The Masked Tycoon

CHAPTER TWO

“Leonard!”

The sound of heels clicked rapidly behind him. Elena’s voice was tight, half-angry, half-confused. He didn’t slow down.

She caught up with him at the Westwood driveway, grabbing his sleeve. “Stop. What was that back there? Who were you talking to?”

Leonard turned, his face unreadable. “Just someone who owed me a favor.”

“A favor?” Elena stared at him. “Leonard, Stonecliff is one of the biggest corporations in the country. My father’s been dealing with them for years, and you what? Make one call and they apologize?”

He said nothing.

“That wasn’t normal.” Her grip tightened. “You’ve been hiding something.”

A black sedan slid up the driveway and stopped beside them. The driver stepped out and opened the back door, bowing slightly.

“Sir,” he said.

Elena blinked. “Sir? Leonard, what is going on?”

Leonard freed his sleeve gently. “It’s late. Go back inside.”

“No.” Her voice sharpened. “I’m your wife. I deserve to know.”

He studied her face for a long moment. “Deserve?” His tone was mild but carried an edge. “Three years, Elena. Three years I sat at that table, taking every insult, every laugh. Did you ever once ask me if I was okay? Did you ever once believe in me?”

Elena faltered. “I… I didn’t know how. My family ”

“Exactly.” He opened the car door. “I’ll be back when I feel like talking. Until then, just watch.”

He slid into the sedan and the door shut before she could answer.

Back at the dining table, voices were raised.

Victor slammed his fist down. “This is insane. How did that loser do it? Who was on that call? He’s bluffing. He has to be.”

Robert frowned, scrolling through his phone. “Stonecliff confirmed withdrawal. The email’s official. They didn’t even ask for compensation.”

“That’s impossible!” Miranda snapped. “No one backs down without a price. He’s hiding something. That man has been eating our food for years, living off us. He can’t suddenly pull strings we’ve never seen.”

Victor sneered. “Maybe he’s blackmailing someone. Or maybe ”

“Enough.” Robert’s voice was firm. “Whatever it is, we need to find out. Victor, dig into his past. Every record, every detail. If he has skeletons, I want them exposed.”

Victor grinned coldly. “Gladly.”

Elena walked in then, pale but composed. “Stop it. All of you.”

Victor snorted. “Oh, now you’re defending your little charity case?”

“He’s my husband,” she snapped, surprising them all. “And whether you like it or not, tonight he saved your company. Maybe show some gratitude.”

Miranda’s eyes narrowed. “Elena, you’re blinded. That man is hiding something dangerous. I want him out of this house.”

The sedan pulled into an underground garage across town. Leonard stepped out. Two men in dark suits bowed slightly.

“Sir, the board is ready for your confirmation,” one said.

Leonard nodded. “Let’s keep it quiet. No one knows my name yet. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

Inside a private office, a secure line waited. Leonard picked up the phone.

“Everything in place?”

A deep voice answered, respectful. “Stonecliff backed down as ordered. But they’ll try again. We intercepted chatter about a second move. Do you want us to shut them down completely?”

“Not yet.” Leonard’s tone was calm but dangerous. “Let them think they have a chance. I want to see who’s really behind them.”

“And the Westwoods?”

Leonard smiled faintly, but his voice cooled. “Let them keep thinking I’m weak. When the time comes, they’ll regret every word they’ve said.”

Later that night, Elena sat alone in their bedroom. Her mind replayed the evening, the pendant, the humiliation, the call. She didn’t know whether to be angry or afraid.

Her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number:

“You have no idea who your husband really is. Stay close to him if you want to survive.”

She stared at it, her heart pounding.