Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The Quiet Between Us
The phone on the side table buzzed, breaking the moment. Leo leaned over and picked it up, his expression unreadable.
Leo nodded. “Apparently, the gala inspired her.”
Leo stepped out first, then circled around to open her door. His hand brushed the small of her back as he guided her inside. Warm. Protective. Comforting.
Melanie stepped into the bathroom to change. When she emerged, she wore a soft cotton nightshirt. Her makeup had been wiped away, revealing the softness in her eyes, the tired curve of her mouth.
Their room was dim when they entered, the curtains drawn, moonlight slipping through the cracks. The scent of cologne and fresh linens hung in the air.
Melanie stiffened.
Leo’s jaw flexed, a flash of something unreadable in his eyes.
Even if just for tonight.
Just lay there, listening to the rhythm of his breathing, her own emotions tangled somewhere between confusion and something else. Something softer.
He didn’t press. Just nodded once.
Melanie raised a brow in amusement, listening quietly.
Like she wasn’t just a contract.
Melanie kept her gaze fixed on the blurred city lights flashing past the tinted window, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her dress. Her heels were off, tucked beside her on the seat, and her legs ached from standing so long. Her shoulders were tense, her throat dry.
He ended the call and turned to her. “That was my mother. She wants to take you shopping tomorrow.”
Minutes passed. Maybe hours.
They ascended the stairs side by side, steps light against the plush carpet. The chandelier above bathed the hallway in a soft golden glow. Everything was still.
The ride home was quiet. Unsettlingly quiet.
She glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “You mean when I told Aaron off?”
“You’re awfully quiet,” Leo finally said beside her, voice low, his eyes still facing the road ahead.
Aaron’s smug threats. The stranger who had whispered that eerie, cryptic comment. And Leo—Leo had been calm on the outside, composed like always, but she could feel it. The way his jaw tightened. The heaviness in his silence. Something inside him was stirred. Shaken.
She didn’t move.
Leonard.
Leo stood. “We both need rest. Come on.”
Then Leo said, “Shopping? Tomorrow? Just you and her?”
She hesitated, then walked back down the steps and settled beside him. The cushion dipped slightly beneath his weight as he joined her.
Her fingers locked together tightly in her lap. Her stomach gave a small twist.
They climbed into bed wordlessly. Melanie turned to face the wall, trying to calm her spinning thoughts. But sleep was elusive.
“It’s not a suggestion,” he said, gaze steady. “Just use it if you need to.”
And then—warmth.
Leo had changed too—into a black t-shirt and gray sweatpants. He looked… different. More human. Less untouchable.
She shook her head. “Don’t be. You weren’t there.”
Melanie blinked, then gave a small shrug. “Just tired.”
They arrived at Westwood Manor soon after. The estate stood like a sleeping beast under the night sky—quiet, cold, and grand. Most of the lights were off, the staff long since retired. The only illumination came from the soft glow of the chandelier above the staircase and a few dim sconces lining the hallway.
“Take this. Just in case.”
“Mother,” he muttered, answering the call. “Yes… we just got back.”
Leo said nothing, just listened.
She let out a small, dry laugh. “I don’t need anything.”
“Don’t go,” he murmured, barely audible.
Silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable, just… heavy. Real.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
A pause.
A solid arm curled around her waist. A chest pressed gently to her back. She stiffened.
Melanie froze.
And though she knew he might be dreaming of someone else—someone from his past—she let him hold her anyway.
“He left me a few days before the wedding,” she continued, voice hollow. “No warning. No explanation. At first, I thought it was stress. Cold feet. Then I found out… he left because of my sister. They’re together now.”
Her eyes widened. “Leonard, I can’t—”
“Sit for a second,” he said, motioning to the couch.
Her heart ached. The sound of his voice—so broken, so unguarded—it wasn’t the ruthless billionaire she’d married. It was a man who had been left behind. A man still searching for something… or someone.
He held her like she mattered.
Didn’t speak.
Leo had already removed his jacket, draping it neatly over the arm of the couch. He loosened his tie with a tired sigh, then undid the top two buttons of his shirt, exposing a glimpse of his collarbone.
“We were supposed to get married,” she said quietly. “A big wedding. Everything was planned.”
Melanie made a move to stand, but he lightly touched her wrist, urging her to stay seated.
“No, nothing happened… yes, she handled herself,” Leo said. His tone was even, but there was a trace of pride in his voice.
Leo gave a faint smirk, eyes flickering toward her. “Exactly that.”
“Wait.”
Melanie’s POV
Leo pulled out his wallet and retrieved a sleek black card. He placed it gently in her palm.
She headed for the stairs, eager to escape to their room, but his voice stopped her mid-step.
Melanie’s heart skipped. “Depends on what it is.”
She tried to shift, unsure, but then—
She stared at the card, unsure how to respond. Something about it felt too intimate, too real. But eventually, she nodded.
Melanie’s lips curved slightly, but the weight in her chest didn’t lift. Not fully. Something about that whole night had unsettled her. And it wasn’t just Aaron.
She felt watched. Not just by the crowd earlier, but by something unseen. Something lingering beneath the surface.
“Your last relationship.”
“Please… stay,” he whispered again, voice hoarse with sleep.
He studied her profile for a moment. “Can I ask you something personal?”
Melanie blinked. “Shopping?”
His breath was slow. Steady. Asleep.
“Alright. I’ll let her know.”
“You handled yourself well tonight,” he added after a beat.
Melanie turned.
Too much had happened in one night.
