Chapter 304: Chapter 304 What were you doing with Jeffrey?
Bella blinked, frozen for a second, her heart skipping nervously. His voice hadn’t sounded angry. It had sounded controlled, which was worse. Far worse.
She quickly hurried after him. Her small footsteps echoed against the marble floor, following his confident, measured ones. The distance between them felt both too close and too far.
As they moved down the corridor, employees instantly looked away, pretending to be busy, their heads ducked low. No one dared to meet Leo’s eyes. His aura was heavy, unreadable, dangerous in that quiet way that made people hold their breath.
Bella bit her lip, staring at his back. He looked calm on the outside, but she knew that calm. It was the kind that came before thunder.
When they reached his office, he pushed the door open and gestured for her to step inside.
Bella hesitated, clutching the strap of her bag. "Um... did I... do something wrong?" she asked carefully, her voice small and cautious.
Leo didn’t answer immediately. He walked past her, closed the door behind them, and the soft click of the lock made her pulse quicken.
The office was silent. The blinds were half-drawn, sunlight spilling across his desk in pale golden strips.
Leo turned to her slowly, his dark eyes steady, unreadable, but the faint tension in his jaw told her enough.
"Sit," he said simply.
Bella obeyed without arguing, perching nervously on the chair in front of him. Her hands twisted together in her lap.
Leo didn’t sit right away. He stood behind his desk, watching her—the way her shoulders curved slightly, how she refused to meet his eyes, her lashes fluttering as though she was already trying to think of an excuse before he even asked the question.
Finally, he moved closer, one hand resting on the edge of the desk. His tone was deceptively calm when he spoke.
"Tell me," he said quietly, "what were you doing with Jeffrey?"
Bella froze.
Her heart leapt to her throat. "W-with Jeffrey?" she stammered, blinking up at him innocently.
Leo’s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice dropping lower. "Yes. The part where he asked if you wanted to go to the washroom together."
Bella’s mouth fell open. "T-that was his idea! I said no!"
Leo’s lips curved—not quite a smile, not quite anger—something darker that made her heart flutter and her palms sweat.
"Oh, you said no," Leo repeated softly, stepping closer. His voice was calm, but the edge beneath it made Bella blink nervously.
"Good."
But then she frowned, tilting her head slightly, suspicion flickering in her brown eyes. "But... why are you asking that question?" she asked slowly. "Why do you even care?"
Her tone wasn’t defensive, just curious like she was trying to read something he wasn’t saying aloud. For a moment, it almost looked as though she was about to figure him out completely.
Leo stilled, his sharp mind spinning for an excuse. Think, Leonardo. Think.
"Well..." he began slowly, lowering his eyes to hide the faint twitch of amusement in them, "Jeffrey has... an infection. There."
Bella blinked. "There?"
He nodded solemnly, completely straight-faced. "Yes. That’s why."
Her eyes widened like she’d just heard a shocking revelation. "Ooooh," she said, nodding seriously, as if she’d just solved a mystery.
"And you," Leo continued smoothly, his tone turning softer, darker, "you’re very talented. I wouldn’t want you catching a weird infection from him."
Bella gasped quietly, pressing a hand to her mouth. "Oh! Okay, I’ll never go to the washroom with him!" she said earnestly, nodding like a scolded child.
Then, a second later, realization struck. Her cheeks flushed pink as her words replayed in her own head. "Ah—wait! I didn’t mean it like that!"
Leo’s eyes darkened, a faint smirk curving his lips as he leaned slightly forward, his gaze heavy with silent amusement. So if I hadn’t asked, she would’ve gone with him?
His voice lowered, smooth and teasing. "That’s good to know. But if you ever really need to go, you can come inside my office."
Bella’s jaw dropped. "Wh—what!?"
Leo’s expression didn’t change. His tone was calm, almost businesslike, but his eyes betrayed him. "It’s more hygienic," he said simply. "And safer. You’re... too talented to take risks."
Bella’s lips parted, no words coming out. She just stared at him, her cheeks burning so hot she could feel her heartbeat in her ears.
He was teasing her—she could feel it but she had no proof. She couldn’t even fight back properly.
"R-right," she stammered finally, nodding stiffly. "Of course. I’ll... remember that."
Leo’s faint smirk deepened as he turned back toward his desk, clearly satisfied. "Good," he said quietly.
Bella sat there for a moment longer, her face buried in her hands as she whispered under her breath, "Why do I always say weird things around him..."
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When Leo finally released her, Bella nearly bolted from his office. She mumbled something polite about finishing her work and escaped before his teasing could continue.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. She focused on the system updates he’d assigned, typing rapidly, her concentration sharp enough to drown out everything else. By the time the office lights dimmed and people began packing up, her shoulders ached, but her mind felt oddly light.
As soon as it was time to leave, she packed her bag quickly, careful not to draw attention. Jeffrey was still nowhere to be seen, probably trapped in some "special project" after Leo’s wrath and that alone made her secretly grateful.
She slipped out unnoticed, exhaling softly when the heavy office doors closed behind her. The cool evening breeze touched her face, brushing away the nervous heat that had clung to her all day.
She booked a cab immediately and headed straight to the mall. There, she moved quickly—ducking into the restroom, changing out of her work disguise, and slipping into her soft, casual clothes. Her reflection in the mirror made her smile. Finally, she looked like herself again.
With her hair loosened, she walked out of the mall feeling lighter, like the day’s tension had melted away.
When she finally reached home, she went straight to her favorite room. She sank into her chair, stretching her arms with a quiet sigh before opening her laptop.
It was time to focus on her next goal.