I love you all
Flashback continuesLEO’S POV I must admit, she seems quite intelligent from the way she spoke earlier. Working together might not be so bad, but only as long as our opinions don’t clash.“Okay, I think we’ll discuss it tomorrow,” she said, excusing herself. As she turned to leave, she bumped into Mark.“Oh, sorry about that,” Mark said, and she gave him a quick nod.“So much bumping into people on my first day,” she muttered, before walking away. Mark shook my hand and continued talking.“Did you hear about the new bar opening tonight near the university? You should come check it out with me.” His tone was eager, but my attention had already shifted to Rachel disappearing down the hall.“I’m not interested,” I replied, starting to walk toward my next class.“Oh, come on, Leo,” Mark pressed, following me as I shook my head in disapproval.As we approached the classroom, I spotted her again—Rachel—standing in the corner, someone towering over her, blocking her path.“Oh no, looks lik
LEO’S POV"Hello, Mark, can you tell me the location of the new bar? " I asked, glancing at the time—8:30 PM already."What? Are you going? I was thinking we could head over at 10 PM, you know," he replied, dodging my question entirely.Damn, what kind of friend is this?I can’t even remember how we became friends in the first place. How did we?"Mark, you didn’t answer my question," I repeated, my irritation bleeding through my voice."Alright, alright. It’s beside the GnGee Mall. It’s called Baresque," he finally relented. Before he could start rambling again, I hung up.As I sped down the highway, a thousand thoughts raced through my mind. What if Dave’s already done something? The thought gnawed at me, making me press down harder on the accelerator.But why do I care? I usually ignore this kind of drama. What’s different now?My phone buzzed, and I saw it was Mom calling. "Hey, Mom," I answered, but she stayed silent. She was pissed, I could tell. "I’ll be a little late, but I’
CHAPTER ONELEO’S POV“It was nice doing business with you, Mr. Leonardo, but I must say I cannot just invest in your company for some reasons. I will have to think about it,” Mr. Max Zenin, the largest shareholder of Whites Company, said.“Okay, you have all the time to think about it. I guarantee you it’s worth it,” I replied, crossing my legs. I was dressed in a black Tom Ford suit with Tom Ford Elian shoes, projecting the image of confidence and success.Now you might be wondering who I am, Leonardo Lugard is my name. The owner of L&L Building—the most well-known and biggest mall in Las Vegas— and I am here to get Max Zenin to invest in my company. My physical description? - A tall, fair, dark-haired appearance, coupled with piercing eyes that seemed to hold a world of secrets, gave me an air of mystery and intrigue that drew others to me like moths to a flame. But to my dismay, Mr. Max seemed to have trust issues.“Now, if you will excuse me, I have another meeting to attend,” I
CHAPTER TWOLEO’S POV“Hello, Mr. Leonardo,” Drew greeted, extending his hand for a shake, but I opted to remain seated, ignoring the gesture.“Wow, I guess the media really did cover your personality accurately,” Drew remarked, a smile stretching across his face as he settled into the seat opposite me.“I’m not sure why you decided to come in before the scheduled time, but it appears to be perfect timing. The offer wasn’t for you alone, actually; it’s for both you and Miss Rachel Snow,” Drew explained, his tone even.Just then, the door swung open, and Rachel entered confidently, her heels clicking against the polished floor. Her eyes scanned the room before landing on us, and she wasted no time in addressing me with a “really” look.“Perfect timing, Miss Rachel. Please have a seat,” Drew interjected smoothly, attempting to diffuse the tension.“Oh, this day can’t get any worse. I can’t believe I am bumping into you for the second time in just a day. Are you stalking me?” Rachel reto
CHAPTER THREERACHEL’S POV“What, Rachel? Are you serious?” Cecilia asked for the 100th time. Cecilia, my best friend, had grown up with me. A striking model and influential social media figure, She was also the ambassador for my jewelry line. With her long, flowing ebony hair, piercing blue eyes, and model-like figure, she had seen the news and rushed over to my house to confirm if it was just a rumor or fake. I assured her I was aware and fully supportive of it.“Are you sure you are okay?” she asked again, concern evident in her voice.“Yes, Cecile, I accept this challenge. I’ve got various plans in my head right now. One is to make him accept the challenge. Two is to get to know more about him—specifically his weaknesses and flaws—and use them to my advantage. Lastly, I will get rid of the other couples in the show, and then I will get rid of him too, making me the only person standing. Max Zenin would have no choice but to invest in my company. And that’s it. I’m going to secure
RACHEL’S POV“What did you do?” Leo asked, his tone platonic but I could sense the underlying annoyance in his voice.“I did what I could. If we both act as a married couple for just 100 days, then Max Zenin will either invest in my company or yours at the end of it,” I said, folding my arms defensively. I had hoped he would understand, but his expression told me otherwise.He came outside to meet me where I stood beside my car, the morning light casting a shadow over his furrowed brow. I could see the frustration in his eyes as he approached. Yesterday, I received a message from Drew, where he told me Leo was warning him that the article should be taken down before 8 am, or he would sue. I had no choice but to step in.His jaw clenched, and I could see the tension in his shoulders. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.“I will make sure he enters the show at whatever cost, and I will put my plans in motion,” I thought, steeling myself for the confrontation.“I am not
RACHEL’S POVBelieve it or not, anxiety is coursing through me as I think about appearing on that variety show with Leo. Yet, despite the nerves, I can't help but feel an undercurrent of excitement. This is my chance to manipulate him, to finally gain the upper hand. “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer” – that will be my mantra. I won’t let him reign at the top forever. He needs to know what it's like to be in second place, to feel the sting of being overshadowed. And I, in turn, will relish what it means to stand on the top rung.As the driver sped through the highway, my mind raced even faster. Numerous thoughts swirled within me, a chaotic storm of strategy. Today marks our first interview as the cast of the variety show, and we’re expected to arrive by 9:00 AM. I’ve always prided myself on punctuality, always being the first to arrive. But this time, I silently prayed that Leo wouldn’t beat me there. Being second to him, even in arrival time, would be a small but bit
LEO’S POVI was not expecting to see Helen here, in a variety show, to sign a contract marriage after disappearing for eight years. Coincidence or not, I don’t know what to call it. My phone rang in my pocket, and I declined the call without bothering to check the caller ID. My father had been furious after realizing I had ignored his advice, and I knew he was already planning his next move.So many thoughts raced through my mind as I saw Helen seated right across from me in an emerald dress. I could sense Rachel’s piercing gaze on both of us, and I quickly snapped out of it to introduce myself. If anyone noticed the tension, it would be just me, Helen, and Rachel.After the interview for the variety show, I went to make a call and heard someone approaching me from behind. I already knew who it was.“Leo, I feel so happy to see you, although I did not expect that we would meet here,” Helen said, plastering a fake smile on her face, the same one Rachel always used while talking to me.