They were childhood best friends who became each other’s first love.

But one night, Adrian disappeared—without a word, without an explanation.

All he left behind was a box of letters that Evelyn never received.

Seven years later, she is engaged to another man, ready to start a new life.

Until Adrian returns.

Holding the letters.

And with them, the truth she was never meant to know.

Evelyn thought she had moved on. She thought she had healed. But when she finally reads the letters, she realizes—his disappearance was never a choice.

Someone had kept them apart.

Someone had hidden the truth.

And now, the past is unraveling, piece by piece.

But the closer she gets to the truth, the more she begins to wonder…

Some secrets were meant to stay buried.

And maybe, just maybe—loving him again will cost her everything.

Adrian knew how to track men who wanted to be found. He had hunted down warlords, assassins, and the ghosts of Orion's Circle—but Lucien wasn't just hiding.


Evelyn sat across from Adrian at the safe house table, watching as he combed through every bit of intel they had. Bank records. Old contacts. Abandoned safe houses. Everything led to nothing.


"Orion's Circle had access to global surveillance," Evelyn said, rubbing her temples. "If he was still using their resources, we'd have found a trace."


Adrian's jaw tightened. "Which means he isn't."


Evelyn swallowed. "Then where the hell is he?"


Adrian's eyes flicked toward the black envelope Selene had given him.


Lucien had covered his tracks. But Selene knew exactly where he was.


Evelyn noticed his hesitation. "You don't trust her."


"I trust that she wants something," Adrian muttered. "No one hands over information like this for free."


Adrian exhaled sharply. "Yeah. And that makes me wonder who the real target is."


Adrian finally flipped the black envelope open.


Inside, there was a single handwritten address.


Evelyn frowned. "That doesn't make sense."


Adrian's expression was unreadable. "It does."


Evelyn looked at him. "What are you not telling me?"


Adrian ran a hand down his face. Lindenhall. It was a name he hadn't heard in years. A private estate, untouched by government records, buried in the wealth of old European money.


Evelyn's eyes widened as she pieced it together. "He went home."


Adrian's voice was cold. "No. He went to the one place he knew I'd never look."


Evelyn's breath hitched. "Then he doesn't know you're coming."


Adrian's fingers tightened on the paper.


They arrived in Paris under the cover of darkness.


Lindenhall Estate sat on the outskirts, hidden behind miles of forest. It was old, untouched by time, belonging to a world of power that existed in the shadows.


Adrian and Evelyn stood outside the iron gates, dressed in dark gear, their weapons strapped to their sides.


Adrian's gaze never wavered. "Lucien built me for war."


And with that, they stepped into the lion's den.


Chapter 21 - Hunting a Ghost