Ethan Calloway has returned to the city after more than a decade away—years spent serving in an elite special forces unit. The skyline is familiar, yet distant, as if he's seeing it through a stranger's eyes. Now, with his father gone, he must step into the role he never expected to fill-inheriting the Calloway Holdings and upholding the legacy his father built.
Fate had dragged him back, and now, as he stepped out of the sleek black SUV and adjusted the cufflinks on his freshly pressed suit, he stared up at the towering glass façade of Calloway Industries. It towered above him, a reminder of everything he once walked away from—wealth, power, legacy.
James straightened the moment he saw Ethan step through the glass doors, a wide grin breaking across his face—genuine, this time. "Well, damn," he said, walking up with open arms. "Ethan Calloway in a three-piece suit. Thought I'd have to bribe someone to get you back here."
Ethan raised a brow but let himself be pulled into a quick, rough hug. "You know I'm always on time."
James laughed, clapping him on the back before pulling away. "Still the same precise, annoyingly punctual bastard."
He looked his older brother over with a mix of amusement and relief. "But really... I'm glad you're here. You have no idea."
Ethan's gaze sharpened. "That bad?"
James hesitated, his grin faltering just a touch. "Let's just say... if you hadn't come back, this whole legacy Dad built? It'd be in ashes. And I'd probably be the one lighting the fuse without meaning to."
Ethan blinked, caught off guard by the honesty. "Didn't think you'd ever admit that."
James smirked. "Yeah, well. Desperate times, right?"
They stood together in the quiet lobby for a beat, the polished marble reflecting more than just light. Years of rivalry and tension hummed between them—but beneath it all, there was blood, history, and something that had never quite broken.
James nudged him toward the lift with a shoulder bump. "Come on. Board meeting's on the 28th. The sharks are already circling."
Ethan stepped in beside him, cool and composed as ever, the elevator doors gliding shut behind them.
"Oh, and Ethan," James added with a crooked grin, "if you somehow screw this up, I'm putting you in charge of company birthday parties."
Ethan chuckled. "Guess I'll just have to save the company then."
The elevator ascended, two brothers side by side—finally walking into battle together.
*****
He had just returned to the city when he heard the news—Lena was single again. It hit him like a punch, stealing his breath and dredging up emotions he thought he'd buried long ago. Years of discipline, hardened in war zones and special ops missions, crumbled at the simple sound of her name.
Lena.
The woman he had tried to forget. The one he had walked away from for all the right reasons—and regretted every single day since. But some things don't fade. Not her smiles. Not her eyes. Not the way she looked at him like he was more than just a Calloway.
The memory of the call with Sophie flashed in his mind. It had been brief, but it left a mark.
"She's single," Sophie had said without preamble. "It's over between her and Anthony. Finally."
He hadn't responded right away, because even hearing those words had winded him.
"And before you ask," she continued knowingly, "yes, she's going to the Sterling & Vale charity gala this weekend. I told her I'd see her there."
Ethan had barely managed to breathe out her name. "Lena…"
"I know you still care, Ethan. You never really stopped. And don't lie—I've been feeding you updates on her since you left." Sophie's tone softened. "This might be your only real chance. Don't waste it."
He hadn't said much after that. He couldn't. But now, standing in the lobby of Calloway Enterprises, the elevator lights blinking above, her name burned in his chest like a lit fuse.
"You've heard, haven't you?" James said beside him, wearing that familiar smug smile that always appeared when he knew he'd struck a nerve.
Ethan didn't bother denying it. "It's hard not to."
James let out a low whistle and shook his head. "Anthony Grayson is a goddamn idiot. If I had a woman like Lena, I wouldn't be stupid enough to screw it up."
Ethan didn't reply, but the words hit hard and stuck with him. He had spent years convincing himself Lena belonged to someone else. That she was happy. That she had made her choice. That he had no right to come back and fight for his chance.
But now?
Nothing stood in his way. And Ethan Calloway wasn't the kind of man to let that slip by.
*****
The ballroom shimmered with opulence—gilded arches, soft candlelight, and a sea of glittering gowns and tailored suits. Lena stepped through the grand entrance beside Sophie, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor, her gaze sweeping the crowd with quiet detachment.
"You clean up nice," Sophie said with a wink, adjusting the strap of her deep emerald dress. "Now, promise me you'll stop thinking about Anthony. He doesn't deserve a second of your mind tonight."
Lena gave a faint smile. "I'm not thinking about him."
"Good." Sophie looped her arm through Lena's. "Because tonight? It's about you finding another man."
Lena shook her head, her voice calm but firm. "Come on Sophie, It's a charity gala. The donations go to the children's cancer fund. That's what matters."
Sophie sighed, but her smile softened. "You always find a way to stay grounded, even when your world's been flipped upside down."
Lena just smiled and didn't respond.
They moved deeper into the ballroom, the soft hum of music mingling with the polite chatter of the city's elite. Sterling & Vale never did anything halfway, and the guest list read like a who's who of power and privilege.
Heads turned as they passed—men pausing mid-conversation, eyes following the elegant figure in black. Her gown, a sleek silhouette that hugged her in all the right places, shimmered subtly under the chandeliers. Her dark hair was styled in a soft updo, drawing attention to the graceful curve of her neck and the quiet confidence in her stride. She didn't try to command attention—but she had it anyway. Not with loudness, but with poise.
A while later, the atmosphere in the ballroom shifted.
Soft murmurs spread through the room, glances were exchanged, and heads began to turn toward the entrance.
Lena followed their gaze.
A man had just stepped in.
Tall and broad-shouldered, he exuded quiet confidence. His black suit was tailored to perfection, accentuating a lean, powerful frame. Dark hair swept back with effortless style, sharp jawline kissed by just the right amount of stubble. His presence alone drew attention—but it was his eyes, piercing and unreadable, that truly held it.
He moved through the crowd with quiet confidence, his perfectly tailored black suit turning heads. His sharp jaw and calm expression only added to the mystery.
Whispers followed him, mostly from young women who couldn't hide their interest.
"Who is that?" one woman breathed nearby.
Ethan Calloway?
Lena stared and she was stunned. It took her a few seconds longer than she wanted to admit before recognition settled in. The name hadn't crossed her lips in years, but the sound of it still echoed in her memory. He looked... nothing like the boy she remembered from high school.
He had vanished after high school, leaving barely a trace. She'd heard rumors—special forces, war zones, secret missions—but they always felt distant, like stories from another world.
And yet here he was. Back in the city. Back in the same room.
He hadn't seen her yet. But she couldn't stop staring.