Prosecutor, Your Secret Lover Has Run Away 

In the cramped car, as the man moved closer, the air quickly filled with an ambiguous tension. Leonie Ford leaned in voluntarily, gently pressing her red lips together, and the atmosphere became immediately tense and charged. Even after three years of being in a relationship with Orion Beaumont, it wasn’t until today that she realized that he was already engaged. And tomorrow, he was getting married. All this time, their three-year relationship meant nothing more to him than a casual fling. To Orion, their three years together were nothing in front of the trickle of money slipping through the fingers of a wealthy heiress. Leonie had drunk quite a bit at the bar when suddenly a handsome man caught her eye. The alcohol made her bold, and she did the most impulsive thing in her life. She sat directly on the man’s lap. Amidst the mocking gazes of the people around them, the man quickly pulled her into his embrace and carried her away. With one arm around her soft waist, he sat her on his lap, while his other hand subtly slipped under the hem of her clothes. Leonie was slightly drunk, resting her head on the man’s shoulder, mumbling hazily, “O... Orion, you’re such a jerk!” The air in the car instantly froze. The man froze for a moment, immediately retracting his hand and placing her back in the passenger seat. Leonie looked at him with a bit of disappointment. Under the dim light in the car, when she clearly saw the man’s face, the alcohol in her system faded away instantly. It was... Alaric Carrington, a well-known figure in Winterberg’s political circle. He was young, accomplished, and already the highest-ranking prosecutor at the Winterberg Prosecutor’s Office. More importantly, this man was also Orion’s half-brother. Leonie had no idea about the relationship between Orion and Alaric. No matter what grudges there were between them, she didn’t want to be involved with this family in any way. Alaric opened the car window, and the cool autumn breeze blew into the car, calming the atmosphere a little. “Miss Ford...” Alaric’s tone carried an ambiguous undertone, deliberately drawing out the syllables. Leonie felt a sense of unease rise within her. She hadn’t introduced herself—did he know something? Before she could react, Alaric’s voice suddenly broke the silence. “Is this an attempt to get back at Orion?” Perhaps it was the chill from the outside wind that made her shiver. She immediately realized that Alaric had obviously investigated Orion, and there was no way she could keep playing dumb. Leonie gave an awkward smile, lowered her head to avoid meeting his gaze, and hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, Mr. Carrington! Tonight’s actions weren’t meant to get back at anyone. I truly apologize if I’ve offended you.” Alaric seemed somewhat curious. He deliberately lowered his voice, saying, “This is the first time someone has mentioned another man in front of me.” Leonie’s face instantly flushed red. She was about to explain, but Alaric had already turned his face and asked, “Where do you live? I’ll take you home.” Since it was already late, and she had been drinking, Leonie didn’t refuse for safety’s sake. The entire journey, neither of them spoke. Leonie occasionally glanced at Alaric, who was focused on driving. Alaric’s appearance was indeed outstanding. With a superior bone structure, a tall nose, and deep-set eyes, he attracted the attention of many women. When they arrived at her destination, just as Leonie was about to get out of the car, Alaric suddenly grabbed her arm. She looked up at him in confusion, only to see him frowning, examining her short skirt. Before she could react, Alaric had already draped his suit jacket over her legs. “It’s a cold night.” Although Leonie appreciated Alaric’s concern, she didn’t want to be involved with him any further. She folded the jacket and handed it back to him politely, saying, “Thank you for your kindness, but I'm almost home.” Alaric looked at her, did not insist, and handed her his business card, his tone carrying an unprecedented hint of ambiguity. “Miss Ford, we’ll have many more opportunities to interact.” Alaric was undoubtedly the ideal man that many women dream of. Even a brief encounter with him would be unforgettable for Leonie. But when she thought about his relationship with Orion, Leonie ultimately chose to withdraw. After a brief hesitation, she spoke up, “Mr. Carrington, let’s not contact each other again.” Alaric took back his business card and, with a playful tone, said, “Miss Ford, you’ve already rejected me thrice today. Someone like you shouldn't play with fire; it’s better for you to stay cautious.” With that, Alaric drove away in his black Maybach. A wave of uncomfortable emotion surged through Leonie. She sniffled, and the cool breeze blowing toward her made her shiver. At that moment, the familiar ringtone of her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. It was a call from her mother. She answered the call, and her mother’s anxious voice immediately reached her ears. “Leonie, where are you? Hurry back, something happened at home!” Leonie felt a sense of unease and quickly asked, “What happened?” But all she could hear in response was her mother crying. When she arrived home, she found her mother anxiously talking on the phone, repeatedly mentioning compensation. “Mom, what happened?” Leonie stepped forward and asked. Vespera Ford broke down upon seeing her daughter, wrapping her arms around Leonie and crying loudly, “Orion, that bastard, actually had someone send your brother Ezekiel to the police station! We’ve always treated Orion like our own son, and when he was struggling, we took him in. Ezekiel always treated him like a brother. But now that he has become successful in his career, he’s abandoned you and forgotten how we helped him!” Leonie felt as if her head was about to explode. She couldn’t even hear her mother’s cries clearly, staring blankly at her mother’s mouth moving, unable to comprehend the words. She never expected Orion to be this cruel! As her mind started to clear, Leonie hurried to comfort her mother. “Don’t worry, Ezekiel may have been detained, but maybe it’s just for questioning. I’ll call Orion and ask him about it.” Even though they had broken up, could Orion really be this heartless? Leonie quickly dialed Orion’s number, and the call was answered after only a few rings. Leonie tried to remain calm as she asked, “Orion, what’s going on with Ezekiel?” On the other end of the line, the man responded with a barely concealed sneer, “Leonie, Ezekiel has always looked down on me, acting arrogant all the time. This is just what he deserves. Do you want to save Ezekiel? Fine, as long as we’re back to how we were before, I’ll treat you well, and you can get Ezekiel out.” Leonie was momentarily stunned and asked in disbelief, “Aren’t you getting married tomorrow?” “And what does that have to do with my marriage? As long as you become my lover, I won’t bring any more trouble to you.” Orion’s words made Leonie feel an icy chill down her spine. She couldn’t help but mock herself. She had wasted three years of her youth on such a bastard, even dragging her family into this mess. On the other end of the line, Orion coldly said, “Leonie, listen. Ezekiel has illegally taken $20 million from Beaumont Group. If we press charges, he’ll end up in prison. If you restart things with me, Ezekiel can be saved from the punishment.” Hearing this, Leonie’s anger flared. “Orion, there’s no evidence that Ezekiel took that money. I won’t accept this!” Orion snorted in disdain, “You’re still so naïve! I’ve already told you, Ezekiel’s future is in my hands!” Leonie felt as though her heart was being submerged in cold water. “I’ll hire the best lawyer for him.” A mocking laugh echoed from the other end of the phone. “Sure, let’s see which lawyer dares to take your case.” After hanging up, Leonie sat there in a daze. Orion had once been a gentleman, and although Ezekiel had never liked him, he had agreed to cooperate with Beaumont Group simply because Orion was Leonie’s boyfriend. She never imagined Orion would push Ezekiel to the brink of ruin. “Leonie, no matter what, I will always put you and Ezekiel first in my life. Ezekiel needs help, but I can’t push you into another desperate situation,” Vespera said through her tears. Hearing her mother’s words, Leonie’s emotions were complicated. If it weren’t for her having loved the wrong person, would her mother and brother have to go through this? She fought back the tears and forced herself to stay strong. “Mom, I have a plan.” Back in her room, Leonie thought of Alaric and couldn’t help but feel regretful. She regretted not accepting his business card. Alaric, only you can help me now.