There were some people you could walk away from.
And there were some people you ran from, only to find them waiting at every finish line.
For Elijah, Luca Veltran was both.
---
It was 8:45 a.m. when Elijah stepped into the elevator at the Veltran-Reyes Building—formerly Veltran Corp, now half under his name. The glass walls reflected his sleek black suit, perfect hair, and the icy calm he wore like armor.
But armor only worked if no one knew where the cracks were.
"Hold the door."
That voice.
Elijah froze.
Before he could react, a hand slipped between the closing doors—and Luca stepped in, casual and composed in a navy-blue suit that fit too well for comfort.
"Morning," Luca said smoothly. "Going up?"
"Wrong elevator," Elijah muttered, but didn't press the button to leave.
"Or maybe," Luca said, stepping closer, "it's exactly the right one."
The doors slid shut. Just the two of them now. Just silence and shared breath and unresolved history hanging between them like smoke.
Elijah didn't speak.
Neither did Luca.
But the air was thick with things unsaid.
---
DING. Floor 15.
Elijah stepped out first.
But Luca followed, as if they were magnets drawn by some cruel force.
"You're early," Elijah said flatly, heading toward the meeting room.
"You used to love that about me."
"I used to love a lot of lies."
Luca caught his wrist.
Elijah froze. The contact burned. But he didn't pull away.
"I didn't lie about everything," Luca said, voice low.
Elijah finally turned, eyes sharp. "You lied about enough."
Luca's grip tightened for a second, then released.
"I'm not your enemy anymore," Luca said.
"You were never just my enemy," Elijah whispered, the words slipping out like blood from an old wound. "You were... more. That's why it hurt."
---
In the Conference Room
The boardroom filled with executives and shareholders, all wearing neutral expressions and expensive watches. The merger negotiation was about to begin.
Elijah took his seat. Luca sat across the table, cool and unreadable.
The lawyers began speaking. Charts, numbers, power moves.
But Elijah's mind wasn't on the spreadsheets.
It was on a night six years ago—the last time he saw Luca before the betrayal.
---
Flashback – One Last Night
Rain pounded the windows of the suite. Elijah sat on the bed, his chest bare, hair damp, and heart even wetter.
"You're shaking," Luca said, stepping toward him.
"I'm scared."
"Of what?"
"That you're going to leave."
Luca leaned down, cupped his face. "I would never."
Elijah clung to that lie like it was a promise.
And in the morning, Luca was gone.
---
Present
Elijah stood suddenly, interrupting the meeting.
"I want a private word with Mr. Veltran."
Gasps. Murmurs. But he didn't care.
Luca raised an eyebrow. "Alone? How bold."
"Conference Room B. Five minutes."
---
Conference Room B – Empty and Cold
Luca walked in. The door clicked shut.
"You're pushing hard," he said, slowly approaching Elijah. "Why now?"
Elijah turned to face him. "Because you owe me answers."
"I owe you nothing."
"You owe me everything. My family. My future. Me."
Luca's jaw clenched. "You don't know what was happening behind the scenes—"
"Then tell me!" Elijah shouted, voice breaking. "Tell me why you left me like trash and stole everything!"
A beat of silence.
Luca stepped forward. Inches apart now.
"I left," he said, eyes glassy, "because if I hadn't… they would've killed you."
Elijah's breath caught. "What?"
"You were in danger. Real danger. And the only way I could protect you… was by becoming your enemy."
Elijah stared at him, throat dry, eyes burning.
"Liar," he whispered. "You're lying again."
"I wish I was," Luca said, voice shaking. "But everything I did—was to keep you alive."
Silence.
Then—
Elijah slapped him.
Hard.
The sound echoed.
But Luca didn't flinch. He just whispered, "I missed you."
And Elijah hated—hated—how much that hurt.
---