Chapter Seven : Daniel's Counterattack

I stared at my phone again , my fingers curling so tightly around the device that my knuckles ached.

"I wish Eva nothing but the best, but it’s clear she married Leon Castello out of spite. I just hope she realizes that power comes with a price."

Daniel’s words were printed in bold, stark against the glaring white background of the article. My stomach twisted. He knew exactly what he was doing. It wasn’t a direct attack, not an outright declaration of war, but it was worse. It was subtle. A carefully crafted attempt to paint me as a desperate woman who had jumped into a marriage for revenge.

Bile rose in my throat.

Damn him.

I threw my phone onto the bed and ran a hand through my hair, pacing the length of the bedroom. The article was already spreading like wildfire. People were eating it up, dissecting every sentence, every implied meaning.

My past with Daniel was no secret. The media had milked our breakup for all it was worth, and now, with his carefully worded statement, they had fresh meat to chew on.

And Leon—

He just left , where did he go?

I whirled toward the door.

I needed to find him.

The moment I stepped into Leon’s office, I could feel the tension in the air. He was sitting behind his desk, one hand on his phone, the other resting on his chin. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes flicked up the second I walked in.

“You are too calm,” I said. It wasn’t a question.

Leon didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, watching me with that same calm, unreadable expression that always made me feel like I was walking straight into a trap.

“Let him talk,” he finally said.

I clenched my fists. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

He arched a brow. “What do you want me to do? Send a press release declaring our undying love?”

I glared at him. “I want you to do something.”

Leon exhaled, tapping his fingers against the armrest. “And what exactly do you expect me to do, Eva? Get into a media war with your ex-boyfriend?”

“I expect you to defend me!” I snapped.

His gaze darkened. “You think I’m not already handling it?”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Damn it.

He was right.

Leon wasn’t the type to react impulsively. Everything he did was calculated, precise. If he wasn’t rushing to the media, it was because he had something better planned.

I swallowed hard. “Then what are you doing?”

A ghost of a smirk played at the corner of his lips. “You’ll see.”

That night, the air in the grand ballroom was thick with whispered speculation.

Every major player in the business world was here, and thanks to Daniel’s statement, all eyes were on me.

I felt them—felt the weight of their stares, the curiosity, the judgment.

I lifted my chin and smiled, refusing to let it shake me.

If they wanted a show, I would give them one.

Leon, however, was as relaxed as ever. He walked beside me with effortless confidence, his hand resting lightly against the small of my back. To anyone watching, we were the perfect couple—poised, powerful, untouchable.

But I could feel the tension beneath his touch. The controlled precision of his movements.

He was waiting for something.

And then I saw them.

Daniel and Vanessa.

My stomach clenched as they entered the room, their presence igniting a fresh wave of murmurs.

Vanessa was stunning as always, her lips curved in that perfect, practiced smile. Daniel, on the other hand, had his usual air of quiet arrogance. He looked right at me, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something smug.

He thought he had won.

Leon’s fingers pressed slightly against my back, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“If you want him to shut up, all you have to do is trust me.”

I turned my head toward him, my breath catching at the intensity in his gaze.

And then, without hesitation, in front of the entire crowd, Leon pulled me closer—

And kissed me.

The room went silent.

The world blurred.

I barely had time to process what was happening before his lips were on mine, firm and possessive. There was no hesitation, no gentleness—just a slow, deliberate claiming that left no room for doubt.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Cameras flashed.

Daniel stiffened, his jaw clenching, but I couldn’t focus on him.

Because at that moment, there was only Leon.

And the dangerous game we had just begun.