Victoria_Xoxo

He chuckled. “What’s with the face?”

I blinked. “What?”

“You’re blushing.” His voice held a teasing lit, and I could practically hear the smirk behind it.

“Oh.” I raised a hand to my cheek, rubbing absently, only to feel the warmth spreading across my skin. My lips twisted into a small, guilty smile.

Leo’s eyes gleamed with amusement. There was something about the way he looked at me—steady, knowing—that made me uneasy. Not because I felt uncomfortable, but because I had spent so long misunderstanding him.

Why hadn’t I seen his loyalty from the start? Why had I assumed he wanted me for business, for something transactional? A pang of guilt settled in my chest.

“This place is…” I started, glancing around, searching for words.

He leaned back slightly, one arm draped over the chair. “Deserving of a heiress,” he finished smoothly. “I had a work break.”

A warm rush of gratitude filled me, but it was quickly dampened by a lingering thought. Cassie had mentioned something earlier—something about Ophelia storming into Leo’s office. My fingers curled slightly against the tablecloth.

Kill Lila!

My anger had settled after leaving Mason's prison, but it didn't take long for it to rise again. News broke that SakuraTech was preparing to unveil its next successor in two months, and I already knew who it would be. Ophelia. The heiress to SakuraTech. The illegitimate daughter of the Hearlto Group's powerful patriarch.

She was always fortunate, wasn't she? No matter the circumstances, no matter the truth of her origins, she somehow remained at the top. While others fought and clawed their way to success, she had everything handed to her.

But luck could only take someone so far.

Leo's Affection. Leo pov