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THE LAST SHOOTING STAR

Chapter 2 The Man Who Didn't Leave

Word Count: 1502    |    Released on: 19/03/2025

t her a s

grinned.

g her gaze, lifted

The music, the laughter, the glitt

s jus

ridiculous

ould wa

step past him, and disappear in

sh

she couldn't exp

gers tw

ips p

d stop herself, the

in

ression di

smirk. No te

od as if he had already

irritated her mo

eone wasn't playing by her rules but will she

t surprise

ad let it slide. Maybe she was just different from what he expected.

t

urned

said, her voice as

canned the crowd, her eyes sea

chael calle

e edge of the dance floor. She was young, maybe in her early twenties, wit

oward her with

into her clutch, pulled out a few crisp bi

ace," she s

blinked

aid, already stepping b

stiff

maybe a sarcastic remark, maybe a cold

t expect

between Irene and Ryan. "I..

," Irene cut in smoothly. "Ju

breath, amusement f

utched her stomach, barely able to breathe. "Oh my God,

She turned on her heel, walking awa

clutching the money. She peeked up a

ignor

followed Irene's

asn'

ng he was

e that before. They chased, they cl

e corner of her eye. "Wow. I

curled sligh

yes never

u d

the crowd, unbothered, her posture carr

ps twi

rest

uckling, "that was brutal. She just

ocked on her retreating form. "She th

s realization dawned. "Wait..

't a qu

smirk d

n, you're usually so indifferent when it comes to

sing me," Ryan murmured. "She

makes it fun,

g his head with a sm

nother word, he

d. "Wait where

ok back. "To

ng again. She had never seen her brothe

y caught the attention of the one ma

Ry

man who n

nwh

the exit, the night's cold

arp eyes scanning the crowd. "

d. "It worke

d. "You alw

smoothly, stepping into the dimly lit

not thi

him a questioning glance, bu

ut throug

ng so

steps

here he was Ryan, hands in his po

ee disappointment

t

ooked

st made things

aze with the same

wered simply.

is head sligh

. “I never plan

adn't paid much attention until now. The man stood close, comfortable, as if it was second nature to

didn't

d, as if sensing the unspoken quest

rie

thing deep inside him. It was such a simple t

Ryan didn't expect him to. There was an air of quiet underst

but for some reason, the thought of Irene being close

ked it

n repeated, his

n didn't waver. "

if daring him

did

huckle, shoving his hands int

She had already turned, stepping

smirk still in place, but h

y, uninterested, just as sh

irst time in

lt chal

never walked awa

ching as Irene and Louis disapp

up beside him, a

ply, his smirk re

ith her elbow. "You just got tossed aside for

ected. "She didn't toss me aside

a long, knowing

ha

us in her tone. "Are you actually interested in h

s sister, his expr

el continued."You've always said relationsh

oment before he chuckl

s not someone you just mess

" he sai

not just some cold-hearted woman who doesn't care abo

ghtly. "And that's why

lost contact. She disappeared after our first yea

gaze darkening slightly.

"But Ryan, if this is just

was slower, more calculated. "

ead. She didn't believe him y

on something on someone h

t worri

he wasn't sure if Ryan was ch

e was s

whil

eat, arms crossed, as Louis dr

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THE LAST SHOOTING STAR
THE LAST SHOOTING STAR
“Irene Lancaster is not just beautiful she is otherworldly. Her presence alone can silence a room, leaving men mesmerized and women insecure. With her striking features and ethereal elegance, she is untouchable, unreachable. But beneath her breathtaking beauty lies an icy heart. Irene does not smile. She does not cry. She does not waste her time on friendships or love. Why bother when nothing lasts? Diagnosed with a terminal illness, she has already accepted her fate. And she refuses to let anyone love her, because love only leads to grief. But Irene is more than just an untouchable beauty she is a mystery. She is the secret force behind I.V.Y, the number one fashion empire in the United States, a brand so powerful that elites fight to be the first to own its collections. She built it from the ground up, hidden from the media, from the public, from the world. No one knows who owns I.V.Y, and that's exactly how she wants it. Yet, even that is only part of who she is. Behind closed doors, Irene is one of the most highly sought-after consultants for top corporations a hidden mastermind whose name never leaves the executive boardrooms. She transforms companies from the shadows, on one condition: secrecy. Only the highest-ranking executives know of her involvement. No leaks. No exposure. No exceptions. Just as Ryan Damien Winthrop dominates the business world, Irene Lancaster reigns over the fashion world. Ryan Damien Winthrop is the kind of man people don't just notice they worship. Handsome beyond reason, so devastatingly attractive that women have fainted at the mere sight of him, he is the definition of unattainable. But Ryan has never cared for admiration. Cold-hearted and calculating, he only has two types of people in his world: his people and everyone else. Women? They are nothing more than distractions, a nuisance he has never entertained. Until he meets Irene. It happens once. Just one meeting. One look at her, and Ryan's world shifts. For the first time in his life, a woman captures his attention so completely that it unsettles him. He doesn't understand it, and neither does his cousin who also happens to be Irene's friend. Everyone knows Ryan Winthrop does not care for women. But with Irene, it's different. Determined to figure out what it is about her that has him so captivated, Ryan pursues her. But Irene couldn't care less about his interest. She treats him with the same cold indifference she gives to everyone. She rejects him, pushes him away, refuses to acknowledge his existence. She doesn't care about his looks, his power, or the fact that every other woman in the world would do anything for his attention. Ryan should have walked away. He should have lost interest, as he always does. But for some reason, he doesn't. He keeps coming back. Irene hates it. Hates him. And so, she makes a decision. If Ryan is so determined to have her, then she will make him regret ever wanting her. She will make him fall so deeply in love that when she's gone, he will grieve. She will destroy him the way love has destroyed so many before. But as she plays her cruel game, something unexpected happens she falls. The man she wanted to break becomes the only person who makes her feel alive. His presence, once irritating, becomes intoxicating. His love, once unwanted, becomes the only thing she craves. For the first time in her life, she wants more time. But time is not on her side. As her illness worsens, she faces an impossible choice: push Ryan away to spare him the pain, or hold on to the love she never expected to find. But Ryan doesn't let go of what's his, and he refuses to lose her without a fight. In a world where love and loss are inevitable, The Last Shooting Star asks: Is love worth the pain of goodbye?”
1 Chapter 1 The Ball She Never Wanted2 Chapter 2 The Man Who Didn't Leave3 Chapter 3 A Challenge Worth Pursuing4 Chapter 4 Unwelcome Realizations5 Chapter 5 Unwelcome Realizations II6 Chapter 6 Unpredictable7 Chapter 7 Repeat Yourself And You're Fired8 Chapter 8 The Plan9 Chapter 9 Long Night10 Chapter 10 Sleepless Night11 Chapter 11 Irene I'm Not Sick12 Chapter 12 Abomination13 Chapter 13 Rumor I14 Chapter 14 Rumor II15 Chapter 15 I'm Not Giving In To A Baby's Play16 Chapter 16 Irene Lancaster17 Chapter 17 I'm not a Monster