THE GHOST KING RETURNS

CHAPTER 3

Luna sat on the balcony, the setting sun painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. She thought about her life just yesterday—how hopeless it had seemed. Now, everything has changed. She had a new home, a new life, and a future she had never dared to dream of. She was no longer the "Broken Princess." She was the Ghost King’s queen.

A soft click of the door brought her back to the present. Rex stood there, his dark suit perfectly tailored, but his face held a look of quiet satisfaction. "The meeting went well," he said, walking over to her.

"What meeting?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. "For the Anderson family company?"

He didn’t answer right away. He just looked at her, a hint of a smile on his face. "You could say that. The company belongs to me now."

Luna gasped, her eyes wide. "You bought it? Just like that?"

Rex nodded. "It was part of the deal. I had to repay my debt."

"But... why?" she asked, confused. "My father was just using me to get an investor."

Rex's expression hardened. "He was. But I wasn't just paying a debt to him." He looked out at the city lights twinkling in the distance. "There's a bigger story here, Luna. One you don't need to worry about yet. The company is mine, and it will be for your protection."

The weight of his words settled on her. She realized he wasn't just a powerful man; he was a king, and his world was far more complicated than she could imagine. He was playing a game she didn't understand, but for the first time in her life, she felt safe. She was on his side.

He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. "I promised to give you the world. And that’s exactly what I'm going to do."

A knock on the door interrupted them. One of Rex’s men entered, holding a phone. "King, a call from Mr. Anderson."

Rex’s face was unreadable as he took the phone. "Hello, Mr. Anderson," he said, his voice cold and sharp. "I trust you've had a chance to review the contracts. Your company is mine now. You will sign the papers and walk away." He paused, listening to the frantic voice on the other end. "Don't worry," he said, a chilling smile on his face. "I'll make sure you're taken care of. After all, you gave me the one thing I've been searching for for years." He hung up, a look of fierce determination on his face.

"What did he say?" Luna asked softly.

"He's angry," Rex replied, his eyes dark. "He doesn't understand. But he will."

Rex led her back inside, his arm around her waist. He pointed to a small wooden box on a table. "Open it," he said.

Inside was a perfect, shiny jade dragon, just like the one she had given him ten years ago. Next to it was her own, chipped dragon. "I have the best doctors waiting," he said, his voice firm. "They will help with your scars and your eyes. You will not have to hide anymore."

He stood and held out his hand. "This is your home now, Luna. I will protect you."

Rex's hands were warm and steady as he took Luna's. "I'm not just a powerful man," he said, his eyes a deep, unwavering brown. "I'm the Ghost King. I am here to make things right for you, and to finish what was started ten years ago." He led her to a small, ornate wooden box on a table. "Open it," he said softly.

Luna’s hands trembled as she lifted the lid. Inside, resting on a bed of velvet, was a perfect, shiny jade dragon. It was a flawless replica of the one she had given him so many years ago. Next to it lay her own, the chipped and worn piece of jade she had carried with her for a decade. A gasp escaped her lips as she picked up the new one, its smooth, cold surface a stark contrast to her own.

"I have the best doctors waiting," he said, his voice firm with a promise. "They will heal your scars and your eyes. You will not have to hide anymore, Luna."

Tears streamed down her face, a mix of relief and disbelief. He wasn't just promising her a new life; he was giving her back a piece of herself she thought was lost forever. He was restoring her.

"This is your home now," he said, his voice a low rumble. "And I will protect you."

Meanwhile, in the cold, sterile walls of a high-rise office, a panicked meeting was underway. Xavier, Frasier Zimmerman, and Wilson, the three men who had conspired to ruin Adrian Shaw's family, were watching their empires crumble.

"It's the Ghost King," Frasier hissed, his face ashen. "He's buying up all our assets. He's cornering the market."

"He's a ghost," Wilson said, his voice shaking. "We checked the records. No one has seen him. He has no face, no history."

Xavier, the oldest and most cunning of the three, slammed his hand on the table. "He's not a ghost! He's a man. Find him! Find out who he is, and we'll crush him just like we crushed Adrian Shaw ten years ago."

Suddenly, the lights flickered and died, plunging the room into darkness. A voice, cold and sharp as a razor blade, filled the room. "You thought I was dead?"

The three men froze. The voice was familiar, a ghost from their past. The voice of the boy they had betrayed.

"I have a gift for each of you," the voice said. "Xavier, I have a copy of your offshore accounts, the ones you used to launder money and hide your crimes. I've sent it to the authorities. Enjoy prison."

A choked gasp came from Xavier. "No... It's not possible."

"Frasier," the voice continued, its tone dripping with malice. "Your son's company. I've sent a detailed file of all your illegal activities to the SEC. Your empire is gone, and so is his. You will watch his life fall apart just as you watched mine."

Frasier slumped into his chair, a defeated look on his face.

"And Wilson," the voice said, colder than ever. "You were the one who lit the fire. You were the one who wanted to make sure I was dead. Now, I'm a ghost, and I've come for you."

A single point of light appeared in the darkness, a projector screen turning on. It showed a live feed of Wilson's home. A figure, dressed in black, walked into the living room and set a small, glowing fire in the fireplace. Wilson’s eyes widened in horror. "My family..." he stammered.

"They're fine," the voice said, a cruel laugh in its tone. "For now. You will know the fear of losing everything you love. You will live with that every day. That is your punishment."

The lights came back on. Rex stood at the door, his glasses reflecting the light, his face unreadable. "You left a single spark, and now the fire has come back to burn you all to the ground."

Rex turned and walked away, leaving the three men to their ruined lives. His vengeance was swift and absolute. He was a king, and his kingdom was built on the ashes of his enemies. He had a debt to repay to the girl who had saved him, and nothing would stand in his way.