The revelation hit Elsa like a physical blow, leaving her staggered in the middle of the grand hallway. Leo and Easton—linked by blood? The thought felt impossible, a jagged piece of a puzzle that refused to fit.
She began to walk away from the heavy oak door of Leo's room, her translucent feet making no sound on the polished floor. She stopped near a massive glass window that overlooked the moonlit grounds, her mind spinning with a frantic whirl of questions.
Was it true? Were Leo and Easton really related by family? Were they actually cousins?
She searched her memories of their college days, but found nothing but conflict. No one had ever whispered a word about a family tie. In those halls, Leo and Easton were nothing but rivals defined by a bitter feud. She remembered the heated glares that could light a fire, the jagged arguments that echoed in the courtyards, and the physical fights that always seemed on the verge of exploding.
As her head began to spin from the weight of the past, a different kind of memory surfaced—one that brought a faint, bittersweet smile to her spectral lips. Despite the confusion of the present, Leo's greatness remained the one constant in her heart.
"Leo has always been a great person to me," she whispered to the empty air.
He didn't know she existed in his life back then, not really. He had saved her time and again, knowingly or unknowingly, snatching her from Easton's cruel clutches and shielding her from a world of problems. Yet, he had never truly looked at her. He had never tried to know the girl behind the fear. To him, she was likely nothing more than a "Mysterious Girl"—a shadow he had once advised, though she had been too paralyzed by her terror of Easton to listen.
"I don't know why," Elsa sighed, her smile widening even as a pang of sorrow tightened her chest. "Whenever I think of him, I feel this rush of love and happiness. But it brings so much pain, too. I can't reveal who I am. I know he would never look at me the way I look at him."
She pressed a hand to the glass.
"But I've always wished for his happiness. Whether I am with him or not, he should live happily with his dreams and his family."
The window seemed to dissolve, the modern mansion fading away as Elsa's consciousness drifted back two years, to a night that had changed everything.
It was the night of the Grand Event celebrations. Leah stood before a tall mirror in the dressing room, adjusting the skirts of her white floral gown. She looked beautiful—like a creature of spring—and Kayla hovered nearby, buzzing with excitement as she helped with the final touches.
But Leah's heart wasn't in it.
"I wanted to dance with Leo," she murmured to her reflection.
It was a foolish dream; Leo never showed interest in something as frivolous as a dance competition. The Cultural Activity Director had selected her, promising that her performance would bring a unique "vibe" to the event. Her assigned partner was Kael, a kind but nervous boy.
As Kayla stepped out to fetch a set of eyelashes for the final touch-up, Leah stole a glance toward the far end of the hall. She saw Leo through the open door, laughing with his friends. A tear escaped her eye, sparkling against her cheek before she quickly wiped it away and turned back to the mirror.
The door slammed shut. Leah spun around, her breath catching. Easton stood there, his face contorted with a dark, suffocating seriousness. Before she could scream, his hand shot out, pinning her against the vanity by her neck.
"How dare you, Leah?" he hissed, his breath hot against her skin. "How dare you participate in this dance competition?"
Leah struggled to breathe, her eyes wide with terror.
"Didn't you know I liked you?" Easton growled, taking deep, jagged breaths.
"Please... leave me, Easton," Leah choked out.
"I liked you because you were beautiful and innocent," he sneered, his grip tightening just enough to terrify her. "I wanted you to be my girl. And I don't want my girlfriend dancing in front of others. I only want you to dance in front of me. I'm warning you, Leah: do not go on that stage. Do not go against my wishes."
He leaned in until their noses almost touched.
"If you ignore this warning, you will face consequences you can't even imagine. No one can save you. That stupid Leo saved you once, but he won't be there this time."
The sound of the door handle turning made Easton recoil. Kayla entered, freezing at the sight of him. With a final, murderous look, Easton swept out of the room.
Leah's legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees, gasping for air. Kayla rushed to her side, her face pale.
"What happened, Leah?"
Through broken sobs, Leah told her everything. "I gave my promise to the Director," she wept. "I worked so hard for this. I learned every step. I don't have a family, Kayla. I have nothing good in my life except what I've worked for. I wanted to make memories here... something to look back on with my future family. Why has Easton been harassing me since the first day?"
