When Leo stepped out of the office, his expression had changed entirely. A small, rare smile lingered on his lips, and it was enough to startle the guards waiting in the corridor. They exchanged quick glances. Wasn’t their boss furious and icy just an hour ago when he had entered? The shift was so sudden it unsettled even n who had spent years at his side.
Leo didn’t offer them a word of explanation. He simply strode back toward his office again since he had forgotten to bring Dorabella, his long steps purposeful, the faint curve of amusent still on his mouth. Once inside, he locked the door and walked over to the corner where Dorabella, the ridiculous oversized pink bunny, sat propped against the wall.
He picked her up, brushing the soft fabric as if testing its texture, his brows drawn tight for a mont. "My team, huh?" he muttered, smiling. The mory of Bella giggling through the call, her little pout when he refused to surrender the toy, played in his mind like a reel. Against his will, the corner of his mouth tugged higher.
And he went back to his room, ignoring the shocked looks from his n.
He set Dorabella on the edge of his bed and began pulling his suitcase from the corner. With unusual care, he folded his shirts and placed them inside. Normally his packing was done by staff, but tonight he wanted the rhythm, the small ritual, the distraction. Each shirt folded, each tie rolled, each piece of clothing arranged neatly mirrored his mood.
Every so often his eyes flicked back to the bunny sitting on his bed. He imagined Bella’s face when she saw it in his hands, the way her eyes would widen, her cheeks bloom pink, her little laugh escaping as though she had won a battle. He almost chuckled at the thought.
But then his jaw tightened. His wife had kissed those plushies, those idiotic stuffed animals, on cara, teasing him, making him feel replaced. He clenched the edge of the suitcase until the leather creaked. "What nonsense," he muttered under his breath. "Kissing toys..." The image still made his blood stir with an odd mix of irritation and jealousy.
He shut the suitcase with a decisive click and dragged a hand through his hair. The smirk returned, colder this ti. She thinks she can make jealous of toys?
"Fine," he murmured darkly, a promise forming at the edge of his lips. "Tomorrow, I’ll remind her I’m the only one she’s allowed to kiss."
The thought alone eased him, made the smile stretch wider. He packed the last of his things in silence, his mind already painting the scene of surprising his little bunny the next day. Bella had no idea what was coming and that only made it sweeter.
***
anwhile, Bella had no idea that a storm was quietly brewing. She was happily buried in her work at William Sir’s company, fingers dancing across the keyboard, eyes sparkling at the thought of her paynt. Once the project was completed, she would receive a generous amount of money, enough to make her beam with pride. It wasn’t just about the cash; it was about proving to herself she could stand on her own skills.
She had pulled the sa excuse again, going to the salon, and slipped away undetected. It gave her freedom, and freedom gave her courage.
Back at the mansion, Leo walked through the entrance. He had returned earlier than planned, wanting to surprise his little bunny. His mood, light for once, dimd the second he learned she had gone out again. His jaw tightened, and suspicion flashed in his gray eyes.
When he entered his bedroom, the sight of her laptop on the bed caught his attention. Her stuffed toys sat neatly beside it, as if guarding her secrets. He then began changing out of his travel clothes. But mid-change, he froze.
There, folded carelessly near her corner, was a shirt. A male shirt.
Leo’s expression darkened. He picked it up slowly, his fingers tightening as though the fabric itself had offended him. He lifted it to his face and inhaled. Bella’s soft, sweet scent clung to it. His brow furrowed. The size was small, too small for him. Confusion tugged at him before a simple explanation settled in his mind.
"She likes n’s wear?" he muttered. "So she bought this for herself."
A wave of disappointnt replaced his earlier cheer. All this ti, he had thought she might be secretly shopping for him, sneaking around to prepare a gift. He had almost been pleased when his n reported her trips to the mall. But now it seed she was simply indulging herself.
Shaking his head, Leo tossed the shirt aside, buttoned up his own black silk shirt, and adjusted his cuffs with his usual cold precision. He needed focus, and focus ant work. He left the mansion and drove straight to his private office.
Hours passed in silence. His mind was sharp, his pen moved across papers, and his laptop glowed with reports of Pablo’s movents. But his jaw stayed tight, his expression unyielding. His mood was like a storm that had lost its thunder, silent and dangerous, waiting to strike.
The door burst open.
Jeffry stumbled inside, practically tripping over his own excitent. His reading glasses slipped down his nose, his eyes shining with adrenaline.
"Sir, sir, good news!"
Leo’s head snapped up, his gray eyes narrowing dangerously. His voice ca out low and sharp, like a blade sliding free of its sheath. "You should have knocked."
Jeffry swallowed, but he was too breathless to care. His mouth opened and closed before he finally managed to stamr, "I... I couldn’t help it! This is too big, sir. Too important!"
Leo leaned back in his chair, long fingers drumming against the desk. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes glinted like steel. "Then you’d better pray it’s worth interrupting ."
Jeffry gulped, clutching the folder against his chest. "It is, sir. I swear, it’s about the hacker. I traced the pattern further, and what I found..."
He paused, his excitent bubbling so much he almost shook.
Leo arched one brow, the faintest curl of a smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, Jeffry? Don’t make wait."
Jeffry sucked in a deep breath and blurted, "I found the IP address."
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