those years with her. Alexander and Eminalways circled around each other, never really acknowledging the unspoken spark between them. He would have shared Mrs. Brianna Black's view on Annie; he never

12:54 Tue, Dec 17 ti

Chapter 41

understood what Alexander saw in her, and deep down hoped Emma somehow would return to take her place.

70%

"How can I help, sir?" Kevin said, excited and ready, for even the tiniest hope that Emma had been there last night, he was ready to go the length.

Alexander's eyes snapped sharp and intent; in that instant, the difidence was gone. "Keep track of Emily Smith," he said, the name rolling off his tongue with an undercurrent of suspicion, brooking no denial. "She has ties to the Walkers. I need to know whether there's a connection to Emma.

Kevin nodded firmly. "Understood, sir." Silent on all other matters, he turned and left, his mind reeling with possibility. He'd find out all he could about this Emily Smith-and if fate was kind, perhaps he'd bring Emma back into the picture those so many w ere waiting to see her reclaim.