THE STUD MAN

THE GHOST AT THE DOOR

Adrian ignored Vanessa’s message for two days.

Then she sent another.

I won’t keep bothering you. I only want twenty minutes. After that, you’ll never have to hear from me again.

He read it during a meeting.

Marcus was discussing expansion plans, but Adrian heard almost nothing.

Twenty minutes.

He should delete the message.

Better still, he should show Amelia.

Instead, Adrian placed his phone face down.

“Adrian?”

He looked up.

Marcus frowned.

“You with us?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t look like it.”

“Continue.”

Marcus hesitated before returning to the presentation.

Adrian forced himself to concentrate.

It wasn’t Vanessa he wanted.

That part was clear.

The woman who had once occupied his thoughts now felt strangely distant.

So why meet her?

Closure?

He had thought the awards dinner gave him that.

But there were questions he had never asked.

Things he had spent years pretending he no longer cared about.

Maybe twenty minutes would finally bury them.

That evening, Adrian replied.

Tomorrow. 6 p.m. Twenty minutes.

Vanessa chose a café in Mayfair.

Adrian immediately recognised the irony.

Years ago, places like this represented everything Vanessa believed he lacked.

Now he entered wearing a suit worth more than his old monthly rent.

He hated that he noticed.

Vanessa was already seated.

She stood when she saw him.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Twenty minutes.”

She nodded.

Adrian sat opposite her.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Vanessa smiled sadly.

“You really hate me.”

“No.”

“That might be worse.”

“What did you want to say?”

She looked down.

“I’m sorry.”

Adrian waited.

“For Daniel. For cheating. For how I ended things.”

“Okay.”

Vanessa looked up.

“That’s all?”

“What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know.”

“You asked to apologise. You apologised.”

She exhaled.

“I was horrible to you.”

“Yes.”

“I made you feel small.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve thought about that a lot.”

Adrian’s expression hardened.

“I haven’t.”

The lie tasted bitter.

Vanessa noticed.

“I heard about Amelia.”

His eyes sharpened.

“How?”

“London isn’t that big.”

“It’s nine million people.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No, actually.”

Vanessa leaned back.

“I asked around.”

“Why?”

Her silence answered him.

Adrian shook his head.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Whatever this is.”

“I made a mistake.”

“You said that.”

“No. I mean leaving you.”

Adrian stared at her.

There it was.

Years ago, those words would have healed something inside him.

Now they irritated him.

“You didn’t make a mistake leaving me.”

Vanessa looked confused.

“You made a choice.”

“I was immature.”

“You were cruel.”

“I know.”

“You wanted something else, Vanessa. You found it.”

“And lost it.”

“That isn’t my problem.”

She flinched.

Adrian checked the time.

“Fifteen minutes.”

“Are you happy with her?”

He looked at Vanessa.

“Yes.”

The answer came without hesitation.

Vanessa nodded slowly.

“Do you love her?”

That answer did not come as easily.

Not because it was no.

Because Adrian had not allowed himself to say the word.

Vanessa saw his hesitation.

“That’s what I thought.”

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Don’t turn my difficulty saying something into an opportunity.”

She looked away.

“I’m sorry.”

Adrian stood.

“Twenty minutes isn’t up.”

“It is for me.”

Vanessa stood too.

“Adrian, wait.”

She touched his arm.

At exactly that moment, a camera flashed outside the window.

Adrian turned.

A man stood across the street with a phone.

Another flash.

“Who is that?” Vanessa asked.

Adrian pulled his arm away.

“I don’t know.”

He walked outside.

The man was already disappearing into the crowd.

Adrian swore under his breath.

Vanessa came behind him.

“Maybe he wasn’t photographing us.”

“He was.”

“Why?”

Adrian looked at her.

His company had become increasingly visible.

Technology publications had written about him.

Business blogs occasionally discussed his personal life.

And the ridiculous Stud Man nickname had somehow followed him into online gossip.

“Because apparently my life is interesting now.”

Vanessa looked uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry.”

Adrian took out his phone.