Kayla pulled her into a hug. "Easton is an idiot. If he can't own something, he tries to break it. Don't cry, Leah."
Suddenly, the door burst open again. It was Kael, their dance partner. He was trembling, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead.
"Leah, I can't do it," he stammered, his eyes darting around in panic. "I'm scared of Easton and his friends. He hit me with a rod... he told me to stay away from you. I'm leaving!"
"Kael! Wait!" Kayla shouted, but the boy was already gone, sprinting down the hallway in terror.
Leah hugged Kayla again, the weight of her broken promise crushing her. But then, she heard the announcer's voice echoing from the stage speakers: "The special dance performance is about to begin! Please welcome Leah and Kael!"
Leah wiped her eyes. She stood up, her jaw setting with a sudden, fierce determination. She picked up the eyelashes and applied them perfectly.
"I will keep my promise," Leah said, her voice a low whisper. "I will never break a trust. I will dance, even if I have to face Easton's anger afterward."
She slid a delicate white mask over her eyes and walked toward the stage.
The crowd erupted in whistles and applause as she stepped into the spotlight.
"Hurray!" someone shouted. "But where is the partner?"
Leah stood alone in the center of the stage, the light blinding her. Tears pricked her eyes, but she swallowed them down. I will make a memory, she told herself. I will win their hearts, even alone.
The anchor leaned in, whispering so the audience couldn't hear. "Where is Kael, Miss Leah?"
Leah remained silent, her eyes conveying a tragic 'no.'
"Then how can you perform a couple's dance alone?" the female anchor asked, her voice tinged with frustration.
In the front row, Easton and his friends watched with predatory grins, waiting for her to fail. But Leo was there too, his gaze shifting between Easton's smug face and Leah's lonely figure on stage.
The music started. Leah began to move with a heartbreaking grace, trying to fill the empty space where a partner should have been.
"DANCE PARTNER! DANCE PARTNER!" the crowd began to chant. "WHERE IS THE HERO FOR THIS HEROINE?"
Leah's eyes found Leo's mask in the crowd. She drew courage from his presence, though he couldn't see her face behind her own mask.
Suddenly, the lights cut out. Darkness swallowed the room.
Behind the stage, Easton winked at his friends, a packet of dye in his hand. He threw it with a cruel laugh, red and black liquids splashing across Leah's white gown. She gasped, feeling the wetness seep into the fabric. She heard footsteps—Easton was coming onto the stage to drag her away in the dark.
Then, the sound of a dull thud. A groan.
In the shadows, Leo had moved. He intercepted Easton with a brutal punch to the stomach, followed by a kick that sent him spiraling. He moved through Easton's friends like a whirlwind of justice.
"Switch the lights on!" someone yelled.
"No!" Leah cried out, covering her face.
When the lights flickered back to life, she wasn't alone. She was enveloped in a warm embrace. A man in a crisp white shirt stood over her like a prince. Before the crowd could see the stains on her dress, he draped a vibrant red leather jacket around her waist, tying the sleeves to hide the damage.
Leah looked up into his eyes. Even behind his mask, she knew him. It was Leo.
As she stumbled, his arm caught her firmly around the waist.
"Are you okay, Mysterious Girl?" he asked.
Leah could only offer a small, breathless hum.
"How many times should I save you, Miss Mysterious?" Leo asked, his voice a low rumble.
He didn't let go. Their heartbeats surged, a frantic rhythm that seemed to sync up in the silence between them. Leah held her breath, her emotions swirling in her eyes.
"FINALLY!" the audience roared. "THE HERO HAS ARRIVED! A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN! DANCE! DANCE!"
Leo looked frustrated. "Are you going to sleep in my arms?" he muttered to her. "Please, get up."
Leah found her footing, her face flushing crimson. The crowd wouldn't stop. "HERO AND HEROINE DANCE!"
"Oh God, what is this?" Leo whispered to himself. He caught sight of his friends, Oliver and Hugo, laughing behind their magazines. He shot them a glare, but they only teased him more.
