Chapter 86 The Ghost between us.
Diana’s POV
I woke to an empty room. The sheets beside me were cool to the touch. Gavin was gone, I don’t think he returned to bed at all last night.
I sat up slowly and reached for my robe draped across the chair. The silk slid over my skin as I tied it at my waist, the fabric made soft rustling sounds in the quiet room.
The penthouse was silent.
I walked out of the bedroom, my bare feet soundless on the plush carpet. The hallway stretched before me, dim in the early morning light. Christmas lights still twinkled on the tree in the living room, casting everything in soft gold.
“Gavin?” I called softly.
Nothing.
I moved through the house quietly. His office door was closed, but when I pushed it open, the room was dark and still.
No one was around.I walked to the kitchen counter and stood there, my hands resting on the cool marble.
“He’s gone to get ice cream,” I said to the empty room.
A smile curved my lips.Then I started laughing.
It was soft at first, then it got louder. The sound filled the kitchen, echoing off the expensive appliances and custom cabinets. I laughed until my sides hurt, until tears gathered in my eyes, until the sound became something else entirely.
Something manic. Something that didn’t quite match the smile on my face.
I pressed my hand to my mouth, trying to contain it, but the laughter kept coming in waves.
Finally, it subsided. I wiped my eyes and took a shaky breath.
“He really does have all my heart,” I whispered.
My hand went to the diamond necklace at my throat. The one Gavin had given me for Christmas. I traced the delicate chain with my fingers, then caught the pendant and began twirling it slowly.
Around. Around. Around.
The diamonds caught the morning light, throwing tiny rainbows across my hand.
It was beautiful, perfect and cold. Exactly how I liked it.I stood there for a long moment, twirling the necklace, staring at nothing.
Then I released it and walked to where I’d left my phone charging on the counter.
I picked it up and scrolled through my contacts until I found the number I needed.
It rang three times before someone answered.
“Sunshine Travel Services, how may I help you?”“Yes,” I said, my voice perfectly steady. “I need to book a flight.”
“Of course. What’s your destination?”
I paused, my finger still touching the diamond necklace.
“California,” I said finally. “Los Angeles.”
“And when would you like to depart?” I looked around the kitchen. “The day after tomorrow,” I said. “First thing in the morning.”
“Let me check availability for you.” The sound of typing filled the silence. “I have several options. Would you prefer first class or business?”
“First class.”
More typing.
“I have a flight departing at six AM, arriving in Los Angeles at nine-fifteen AM local time. Would that work?”
“Perfect.”
“Wonderful. And how many passengers?”
I hesitated for just a fraction of a second. “Just one.”
“Excellent. Can I have your name please?”
“Diana Hayes.”
“And will you be checking any bags?”
“No,” I said. “Just a carry-on.”
After I finished booking the flight, I set my phone down and stood there for a moment, staring at the marble countertop.
Then I walked to the bedroom and opened my closet.
I pulled out my suitcase and set it on the bed. I began selecting clothes carefully, folding each piece and placing it inside. Dresses, blouses, pants. Everything I would need.
When I reached for a silk scarf, my hand brushed against something tucked in the back corner of the shelf.
A frame.
I pulled it out slowly. Behind the glass was Michael’s face, frozen in time. His smile. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed.
I stared at it for a long moment, my fingers tight around the edges of the frame.
Then I placed it carefully in my luggage, nestling it between two folded sweaters where it wouldn’t get damaged.
I closed the suitcase and zipped it shut.
My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten. I walked back to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. There were eggs, some vegetables, and bread.
I pulled out what I needed and started cooking. The sound of the pan heating, the crack of eggs, the sizzle as they hit the hot surface.
I made myself an omelet and toast. Poured a glass of orange juice. Sat at the kitchen island and ate slowly, tasting nothing.
I finished eating, washed my plate, and put everything away.
Then I went back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, the suitcase sitting packed and ready on the floor beside me.
Waiting for the day after tomorrow.
——-
Stephan pov
Stephan lay on the bed, his torso wrapped in white bandages that were already showing spots of red seeping through. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, jaw clenched tight against the pain.
The door opened.Sophia stepped inside, her heels clicking against the floor. She stopped at the foot of the bed and looked at him. Her lip curled in disgust.
“How did you get yourself so beat up?”
Stephan didn’t move. He didn’t try to acknowledge her. His breathing was shallow, and controlled.
She waited.Still nothing.
“You’re taking your sweet time, aren’t you?” he finally said, his voice rough.
A smile curved across Sophia’s face.
“I have my ways.”
She walked closer, her eyes scanning the bandages, the bruises on his face, the split lip. Then her expression hardened. The smile vanished.
“You really should stop whatever games you’re playing.” Her voice dropped, turning cold. “If you ruin my chances of getting to Gavin, I’ll kill you.”
The words hung in the air between them.
Stephan turned his head slowly, meeting her gaze. His eyes were dark, unflinching despite the pain etched across his features.
“You can have Gavin,” he said.
Sophia’s eyebrow arched.
“But the girl?” He pushed himself up slightly, wincing. “I want her.”
Silence filled the room. Sophia stared at him, her jaw tight. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.
“The girl,” she repeated slowly.
“Malissa.” His voice was firm now, stronger. “You stay away from her. Gavin is yours. She is mine.”
Sophia’s eyes flashed with something dangerous. She leaned forward, her hands pressing against the edge of the bed.
“You’re in no position to make demands.”
“Neither are you,” Stephan shot back. “We need each other. So let’s be clear about what we both want.”
The tension crackled between them like electricity.
Finally, Sophia straightened.
“Fine,” she whispered. “But cross me, and those bandages will be the least of your problems.“