Shadows Between Us
1340 Words
Chapter-4
Shadows Between Us
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The silence stretched long after Leo disappeared into the bedroom. Ellie stood frozen in place, his words replaying in her mind.
"Would you rather I pretend to love you?"
Her fingers curled against the fabric of her nightgown. A part of her wanted to scream at him, demand to know why he had married her if he had no intention of being a husband. But the other part… the quieter, more dangerous part of her, wanted to break him open and see what he was hiding.
Because he was hiding something.
A man like Leo Marcus—one who was so controlled, so carefully detached—wasn’t naturally devoid of emotions. He had chosen to be this way.
And Ellie wasn’t sure whether that scared her or intrigued her.
She inhaled deeply, pushing away the thoughts clawing at her mind. There was no point in standing here like a fool. If this marriage was going to be built on nothing but walls, then fine. She had survived worse.
Ellie turned toward the bedroom. The door wasn’t locked.
Of course, it wasn’t.
Leo Marcus didn’t need locks to keep people out. His presence alone was enough of a barrier.
She stepped inside, expecting to find him asleep or pretending to be, but instead, he stood near the large window, staring at the city. His white dress shirt was unbuttoned at the top, sleeves rolled up, hands tucked into his pockets.
At the sound of her entering, he turned his head slightly, but he didn’t say a word.
Ellie swallowed. “Are you going to take the bed, or should I?”
His brows furrowed slightly, as if the question annoyed him. “Take it.”
She crossed her arms. “And where will you sleep?”
“The couch.”
She let out a dry laugh. “How noble of you.”
Leo didn’t respond.
The air between them felt thick, charged with something unspoken. She should have left it at that, taken the bed and ended the night in silence. But something about his indifference grated at her nerves.
She took a step closer. “Why did you marry me, Leo?”
His jaw tightened. “You already know why.”
“No, I know what everyone thinks is the reason.” Ellie tilted her head. “But what’s the real one?”
His gaze darkened. “You’re looking for something that isn’t there, Eleanor.”
She ignored the way his voice wrapped around her name like a warning.
“You said you wouldn’t pretend to love me,” she continued, her voice quieter now. “Fine. I never expected love. But you—you’re pretending too. You’re pretending not to feel anything at all.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked.
For the first time, she saw a flicker of something—something raw, something untamed—but it was gone before she could grasp it.
“I suggest you sleep, Ellie.” His voice was low, controlled, but she wasn’t blind to the slight tension in his frame. “This conversation is pointless.”
Maybe it was. But she had struck something.
She stepped back, exhaling sharply. “Fine.”
Without another word, she climbed into bed, her body sinking into the softness of the mattress. Leo watched her for a moment longer before turning off the lamp and retreating to the couch.
Darkness swallowed the room.
And yet, Ellie knew neither of them was truly asleep.
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A Night That Changed Everything
Ellie wasn’t sure what time it was when she woke up, but something was off.
A presence.
A sound.
Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the faint city lights filtering through the curtains. At first, everything seemed normal—Leo was still on the couch, his breathing even.
But then—
A shadow moved.
She froze.
Her pulse spiked as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. It wasn’t Leo.
Someone else was in the room.
The figure was near the window, tall and shrouded in darkness. Ellie’s stomach twisted in fear, but she forced herself to stay still, to think.
Then—
Leo moved.
It was swift, controlled—one second he was on the couch, the next, he had grabbed something from beneath the cushions, and before she could even process it, a low, cold voice sliced through the air.
“Step into the light.”
The intruder stilled.
Ellie’s breath caught in her throat. Leo’s entire demeanor had changed. He wasn’t the composed businessman from earlier. No, the man standing there now—his body tense, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike—was someone else entirely.
Dangerous.
The intruder let out a low chuckle. “Still quick, aren’t you, Leo?”
Ellie felt her blood run cold. The familiarity in the voice sent a shiver down her spine.
Leo didn’t lower his weapon—because yes, that was a gun in his hand, the dark metal glinting under the city lights.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Leo’s voice was ice.
The shadowy figure took a step closer, finally revealing himself under the dim glow.
A man. Late thirties, rugged, dressed in black. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes—sharp and calculating—never left Leo’s.
“Just visiting an old friend.”
Leo didn’t waver. “You lost the right to call yourself that years ago.”
The man smirked. “Still holding grudges, I see.”
Ellie’s heart pounded. Who was this man? And why was Leo holding a gun like he knew how to use it?
“I should pull the trigger right now,” Leo said flatly, his tone devoid of emotion.
The man lifted his hands in mock surrender. “You won’t.”
Leo’s finger twitched over the trigger.
A heartbeat of silence.
Then, the man’s gaze flickered toward Ellie.
Her stomach dropped.
His smirk widened. “Ah. So this is the wife.”
Leo’s entire body went rigid.
Ellie saw it. The slight shift in his stance, the way his grip on the gun tightened. It was the first time since she met him that she saw something close to real anger in his expression.
And it was directed at this man.
“Get out,” Leo said, his voice low, lethal.
The man chuckled, but there was something darker beneath it. “We’ll see each other again, old friend. Sooner than you think.”
Then, just as quickly as he had appeared, he turned and vanished into the night.
Leo didn’t lower the gun.
Didn’t move.
Didn’t breathe.
Ellie swallowed. Her mind was spinning, trying to process what had just happened.
But one thing was crystal clear.
Leo Marcus wasn’t just a cold businessman.
He had secrets.
Dangerous ones.
And she had just become a part of them.
Ellie sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing the smooth fabric absentmindedly. The silence in the penthouse was unnerving. Leo had disappeared into his study moments ago, leaving her alone with her restless thoughts.
Just as she exhaled, trying to steady herself, a loud thud echoed from the other room. Her head snapped up.
Another sound followed—something heavy hitting the floor.
Her pulse spiked. She hesitated for only a second before pushing to her feet, gathering her dress in her hands as she moved toward the study. The door was ajar, revealing a sliver of the dimly lit room.
She pushed it open.
Leo stood with his back to her, his white shirt slightly untucked, sleeves rolled up. But what sent chills down her spine wasn’t his disheveled appearance.
It was the man slumped against the desk—unconscious, blood trickling from his temple.
Her breath hitched.
Leo turned slowly, his dark eyes locking onto hers.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice disturbingly calm.
Ellie’s stomach twisted.
Who was this man? And more importantly—who was Leo Marcus?
[To be continued]
- Writer
