The penthouse felt heavier that evening, as if the city lights pressing against the windows carried the weight of unspoken truths.
Guàn Jǐngchén stepped inside, shoulders tense, jaw set in a hard line. He dropped his briefcase by the door and immediately pulled Lin Yuè into his arms, burying his face in the younger man's soft hair. The hug was tight, almost desperate — nothing like the controlled CEO who ruled boardrooms with iron precision.
Lin Yuè let himself be held, arms wrapping around the taller man's waist, cheek pressed to his chest. He could feel the rapid heartbeat beneath the suit jacket.
"Rough day?" he asked softly, voice laced with genuine concern wrapped in innocence.
Guàn Jǐngchén exhaled slowly, his large hand stroking down Lin Yuè's back. "The ghost is playing games again. I received another message — same style as five years ago. Taunting. Precise."
Lin Yuè's fingers tightened on the back of the CEO's jacket. "What did it say?"
"You're getting warmer… but some ghosts don't want to stay hidden anymore."
Guàn Jǐngchén pulled back just enough to look at Lin Yuè's face, dark eyes searching. "He's watching me. Watching us. The timing is too perfect."
Lin Yuè kept his expression open and worried, big doe eyes wide. "That sounds terrifying. Are you safe? Is the company safe?"
A faint, bitter smile touched the CEO's lips. "I've faced worse. But this one…" He brushed a thumb across Lin Yuè's cheek. "This one feels personal now. Especially with you here."
He leaned down and kissed Lin Yuè — slow at first, then deepening with quiet hunger. Lin Yuè responded instantly, rising on his toes, hands sliding up to cup the back of Guàn Jǐngchén's neck. The kiss tasted like exhaustion and need, like the CEO was trying to lose himself in something real.
When they broke apart, Guàn Jǐngchén rested his forehead against Lin Yuè's. "I don't want to think about ghosts tonight. I just want you."
Lin Yuè's breath hitched. "Then have me."
They moved to the bedroom without another word. Guàn Jǐngchén undressed him with careful hands, peeling away the lavender sweater and trousers until Lin Yuè stood in only the silk pajama bottoms. The CEO's gaze raked over him hungrily — from the delicate collarbones to the narrow waist and the faint blush spreading across pale skin.
"You're beautiful," Guàn Jǐngchén murmured, voice rough. He lifted Lin Yuè onto the bed, covering him with his body. Kisses trailed from neck to chest, teeth grazing sensitive skin, tongue soothing each mark. Lin Yuè arched with soft gasps, fingers threading into dark hair, body trembling under the attention.
Guàn Jǐngchén's hand slipped lower, palm pressing against Lin Yuè's growing arousal through the thin silk. "So responsive… every time I touch you."
"Jǐngchén…" Lin Yuè whimpered, hips twitching. The name came out breathless, real need bleeding through the innocent tone.
The CEO groaned and captured his mouth again, kissing him deeply while his hand worked him with slow, firm strokes. Lin Yuè moaned into the kiss, legs wrapping around Guàn Jǐngchén's waist, pulling him closer. The friction, the heat, the overwhelming possessiveness — it was becoming harder to separate acting from feeling.
They moved together in a slow, heated rhythm — hands exploring, mouths claiming, bodies pressing desperately. Guàn Jǐngchén whispered praises against his skin: "Mine… so perfect… don't ever leave."
When release finally crashed over them, Lin Yuè cried out softly, clinging to the CEO as waves of pleasure rolled through him. Guàn Jǐngchén followed moments later, burying his face in Lin Yuè's neck with a low, guttural groan.
Afterward, they lay tangled in the sheets, sweat cooling on their skin. Guàn Jǐngchén held Lin Yuè against his chest, one hand gently stroking his hair.
"I've never felt this way about anyone," he admitted quietly into the darkness. "You make me want to stop hunting ghosts and just… live."
Lin Yuè's heart clenched painfully. He pressed a soft kiss to the CEO's collarbone. "Then maybe you should."
Guàn Jǐngchén tightened his hold. "Not until I catch this one. I need to know who's been playing with me for years."
Lin Yuè closed his eyes, guilt and warmth twisting together inside him.
The message had done its job — pushing the CEO deeper into the investigation while pulling him closer emotionally.
As Guàn Jǐngchén's breathing evened into sleep, Lin Yuè lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
The mask was holding… but cracks were forming.
And with every kiss, every touch, every whispered confession, the line between Lin Yuè and Eclipse blurred a little more.
He turned his face into Guàn Jǐngchén's neck, breathing in his scent.
*Just a little longer,* he thought.
*Let me have this… before everything breaks.*
End of Chapter 13