Cold, immaculate, and silent, the mansion that had once been a hive of activity now stood motionless. Only a few days had passed since what should have been the happiest moment of his life, but Michael Hudson had stopped keeping track of the passing of time.
Only when it's dark.
He hadn't gone back to work. Without him, Hudson Industries ran smoothly, but even his most dependable executives started to have concerns. Emails were not returned. There were no board meetings. Always the calm, astute leader, Michael had disappeared like a ghost into his home's reverberating hallways.
He ate very little.
He didn't get much sleep.
The same scene played over and over in his head every night: As she got out of the car, Heather's eyes were filled with guilt rather than love. "I'm not ready," she said, tearing through him like glass.
However, it went beyond simply losing a lover. It was a dream that fell apart. the notion that legacy, love, and loyalty could all coexist in one place. that he could create the kind of future his father had dreamed of.
It had seemed possible to him. He had faith in her.
Trust was now a wound that would not heal.
Michael's daily schedule became robotic: get up, pour himself a glass of whiskey, put his phone away, and walk through the deserted hallways. He refused every social invitation, disconnected from friends, and disregarded Henry's calls. Even the media fell silent as whispered rumors of a broken billionaire unraveling behind high gates took the place of their inquisitive curiosity.
He saw his reflection in the mirror one morning: disheveled hair, hollow eyes, and stubble along a jaw that used to have strength in every line. The man staring back was unfamiliar to him.
This wasn't sorrow. There was more to it. Something that pulled him under, clinging to his chest like a weight.
What's the worst? He was indifferent.
In the library where he used to read biographies and business journals, Michael spent hours reading pages he couldn't recall because he was half-drunk. He couldn't bring himself to remove their photos, but he did remove Heather's number from his phone. Not just yet.
She reminded him of every room.
He was reminded of what might have been in every silence.
Outside his mansion, the world changed, but Michael Hudson stayed motionless, caught in a moment that would not let go.
And a promise started to take shape deep within.
A silent promise.
Never again.