The Billionaire Recluse & The girl who stayed.

I dont do anything by halves.

~ Jasper ~

When Lexi left—

The house changed.

Not immediately.

Not in a way anyone else would notice.

Everything still ran as it should.

Staff moved as normal.

Meetings continued.

The silence remained.

But it felt...

Different.

Empty in a way I wasn't used to.

I hadn't realised how much space she had taken up—

Without even trying.

It wasn't conversation.

We didn't speak much.

Not really.

But she was there.

In the background.

In the routine.

In the air.

Strawberries.

That was the first thing I noticed was gone.

Her scent lingered for days after she left.

Soft.

Subtle.

Annoyingly persistent.

And then—

It faded.

And the house felt colder for it.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at nothing.

I shouldn't have shouted at her.

I knew that.

The way I stepped into her space—

Raised my voice—

The look on her face—

Fear.

That wasn't something I was used to seeing directed at me.

Not like that.

Not from her.

I dragged a hand over my jaw.

I had sent flowers.

Every day.

Called.

Texted.

Nothing.

She ignored me.

Of course she did.

What did I expect?

That she'd just come back?

Pretend it didn't happen?

That's what I would have done.

But she wasn't me.

And that—

Was part of the problem.

I exhaled slowly.

"I don't need her," I muttered under my breath.

But the words didn't sit right.

Because I knew I did.

Not in the way people assumed.

Not... emotionally.

But she brought something into this house that I hadn't had in years.

Life.

Noise.