Shadows of a Billionaire's heart

as sterile and lifeless, but everything about it shouted money, from the tall marble columns to the slick, contemporary furniture. There

Welcome home." He stood a few feet behind me,

t home. It served as a stage, an exquisitely designe

ng a little in the spacious lobby. "You we

rk. "I never take th

joke or just another display of his u

ed as a staff member. With trained neutrality, she glanced at me as she spo

at was part of the deal. At least as much as we could manag

ght voice. He faced me. "I'll check in

m observing my every move, the thought of navigatin

e secrets concealed beneath gleaming white panels, every door we passed had the same appearance an

rs. Vance." The bed was so large that it almost dominated the room, the furniture was clean and simple, and the walls were a gentl

replied softl

w if you need anything," and then she

it had been ready for a visitor who never arrived. Designer clothing in my size was already in the closet; this was probably Richa

awless. T

s of brushes that I kept forgetting to clean, and my world was disorganised and chaotic. I recalled my small apartment, the way the early sun came throu

of my reverie by a

ing Meredith to

He appeared a little less menacing with his jacket th

gainst the doorframe an

. "There's a l

tone, he said, "Yo

u always address people as

er at that. "Only when the

cation feels less like a house and more like a museum.

's smirk. "This is my workplace.

I didn't press the issue. I had no

ng to need a space for my art." Somethin

ocated down the hallway. empty.

or a lecture about priorities or maintaining appearances

fter him,

looked over

stop them, the words escaped. Reall

piercing his normally composed exterior. However, it vanished an

You'll figure i

-

is own little world, so being with him was like living with a ghost. The majority of his time was

ts of natural light and high ceilings. Even while it wasn't the comfortable chaos of my previous place, it was still preferab

as it watched. The silence felt heavier than it should have, and eve

a crash reverberating through the hallways. I reached fo

due to the low lighting. The sound had originated in the living room, and as I got

ared to be whisky dripping on the ground. His fists

With hesita

back. "Claire,

hat I had never heard before. I ign

right?" I a

n his eyes. The calm, self-assured man I had grown to kn

broken as he replied, "You sh

me and vanished down the corrido

by how much of Richard Vance's life was concealed beneath the surface, and I cou