The days after the mayor’s banquet, life at the Quinn residence returned to normal that felt more unsettling than comfortable. Leon and Mia were living under the same roof, moving through their daily routines while conveniently circling around each other, yet something invisible had settled between them. It was not an argument, but it was quieter than that. A silence that spoke of misunderstandings and some things left unsaid.Mia started to speak much less at breakfast. She left earlier for work, and came back later than usual. Their conversations became efficient, limited to logistics. But there were no lingering glances, no casual warmth. She smiled when necessary at the family gatherings, but it never reached her eyes.In some way, Leon thought this was good... because this distance gave him some space to plan the perfect proposal.In fact, he welcomed it. He wanted the ring and the engagement to come without suspicion, without pressure.If Mia sensed anything unusual, the surpr

Leon shut the door behind him and stood still for a moment, his chest rising sharply.Mia’s words were echoing in his ears like a chainsaw, cutting relentlessly relentlessly in the same place. Neither could he find a way to pull it out, nor to ignore the pain somehow. Mia didn't even cry or shout about this matter. Instead, she had said it calmly, as if she had rehearsed it a thousand times on her way home.And that sense of calm was snatching away his peace from his heart. He went straight to his room and locked the door. Somehow, the silence was much greater than even the loudest chaos he had encountered in his lifetime. Leon pulled out his phone and dialed a number from memory. The call connected almost instantly.“Boss? Is everything alright?” His assistant answered, alert as always.Leon did not waste any time before narrating the number that had just called Mia’s phone. Then, he added, “This person has been calling Mia repeatedly and bothering her. I want to know everything

Leon slowed his steps as he moved down the corridor.His mind was still tangled in numbers, names, and intentions. Wayne Shephard. The Quinn Group’s fragile finances. The delayed Golden Group payment. The shares the family no longer controlled. Each thought stacked on top of the other, forming a picture that made his chest feel tight.He barely noticed when he crossed past one of the guest bedrooms.Until voices drifted out.Leon stopped instinctively.The door was not fully closed. A thin line of warm light spilled into the hallway, and inside, an uncle’s familiar voice carried clearly through the gap.“I told you it was the right move,” the uncle said, sounding pleased. “We made a clean profit.”Leon’s brows knit together.His wife laughed softly. “Of course we did. Greybeak Company doesn’t invest unless there’s gold buried underneath.”Leon’s heart skipped.Greybeak.He leaned closer to the wall, careful not to make a sound.“Nobody even noticed,” the uncle continued smugly. “We so

Leon closed the bedroom door behind him with gentle care.The muffled sounds of the Quinn household faded instantly, but the tension did not. It clung to him like a second skin as he crossed the room and picked up his phone again. The bedside lamp cast a low amber glow, catching the sharp line of his jaw as he dialed.The call connected on the first ring.“Boss,” the assistant said immediately, voice alert. “I was about to—”“Listen carefully,” Leon cut in, his tone low but coiled tight. “I need everything. Full background on Wayne Shephard, his family, his capital flow, and his involvement with the Quinn Group. I also want a complete breakdown of Quinn Group’s share movements over the last six months. Every abnormal transaction.”“Yes, boss.”Leon paced the length of the room, fingers tightening around the phone. “And start arrangements for protection.”“Protection?” the assistant echoed.“For my wife,” Leon said without hesitation. “Discrete guards. No uniforms. No presence she can

The night deepened quietly around the Quinn residence, but sleep was far from Leon's eyes. He was sitting on the edge of the bed… not knowing how long it had been since Mia had turned her back to him, her breathing shallow and uneven. She was pretending to sleep, and he was pretending not to notice. The space between them felt wider than the grand canyon itself. Leon rose silently and stepped into the study, closing the door behind him. But the moment it clicked shut, his composure fractured. He loosened his collar, dragged a hand through his hair, and leaned both palms against the desk.Tomorrow! He had said it so calmly, decisively. But tomorrow carried consequences.His phone vibrated again.[Boss, Wayne has scheduled a private dinner with Mr. Quinn’s second brother tomorrow evening. Location secured. Off-record.]Leon stared at the message for several seconds.So they were accelerating.[Send me the guest list and recording access. I want everything documented.][Already arrange