Scarlet Lies

Chapter 16: The Silent Visitor

The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows through the city as Elena’s office windows turned a soft orange hue. The studio, once buzzing with life and clatter of creative chaos, now echoed with silence. Only a few lights remained on, the hum of sewing machines silenced for the day, and her team long gone after a grueling week of preparation for the upcoming Paris fashion event.

Elena herself was absent. Her schedule had been consumed entirely by back-to-back fittings, press interviews, and finalizing details with international buyers. The café meeting she had planned earlier with her secretary had been forgotten entirely, pushed aside by an impromptu phone call from an overseas investor. She hadn’t even noticed the message left on her desk.

But Callum had noticed.

He stepped into the building cautiously, his steps slow, uncertain. The 45 days in jail hadn’t been kind—his face was a little leaner, eyes carrying shadows deeper than before. He hadn’t come to fight, or to win her back. Not today. He only wanted to speak with her… to apologize properly.

A bouquet of soft pink peonies rested in his arms, petals trembling slightly in the draft of the lobby’s entrance. He had chosen them carefully—not red for love, not white for forgiveness, but pink for gratitude. Gratitude for her strength, for her grace, for everything he hadn’t been able to say when he vanished.

The front desk security eyed him warily.

"Elena Vasquez isn’t available at the moment," the woman said coolly, barely glancing up from her tablet.

Callum gave a quiet nod. "Could you please give this to her?" he asked, offering the flowers and a sealed envelope.

But before she could answer, another voice echoed from behind the glass doors.

"I’ll take that."

Levi.

He stepped out from behind a sleek, polished partition near the reception desk, holding a steaming cup of tea in one hand. Dressed in a casual navy shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows, he looked both relaxed and ready to pounce. He raised an eyebrow and gave a tight smile, eyes zeroed in on the man who had once threatened to destroy Elena’s world.

Callum stiffened.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

The receptionist subtly looked between the two men, sensing something deeper simmering beneath the surface. A storm was brewing, silent but dangerous.

"You again," Levi said, tone smooth but edged with steel. "Didn’t you get the message the first dozen times?"

Callum held his ground. "I’m not here to win her back. I just want to give her this and leave."

"That’s funny," Levi said, stepping closer and taking the bouquet with little care. "Because she’s not here, and even if she were, I don’t think she’d want a surprise visit from you."

Callum’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I didn’t ask for your opinion."

"Too bad. I’m the only one who gets to give it right now."

The envelope remained in Callum’s hand, his fingers white from the grip. Levi didn't reach for it. He didn't need to. The challenge was already laid out between them.

The lobby was bathed in a surreal quiet. Even the air seemed to hold its breath as the two men stood in silent opposition, framed by the modern elegance of Elena’s headquarters.

Levi took a slow sip of his tea. "You had your chance, Callum. You had her heart and you threw it away."

Callum didn’t flinch. "And now you’re what? Her savior? Her protector?"

"No," Levi said with a short chuckle. "I’m the man who showed up when she needed someone real. Someone stable. Someone who doesn’t leave when things get difficult."

"You mean someone who manipulates her schedule, intercepts her messages, and lies to keep her from making her own decisions?"

Levi’s jaw tightened. "I’m not the one who betrayed her."

"But you are the one who’s terrified she might still care."

The words struck deep. Levi’s eyes darkened.

"You think she’s going to thank you for this stunt? For hiding me from her?"

"I think," Levi said, stepping close enough that their shoulders nearly touched, "that she’ll thank me for sparing her more pain."

Callum let out a slow breath, voice lowering. "You don’t know her as well as you think."

"I know she’s moved on. She’s flourishing. She doesn’t need ghosts haunting her."

At that, Callum looked down. He slipped the envelope into Levi’s coat pocket without another word.

"Make sure she gets that," he said quietly.

Then he turned and walked out.

Levi didn’t stop him.

He watched the elevator doors close behind Callum and only then let out a tense breath.

It was noon the next day when Levi arrived at the studio.

Elena’s assistant let him in.

He carried lunch again, wrapped neatly in a wax-paper box with a handwritten note.

When Elena saw him, she blinked in shock.

"What a long face?"

"Wild cat," he said smoothly, setting down the food. "Tried to fight me for the last slice of lemon tart."

"Levi," she said sternly, moving toward him. "Okay, you win! Callum just been here.."

"What? Why didn't you tell—."

He shrugged. "Was worth it."

"I don't know?"

"No," he murmured. "For you."

Her fingers froze for a second.

He smiled lightly, ignoring the tension in the air.

"Also," he added, reaching for the tea she had brewed, "did I mention I’m your boyfriend now?"

Elena blinked.

"What?"

"I’m your boyfriend," Levi repeated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Since when?"

"Since just now. Thought I’d save you the trouble of picking."

She stared at him.

He took a sip of tea, meeting her eyes calmly.

"Unless you object."

Elena said nothing.

"I do."

Outside, the wind shifted through the trees. Inside, the silence between them said more than words could.

And somewhere deep in her chest, something stirred.