Assassin's Last Billionaire

Mr. Vale

-Lucian-

The roar of the crowd was deafening, but inside, it was quiet, like the world had paused just for me. Last year, we couldn't even get into the quarterfinals. But now? We were in the f*****g semis.

I stood in the center of the pitch, breath heavy, chest rising and falling under the weight of it all. The scoreboard flashed victory, but it was the pounding in my chest that told me we’d made it.

Then came the flashes, like lightning strikes from all directions. Cameras pointed at me like rifles, capturing every breath, every bead of sweat dripping down my jaw. My name echoed through the stadium like a drumbeat. “VALE…..” Reporters closed in like sharks, microphones raised, questions flying. But I couldn’t hear them. Not yet.

I saw her in the stands. Elena. Waving. Smiling. The same girl I once found tangled in another man's arms. My smile faltered. The cheers became hollow. The air turned thick, like breathing underwater.

And then….. I saw her!

A silhouette near the tunnel, standing still as the chaos raged around her. Calm. Unmoving. Almost unreal. A white hood was pulled over her hair, casting a soft shadow across her face. Dark clothes. No flash. No sparkle. Just a stillness that pulled me in like gravity.

My breath caught. Not because she was flawless. But because she looked like a secret. A sin. A storm I hadn’t seen coming. She wasn’t watching the game, the cameras, or me. She wasn’t watching anything. And yet, I couldn’t stop watching her.

I walked toward her—slow, intentional. The cameras followed like hawks. I didn’t care. I wanted to escape them. I went to her. “Didn’t think I’d see you here,” I said, voice low. She blinked once, calm. “Neither did I.” She didn’t saw it coming. Lucian Vale, going directly to her.

Click. Flash. Flash. Click.

“Lucian! Who’s she?” “Is that your girlfriend?” “Care to comment on the mystery woman?” I didn’t answer. Just gave a small smirk and walked past them. She stood still, unbothered. Kind of making me itchy. She should be celebrating.

I held the door open. She slipped in like smoke, and I followed. The stadium’s roar melted into the sterile hum of fluorescent lights. I turned to her, arms crossed. I’d seen this before beauties with hidden agendas. The last girl like her had a secret mic stitched into her bra.

“You want a picture? Or an autograph?” I asked, casual, rehearsed. She didn’t even blink. “What’s your name?” I pressed, sharper this time. “Danny.” It hit me like a gut punch. One word. Soft. Cool. Controlled. Her hood slipped back. And then…..those eyes. Green. Not warm. Not inviting. Wild. Cold. Like a f*****g forest set on fire and left to regrow itself in ash.

Hair tied back. Face expressionless. Her entire presence screamed of someone who knew more than she let on. “I hope you’re not...press,” I muttered, I'm ready for the worst case scenario.

Her lips curved slightly. And s**t it made my c**k hard. It was not a smile, something more dangerous. “Do you see anything in my hand?” I glanced. “No.”

“Good.” She brushed past me like she owned the hallway. Before I could react, my teammates came charging in like a wave. “Lucian! Bro, that goal was insane!”

Mateo clapped me on the back. “Saved our asses, man.”

I chuckled, half-distracted. My eyes kept flicking back. But she was already gone. Andro smirked. “Your new girl is kinda hot. Didn’t know we were doing interviews with angels now.” “She’s not—” I paused. Let it hang. “Forget it.”

But I couldn’t forget her. Even when the laughter rose around me again, she lingered in the back of my mind. Not just her eyes, or the way she walked like she carried ghosts. It was something else. A silence that followed her like a shadow. Like she’d seen the world end once and didn’t flinch.

****

Later that night, Velmira, UKN

The Vale estate shimmered under soft golden lights, elegant and silent. The gates opened as my car rolled in. The staff lined up like soldiers awaiting a king.

“Welcome home, sir.” “Congratulations on the win, Mr. Vale.” I offered a nod. A practiced smile. A ghost of joy.

Inside, the marble floors echoed beneath my feet. I was halfway up the stairs when I heard her voice. “Tell Minister Hawthorne I’ll sign nothing until I see the energy proposal in full.” My mother. Always in control. Always somewhere else.

She didn’t look at me. “I’ll be late tonight,” she said into her phone, heels already clicking toward the door. “Don’t wait.” And then she was gone. Off into another powerful night. Leaving me behind.

I climbed the stairs alone. Room untouched. Trophies untouched. Time untouched. A photo caught my eye. Two boys. One laughing, one pretending not to. My hand brushed over my brother’s face. “Wish you saw that goal,” I whispered.

****

Hours later—

I lay against cold pillows, the weight of silence pressing in. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. Again.

7 missed calls. 12 unread messages.

Elena.

Elena: I saw the girl. She’s not me.

Elena: Don’t do this. You’ll regret it.

Elena: You still love me. I know you do.

I stared. Jaw clenched. Love? She threw that away the night I walked in and saw her with someone else. Ever since then, I didn’t mourn her. I mourned the time I wasted. I locked the screen. Tossed the phone aside.

But in the dark, her voice returned,Danny.

I couldn’t shake it. The way she looked at me like she already knew my secrets. The way she walked away without asking for anything. The silence she left behind felt louder than Elena’s noise ever did.

I should’ve forgotten her. I should’ve walked away. I should’ve slept. But instead, I lay there, wide awake. Wondering who the hell Danny really was… And why part of me already knew, She wasn’t here by accident. Like she’d been doing it for a while.

I reached for my phone again. Not to call Elena back. Not to scroll through headlines. I opened my messages and typed one short text, to my manager, Henry.

Lucian: I need you to find out who that girl was. White hoodie. Green eyes. Near tunnel entrance. Tonight.

Three dots appeared. Then disappeared.

Henry: You think she’s a reporter?

I stared at the screen.

Lucian: No.

Worse. I think she knew exactly where to stand so I’d find her.

This time, Henry didn’t respond right away. I locked the screen. Laid back. Closed my eyes.

But her voice echoed again, Danny.

And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel tired. I felt hunted.