Chapter 33 – “News, Nerves, and Homecoming” part 1

Leo was driving.

Which should've been comforting—he looked outrageously good behind the wheel, one hand casually gripping the steering wheel, the other resting near the gearshift like he'd just stepped out of a luxury car commercial. But while he radiated calm confidence…

…I was a walking emergency broadcast.

I sat in the front seat with both hands clutched around my phone like it was a stress ball, my knees bouncing, my breathing weird, and my brain spinning with images of my dad seeing the engagement news and spontaneously combusting.

"Do you think he saw it?" I asked for the seventh time.

Leo glanced at me, sunglasses on, jaw sharp. "I'd be more surprised if he didn't."

I slapped a hand over my face. "Oh God. Oh no. He's gonna throw the TV remote through the wall. Or worse… call my mom and tell her I've been seduced by a billionaire."

Leo's lips twitched. "Which isn't technically wrong."

I whipped around to glare at him. "Don't joke right now! I'm having a full-blown anxiety attack. Internally. With glitter."

Leo gave me the smallest smirk and returned his gaze to the road. "You're adorable when your acting like that and spiraling of worries."

"I'm not spiraling," I said, clearly spiraling. "I'm mentally preparing for death."

"Melody, we're just visiting your parents."

"Yeah," I said, twisting in my seat, "after you announced to the entire country that we're engaged! We skipped the 'meet-the-parents' phase and jumped straight to surprise, Mom and Dad, I'm marrying the CEO of a megacorporation!"

He chuckled, unbothered. "You make it sound like a crime."

"IT IS A CRIME," I wailed dramatically, clutching my seatbelt. "And I'm an accomplice!"

Leo glanced over again. "Do you always talk this much when you're nervous?"

I shot him a look. "Yes. And also when I'm hungry. Or happy. Or breathing."

"I see... how cute," he murmured with a playful glint in his eyes, the corners of his lips tugging into a gentle smile.

Before I could respond, he leaned in closer—so close I could catch the faint scent of his perfume, something clean and warm that made my chest tighten. My heart skipped a beat, maybe two, as I froze in place, wide-eyed and barely breathing.

"You always forget this part," he said softly, reaching for the seatbelt with careful hands. His fingers brushed against my shoulder, and I felt a shiver race down my spine.

"I-I was just about to do it..." I whispered, my voice barely a breath.

He chuckled, the sound low and affectionate. "Sure you were." His tone was teasing, but there was something tender in the way he glanced at me—as if even the simplest moments between us mattered to him.

I swallowed hard, watching his hand buckle me in like it was the most natural thing in the world, yet my heart was thundering like he'd just told me he loved me.

"You know," he added, finally leaning back, his gaze still fixed on me, "I kind of like it... taking care of you like this."

My cheeks burned as I looked away, trying to hide the silly smile tugging at my lips. And yet, deep inside, I wanted to tell him—I liked it too. I liked him.

He casually turned up the air conditioning. Meanwhile, I was sweating bullets from pure stress as I remember that we are going to visit my parents.

"Do you have a plan?" I asked. "For when he glares at you like he's plotting your assassination?"

Leo's voice was steady, as always. "Yes."

"Really?"

"I'm going to be polite."

I blinked at him. "That's it? That's your whole plan?"

He turned slightly toward me and said with terrifying calm, "Melody, I close million-dollar deals with scarier men than your dad."

I let out a squeaky laugh. "Yeah, but those men didn't change your diapers when you were a baby or forbid you from dating until college."

Leo arched a brow. "Your dad changed my diapers?"

"You know what I meant!" I groaned. "You're not even nervous, are you?"

"Nope," he said smoothly, shifting gears like the moment was nothing. "Because I'm going to marry you, not your father."

I blinked.

And melted slightly.

And then immediately panicked again. "But my dad could end you if he doesn't like you!"

Leo smiled. A dangerous, handsome, terrifyingly unfazed smile. "Let him try."

I let out a weird, hybrid noise—half groan, half swoon.

We drove in silence for a while, the countryside passing in a blur as we got closer to my hometown. The roads became familiar, but my stomach knotted tighter with every kilometer.

"Leo," I whispered, "we're almost there."

He reached over, intertwining his fingers with mine. "Whatever happens, I'm here."

I nodded shakily, squeezing his hand. "Okay. Just… don't mention your yacht. Or your investments. Or the time you met a prince in Dubai."

He looked thoughtful. "So basically, don't be myself?"

"Exactly."

He chuckled. "Understood."

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Victor Violet, Melody's father, was deep in his morning routine.

He had just finished watering the garden, checking the mailbox for any suspiciously important-looking letters, and was now sitting in his favorite armchair, coffee mug in hand, silently judging whatever morning show was blaring on the TV.

The morning anchor was chatting about weather forecasts, politics, and the latest celebrity gossip—until—

"In breaking news, one of the country's most eligible bachelors, Leo Cyprus, CEO of Dre.@im Corporation, has just announced his engagement to a mysterious lady… someone he's kept out of the spotlight for quite some time."

Victor's eyes narrowed as he listened, the coffee cup suspended in mid-air. His eyebrows furrowed, and he leaned closer to the screen, suddenly alert. "A mysterious lady?" he muttered under his breath. "Who could this be?"

The anchor continued: "While details remain scarce, the public is eagerly speculating about the identity of the lucky woman. We're waiting for more details, but sources claim the woman is involved in the tech industry, possibly a rising star in her own right…"

Victor raised an eyebrow. "A techie? That doesn't sound like Melody, does it?" he muttered again, but curiosity was getting the better of him.

Just as he was about to settle back into his chair, the anchor added, "And now, it seems we have confirmation. The mysterious lady in question is none other than… Melody Violet, former rising star in the tech world. The couple is said to have been quietly courting for some time."

Victor froze. His hand gripped the coffee mug so tightly his knuckles turned white. Then, without warning, the cup slipped from his hand and hit the floor with a dramatic crash. The coffee splashed, spilling everywhere.

He gaped at the screen, unable to comprehend what he had just heard. His jaw dropped.