He needed to call Amelia.

Now.

Before anything appeared online.

Her name was already on the screen when Vanessa spoke.

“I really did love you.”

Adrian stopped.

He turned.

Vanessa’s eyes were wet.

“Not properly,” she continued. “Not the way you deserved. But I did.”

Adrian stared at the woman who had once controlled his entire sense of worth.

He felt sadness.

Not longing.

Not love.

Sadness.

“I loved you too.”

Vanessa’s face changed.

“Once.”

The hope disappeared.

Adrian continued.

“And for years, I hated myself because you didn’t choose me.”

She looked down.

“But you leaving me wasn’t proof that I wasn’t enough.”

“No.”

“I know that now.”

Vanessa wiped beneath one eye.

“She’s lucky.”

Adrian thought of Amelia.

Her terrible cooking.

Her sarcasm.

The way she held his hand.

The way she had said, I’m here.

“No,” he said quietly. “I think I am.”

Then he walked away.

⸻

Amelia called before Adrian reached his car.

He answered immediately.

“Hi.”

Her voice was different.

“Where are you?”

His stomach dropped.

“Mayfair.”

“I know.”

Silence.

Adrian closed his eyes.

“You’ve seen something.”

“A friend sent me a photograph.”

“Amelia—”

“It’s Vanessa, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Another silence.

“Why are you with her?”

“She asked to meet.”

“And you agreed?”

“I wanted to hear what she had to say.”

“Did you?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

That calm frightened him.

“I was going to tell you.”

“When?”

“Tonight.”

“You’ve known she contacted you for days.”

Adrian said nothing.

Amelia understood.

“You lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie about meeting her.”

“You told me the messages were work.”

His own words returned like a slap.

“Amelia, listen.”

“I am listening.”

“Nothing happened.”

“I didn’t say anything happened.”

“She touched my arm. That’s what the photograph probably shows.”

“Adrian, stop.”

He went quiet.

“This isn’t about whether you slept with Vanessa.”

“I would never—”

“I know.”

That surprised him.

“Then what is this about?”

“You promised me.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

No secrets.

No disappearing.

Tell me.

“I know.”

“You could have told me she messaged.”

“I should have.”

“You could have told me you were meeting her.”

“I know.”

“But instead, I had to find out through a photograph someone sent me.”

“I made a mistake.”

“Yes.”

“I was scared.”

Amelia went silent.

Adrian leaned against the car.

“I didn’t know how you’d react.”

“So you decided for me?”

“No.”

“That’s exactly what you did.”

He had no defence.

“I don’t care that Vanessa wanted closure,” Amelia said. “I care that the moment your past walked back into your life, you shut me out.”

“I wasn’t shutting you out.”

“You lied.”

The word hurt because it was true.

“Where are you?” Adrian asked.

“Home.”

“I’m coming over.”

“No.”

“Amelia.”

“Not tonight.”

Panic rose immediately.

“Don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Push me away.”

Her voice sharpened.

“I’m not the one who did that.”

Adrian went silent.

“Goodnight.”

“Amelia, please.”

The line disconnected.

Adrian stared at his phone.

Call again.

Go to her apartment.

Fix it.

His instincts fought each other.

One demanded that he chase her.

The other whispered something darker.

This is why you never let anyone matter.

His phone vibrated.

Ollie.

A link.

Mate, you need to see this.

Adrian opened it.

A photograph filled the screen.

Vanessa touching his arm outside the café.

The headline underneath was worse.

THE STUD MAN REUNITES WITH FORMER FLAME: TROUBLE IN PARADISE?

Adrian stared at the nickname.

For years, he had enjoyed what it represented.

Control.

Desire.

Freedom.

Now, for the first time, he hated it.

Because somewhere across London was a woman he cared about deeply.

A woman who had trusted Adrian Cole.

And once again, The Stud Man had arrived between them.

Only this time, Adrian couldn’t blame Vanessa.

He couldn’t blame gossip.

He couldn’t blame heartbreak.

This time, the damage had his fingerprints all over it.