Episode4
1475 Words
Warm sunlight slipped through the sheer curtains, brushing lightly against Anthonia’s face. She stirred, blinking against the brightness, only to realize the bed beside her was empty. Leonard was nowhere in sight. The vastness of the room, the echoing silence—it was overwhelming.
She scrambled out of bed, her pink pajamas dragging slightly on the floor. Her steps echoed across the cold marble. Panic rose in her chest. The mansion was too big, too unfamiliar. She had no idea where she was supposed to go.
“Leonard?” Her voice trembled. No answer. She turned left, then right, heart hammering. Each hallway looked identical, each door the same. Her chest tightened. She felt trapped.
Finally, she could not hold it in. She screamed, loud and raw, the sound bouncing off the walls.
In the room next door, Leonard’s laptop pinged during a meeting. Executives’ faces filled the screen as he listened to quarterly reports, but the scream froze him mid-sentence. His sharp gaze narrowed, jaw tightening.
“Anthonia?” he called, voice sharp but controlled.
She ran toward the sound, adrenaline fueling her. When she finally reached him, she threw herself into his arms, holding him as though he were her only anchor in a chaotic world.
The executives on the video call were stunned. A few stifled laughs, some shook their heads, others whispered to one another.
“Boss… you could’ve told us you were busy,” one said, half-smiling. “We can handle the contracts.”
Leonard’s rare awkwardness surfaced. He gave a stiff half-smile. “Apologies. She can be very clingy sometimes… and acts like a child when she’s with me.”
Anthonia froze, suddenly aware of the invisible audience. Her cheeks flamed crimson. Without another word, she bolted from the room, mortified.
Leonard sighed, ended the meeting, and quickly left his office. He found her sitting on the edge of a guest bed, arms wrapped around her knees, eyes glistening.
“Why were you crying?” he asked, crouching slightly to meet her gaze.
“I… I woke up alone,” she whispered, voice cracking. “This house… it’s too big, too quiet. I didn’t know where to go. I panicked.”
Leonard’s expression softened just a fraction. “You don’t have to worry. I’m here now.”
He extended a hand. She hesitated, then took it, letting him guide her downstairs.
After breakfast, he slid a sleek black card across the table. “We’re going shopping,” he said. “You need clothes. Proper ones.”
She stared. “I… I don’t have money for that.”
“Use mine,” he said firmly.
She blinked. “Leonard… this is… expensive!”
“It’s your salary now,” he stated simply. “Take it.”
She laughed nervously. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” he replied, voice steady.
Before leaving, he made a quick call. “Full security detail,” he instructed. “Invisible. No mistakes.”
He also confirmed with David about the men who had caused trouble before.
“They’re caught,” David reported. “Begging. They can’t pay the compensation.”
“They should’ve thought about that before laying a finger on her,” Leonard said coldly.
Anthonia, oblivious to his conversation, called from the car. Leonard cut the call and ran toward her, offering a calm, “Everything okay?”
“Perfect,” she answered.
---
At the mall, she wandered store to store, her excitement bubbling. Leonard followed silently, a shadow at her heels. Each time she picked up a revealing outfit, he frowned sharply.
“You can’t wear that,” he said.
She looked at him, puzzled. “Why? It’s just a dress.”
“I said no,” he replied. End of discussion.
They entered a boutique, and a stylist, a friend of Leonard’s, gasped.
“Leonard! Who is this masterpiece?” she exclaimed.
Anthonia blushed shyly. “I… I’m just a model,” she said softly.
The stylist examined her, nodding enthusiastically. “You need this dress. It’s called ‘Living in Paradise.’”
She held up a long, sparkling gown, strapless and slitted just enough to showcase her figure. When Anthonia tried it on, the transformation was immediate. The gown fit her curves perfectly, making her glow.
Leonard’s gaze lingered longer than usual, something unfamiliar stirring in his chest. He turned abruptly.
“No,” he said sharply. “Too revealing. Only for shoots.”
“But I could wear it for events too—” Anthonia tried.
His glare stopped her mid-sentence. She swallowed, frustration and confusion mixing, and didn’t continue.
---
Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the air.
“Anthonia?!”
She spun around. Relief and joy flooded her chest. “Clara!”
Her best friend, or so she thought.
“I’ve been trying to reach you!” Anthonia ran forward.
Clara’s eyes, however, weren’t on her—they were fixed on Leonard. A twisted mixture of envy and anger crossed her face.
“Who is he?” Clara demanded, voice shaking.
Before Anthonia could answer, Leonard spoke. “I’m her fiancé.”
Clara froze, then exploded.
“No! No! NO! It was supposed to be me! Everything—everything you have now—you stole from me!”
Security tensed as she advanced.
“The drink at the bar… it wasn’t for her!” Clara screamed. “I set everything up! Leonard was supposed to come for me, not her! This is mine!”
Anthonia’s knees buckled. She sank to the floor, tears streaming. “Why… why would you do this? I thought you were my friend!”
Leonard reacted instantly, shielding her from Clara’s reach. “Security! Hold her back!”
The guards moved quickly, restraining Clara as she thrashed and shouted.
Even as Clara was dragged away, Anthonia stayed on the floor, crying bitterly. Her hands clenched in the folds of her dress. “She was… like a sister to me… I… I trusted her…”
Leonard didn’t know how to console her. It was not his skill, not his world. After a tense pause, he handed her a handkerchief.
“Stop crying,” he instructed firmly.
She shook her head violently, unable to stop.
Leonard’s jaw tightened. Then, realizing there was no other way, he lifted her into his arms. Firmly. Carefully. His movements were precise, almost clinical. Not a gesture of love—but of necessity.
She buried her face against his chest, still trembling. Her tears dampened his shirt, her hands gripping him as though letting go would mean losing everything.
He said nothing, his face set and calm. The car ride back was quiet except for her occasional hiccups and soft sniffles. Leonard’s mind was focused entirely on control, on keeping her safe, on the task at hand: managing the situation.
At one point, she whimpered, panic rising again. Without thinking, he pressed a hand to her shoulder and leaned down, placing a firm, urgent kiss on her lips—not gentle, not tender, not romantic.
It was a command, a signal, a way to hold her attention and silence the panic. A shield against chaos. She blinked, stunned, but the trembling subsided.
When he pulled back, he maintained a neutral expression. “You will be fine now,” he said simply. “Nobody is going to hurt you.”
Anthonia’s eyes widened, catching her breath. It wasn’t affection. It wasn’t comfort. But it worked.
She nodded slowly, realizing for the first time that she could rely on his presence. Not love, not yet—but reliability. Safety. Control.
The car rolled silently through traffic, Leonard scanning every corner, every reflection, every potential threat. He was a CEO, a planner, a man accustomed to controlling every variable—but this… this was different. Anthonia’s safety was now a variable he couldn’t allow to fail.
When they arrived home, he escorted her inside, carefully locking each door behind them. He instructed David to stay on high alert, to monitor every camera, every approach. “Nothing happens to her. Understand?”
David nodded, a little taken aback by Leonard’s intensity. Anthonia glanced at him, still shaky, realizing how much effort and focus was being devoted to her safety.
She whispered softly, “I… I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything,” Leonard replied. “Just stay safe. That’s all that matters.”
And for the first time in days, Anthonia allowed herself to breathe.
But the chaos, the public attention, the unexpected betrayals—it was only the beginning. And she knew, deep down, that today was the first day she would truly step into Leonard’s world—one full of danger, scrutiny, and impossible demands.
And for her, every step forward was a gamble.
- Writer
