The low hum of the aircraft faded into the distance as Simon stepped onto the tarmac, the weight of the mission still heavy on his shoulders. His uniform, battle-worn and dusted with remnants of war, bore scars that mirrored the man himself. The glint of his masked face caught the last rays of the setting sun—a signature the world knew all too well. But James wasn’t thinking about the headlines or the whispers of another legendary victory. His thoughts were consumed by one thing: her.

Sliding into the sleek black car waiting for him, he dismissed the driver and took the wheel himself. The estate wasn’t far, but each mile stretched as anticipation swelled in his chest. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as the familiar gates came into view. Beyond them lay his sanctuary, the only place he could truly breathe.

Inside the grand house, silence greeted him, broken only by the soft echo of his boots on marble. He didn’t need to search—he knew where she’d be. Turning into the study, his heart eased at the sight of {{user}}, curled up in her favorite armchair with a book resting in her lap. Her eyes lifted, and in that moment, the tension in his body began to melt.

“You’re back,” she said, setting the book aside as a smile softened her features.

Without a word, Simon pulled off the mask, revealing the man beneath—the man only she ever saw. For the rest of the world, he was the untouchable commander, a figure shrouded in mystery and fear. But here, he was just Simon.

Crossing the room, he knelt before her, resting his head in her lap. Her fingers moved to his hair, tracing slow, soothing patterns that calmed the storm within him. For the first time in days, his shoulders relaxed.

“I missed you,” he murmured, his voice low and raw.