Leonard Ford stepped into his grand, empty house, the hollow echo of his footsteps reminding him of what had been missing for weeks. The place had once been filled with life—a life he didn't even realize had been quietly slipping away until it was gone. Every time he walked through the front door, he half-expected to see Katherine waiting for him, her warm smile greeting him after a long day at work. But now, the house was just a shell, much like himself.
He paused for a moment in the expansive foyer, letting his eyes wander over the sleek marble floors, the high ceilings, the lavish furnishings that reeked of wealth and success. None of it meant anything in this suffocating silence. He shook his head, a small chuckle escaping his lips.
"What am I thinking?" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair as he tried to dispel the lingering memory of Katherine.
It wasn't regret, he told himself. He didn't regret the divorce. He had made his choice, and it was the right one for him. Katherine had never fit into his world the way Miranda did—glamorous, confident, and a reflection of the life he believed he deserved.
Still, as he walked through the quiet halls, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. The scent of her perfume, the sound of her laughter, even the soft murmur of her voice as she asked him about his day. He stopped in the living room, where she used to sit curled up with a book, her legs tucked underneath her on the couch. For a fleeting second, he imagined her there, her head lifting as he walked in.
But she was gone. And the house felt colder without her presence.
With a frustrated sigh, Leonard grabbed his car keys from the table and walked back out. He needed to get out of here. Standing in this empty house, haunted by a past he didn't want to think about, was driving him mad. He slammed the door behind him and got into his car, heading to the only place where he could escape those thoughts.
**
The luxury apartment building stood tall and imposing, a symbol of wealth and exclusivity in the heart of the city. Leonard pulled into the underground parking garage, his car gliding smoothly into his reserved spot. This building had been a gift to Miranda—a place where they could have their privacy, shielded from the prying eyes of the world. Only the wealthy and powerful could afford to live here, which was exactly why he had chosen it for her.
As he stepped into the elevator, his thoughts began to shift. Miranda. She was what he needed—distraction, passion, the kind of woman who lived and breathed the high life with him. She was everything Katherine wasn't. He had made his choice. So why did Katherine's face keep appearing in his mind?
When the elevator doors opened to Miranda's floor, Leonard straightened his jacket and walked toward her apartment. He pressed the doorbell, and a moment later, the door swung open to reveal Miranda standing there, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw him.
"Leonard!" she greeted him, her voice dripping with excitement as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.
He responded mechanically, going through the motions, his mind still clouded with the remnants of his earlier thoughts. As they pulled apart, he forced a smile. "I'm staying here tonight," he told her.
Miranda's eyes sparkled with delight. "Good," she purred, stepping aside to let him in. "I was hoping you would."
They made their way to the bedroom, where the lavish décor reflected the luxurious lifestyle she thrived on. As they lay together in bed, the soft glow of the city lights streaming in through the window, Miranda turned to him, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his chest.
"Guess who I ran into today," she said casually, her voice filled with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.
Leonard, still half-distracted, barely glanced at her. "Who?"
"Katherine," Miranda said, her tone sharp as she mentioned the name. "Your ex-wife."
Leonard's attention snapped back to her, his brows furrowing slightly. "Really? Where?"
"At some café. She's working there as a waitress or something," Miranda continued, rolling her eyes. "She bumped into me and spilled my coffee. Honestly, I didn't even recognize her at first. Can you believe it?"
Leonard's jaw clenched, and for a moment, he said nothing. The image of Katherine, standing in a café, serving customers, felt surreal to him. Katherine had always been so strong, so independent. It didn't make sense for her to end up like that.
Miranda's voice broke through his thoughts. "Didn't you give her any money? I mean, if she's working like that, she must really be struggling."
Leonard's eyes darkened. He had given Katherine a substantial amount of money in the divorce settlement, but she had returned it, refusing to take anything from him. It was one of the last acts of defiance she had shown him before walking away from their life together.
"Let's not talk about Katherine anymore," Leonard said abruptly, shifting to pull Miranda closer to him. He pressed his lips against hers, eager to drown out the uncomfortable thoughts swirling in his mind.
Miranda gladly responded, her fingers tangling in his hair as their kiss deepened. But even as their bodies intertwined, Leonard's mind remained elsewhere. Katherine's face, her stubborn refusal to take his money, her image as a café waitress—it all gnawed at him in a way he didn't want to admit.
As Miranda settled into his arms, drifting off to sleep, Leonard lay awake, staring at the ceiling. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling Miranda's words had stirred in him.