He turned back to the girl in the white mask. "Do you know the dance?"
Leah bit her lip and shook her head.
Leo sighed, a sound of pure exasperation. "Follow my lead," he commanded.
He placed his hand firmly on her waist, and the music swelled—a romantic, electrifying track. Leo moved with a power and precision that took Leah's breath away. He was incredible. Every girl in the room watched with burning jealousy as Leah was whirled across the floor.
Leo was fast, but he slowed his movements specifically so Leah could match him. When she stumbled, his hand was always there—on her wrist, on her waist—keeping her upright. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the cheering crowd and the flashing lights vanished. There was only the rhythm and the heat of his touch.
The song reached its crescendo. "KISS! KISS! KISS!" the audience demanded.
Leah froze, her limbs turning cold with fear. She watched Leo take two steps toward her. She closed her eyes tight, bracing for a kiss she hadn't consented to, fearing he would claim her in front of everyone.
But the kiss never came.
Instead, Leo caught her finger, spinning her gracefully. He let her slip into a low dip, catching her by the waist and wrist. He leaned down, his face inches from hers.
"Don't get scared too much," he whispered, a small smile playing on his lips. "I will not kiss you."
He pulled her back to her feet and turned to the crowd, his voice commanding. "Thank you so much for your appreciation of our performance!"
He walked off the stage without a second glance.
Leah stood there, stunned, his red jacket still tied around her waist. Kayla rushed up and hugged her, but Leah's eyes were fixed on Leo as he joined his friends.
"What a dance, Leo!" Oliver teased, handing him a water bottle. "But we're disappointed. Why did you miss the perfect moment? The kiss?"
Leo took a long drink of water, his eyes flashing. "What? Are you nuts? I would never kiss a girl without her consent—and certainly not in public. I have ethics. I have rules."
"Then why the dance?" Hugo asked. "You don't care what people think. You could have just given her the jacket and walked away."
Leo looked toward the stage where Leah was still standing. "It wasn't about me. It was about her self-respect. She came here with hopes, wanting to make a memory. I saw what that idiot Easton tried to do. I couldn't leave her there to be humiliated. As a man, I can't leave a girl behind when she's that terrified. No strings attached. I just helped a Mysterious Girl from danger."
"Mysterious Girl?" Oliver laughed. "What does that even mean?"
"It means she's unknown," Leo said shortly. "Unknown and a bit weird. Now, I have work to do."
He walked away, leaving Leah—who had been listening from the shadows of the curtain—with a heart overflowing with love.
The memory dissolved. Elsa was back by the window, her hand over her chest, feeling the echo of that old heartbeat.
"Miss Elsa?"
Leo's voice snapped her back to the present. He was standing a few feet away, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Where have you been? I've called your name three times."
"I'm so sorry, Leo," Elsa stammered. "I was just... thinking about something else."
Leo studied her for a moment. "I understand. If you have a problem, you can share it with me. Or my family, I suppose, but I prefer you come to me."
Elsa looked into his eyes, the memory of his kindness on the stage giving her a sudden surge of warmth. "Why? Why should I ask you?"
"Because I'm your friend," Leo said calmly. "Who else will you share with? Only I can solve your problems."
Elsa smiled brightly, her admiration for him glowing. In that moment, their heartbeats seemed to synchronize again, just as they had two years ago. Simultaneously, they both placed their hands over their chests.
Leo was the first to break the spell. "You have to come to the party tomorrow with me."
"Why me?" Elsa asked, shocked.
"Do you have amnesia, Crazy Girl?" Leo asked, his irritation returning.
"I don't have amnesia! I have a perfect memory."
"Then remember our deal," Leo said firmly. "You have to gather evidence. You need to find out why Lucy's family is so desperate for this marriage. Don't back out. You gave me your promise, and good girls don't break promises. Get ready for your mission. I haven't forgotten your weird rules, either."
He turned and walked away.
Elsa stood frozen, her panic returning. How can I go to a party? I am a soul! No one can see me or hear me! How am I supposed to gather evidence and save him?
She looked at her shimmering hands. She was Leah, living as Elsa—a ghost caught in a web of family secrets and a love that spanned two lifetimes.