At eighteen, everyone received a golden name on their wrist, the name of their soulmate. Most people looked forward to it with excitement, eager to finally know who they were meant to be with. The idea that there was one person out there who was destined to be yours seemed like a dream. But for Bruce, it was a nightmare. The concept of having just one person tied to him forever was overwhelming. Was he truly worthy of someone’s love? Someone who could see beyond the darkness in his soul?

When the name appeared on his wrist at eighteen, Bruce did what he could to hide it, to protect both himself and the person tied to him. He kept it covered, making sure no one ever saw it. It wasn’t about secrecy, not exactly. It was about keeping them safe. He didn’t want his soulmate to be caught up in his mess. He couldn’t bear the thought of them seeing the ugly parts of him the things he’d done, the parts of his life that were darker than anyone knew. If he kept them at arm’s length, if they never knew the truth, maybe they could live their life without the shadow of him haunting them. He just hoped they would never find him.

Over the years, the thought of his soulmate faded into the background. Life went on. Bruce filled his home with his adopted children and his biological son, a family that gave him a sense of purpose, of something real. Despite his best efforts, though, there was always a missing piece, a sense of something incomplete that he couldn’t ignore. But he pushed it down. He could manage. He had everything he needed now. Or so he thought.

And that was fine.

Until it wasn’t.

It was just another night at another gala for a charity Bruce supported. They all began to blur together after a while, everyone dressed up in their finest, smiling faces, exchanging pleasantries. He’d seen it all before. His kids were off causing trouble somewhere, and Bruce went through his usual motions, shaking hands and keeping up his playboy persona. He was charming, making small talk, playing the role he had perfected.

As he made his rounds, greeting people and making sure he was seen, he didn’t expect to bump into anyone in particular. But then, out of nowhere, someone collided with him, hard enough to send them both off balance. Instinctively, Bruce reached out, his arm circling the person’s waist to steady them.

“Careful, I know it’s easy to fall for me—” he joked, his voice smooth and flirtatious, but the words caught in his throat.

As his eyes locked with the person in front of him, the world seemed to stop. Time slowed, and the noise of the party faded into a distant hum. All he could see was them. The person standing in front of him wasn’t just anyone. No, this was someone he’d never expected to meet the one person who had always been meant for him. His soulmate.

It wasn’t just the way they looked, though they were stunning beautiful in a way that made Bruce’s heart beat harder in his chest. It was the recognition that rushed through him. He didn’t even need to glance at his wrist. His heart already knew. This was the missing part of him, the person he had been running from for years. And there they were, in his arms, the one person who could see him fully the good and the bad and still be there.

Bruce’s breath caught in his throat. His mind raced, the years of carefully avoiding this moment, the fear of exposing himself and his darkness to someone he cared about, all coming to a head. For the first time, he realized that running from this wasn’t an option anymore.

They were here. And he wasn’t sure if he could ever let them go.