The Billionaire Recluse & The girl who stayed.

Return.

~ Lexi ~

The drive to the Monroe mansion felt longer than usual.

Even though it wasn't.

Same roads.

Same turns.

Same gates opening as I pulled up.

But everything felt different.

Because this time—

I wasn't just coming back to work.

I was coming back to him.

My hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel as I parked beside Lilly's car.

I sat there for a moment.

Just breathing.

Trying to steady myself.

Trying to ignore the tightness in my chest.

The last time I'd seen Jasper—

He had shouted.

Not just raised his voice.

Shouted.

In my face.

Close enough that I could feel it.

And that—

That stayed with me.

Because shouting didn't just make me uncomfortable.

It took me somewhere else.

Back to Scott.

To raised voices.

To fear.

To that moment where you don't know what's coming next.

I swallowed hard, shaking the thought away.

"Get it together, Lex," I muttered quietly.

I wasn't weak.

I just...

Felt things differently.

That was all.

—

I stepped out of the car, pulling my coat tighter around myself as I made my way toward the entrance.

The doors opened before I could even reach for the handle.

"Good morning, Lexi," Lilly said warmly as she hurried past me, handbag in hand, already halfway out the door.

"I'm just heading to the airport—Lauren's finalising things. I'll see you in two days!"

"Wait—" I started, but she was already gone.

I blinked after her.

"Okay... bye," I muttered to myself.

Typical Lilly.

Always moving.

Always busy.

—

I made my way through the house, the familiar surroundings settling around me like something I hadn't realised I'd missed.

The quiet.

The order.

The stillness.

It felt... normal.

Comforting, even.

When I stepped into my office, I paused for a second.

Just taking it in.