Mistletoe Miracle

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“So, this is where you two disappeared to.”

Leo’s voice cut through the air, sharp as a blade. He stood there, his gaze fixed on Serenity with an unreadable expression—a look of calculated intensity that Evan, blinded by his own frustration, failed to notice.

“Leo, what do you want?” Evan asked, his voice tight. Usually, he and Leo were inseparable, but his childhood friend’s knack for ill-timed interruptions was wearing thin.

“I thought I’d formally introduce myself to your date,” Leo replied, his tone smooth yet mocking. “Since you clearly haven't found the decency to do it yourself.”

Evan bristled. “You already know who she is. I told you everything you needed to know.”

“Knowing a woman by your description and being formally introduced to her are two very different things, Evan,” Leo countered. He stepped closer, his presence commanding the space.

“Leo, we’re in the middle of a private—”

“No, it’s alright, Evan.” Serenity’s voice was a calm anchor in the rising heat. She raised a hand to silence the bickering, then rose from the cushioned bench with effortless poise. She didn't just stand; she claimed her space. Extending her hand, she looked Leo directly in the eye, radiating a quiet, unshakeable confidence.

“Serenity Chase. It’s a pleasure to formally meet you.”

Leo’s eyes dropped to her hand. He lingered for a heartbeat too long before slowly closing his fingers around hers. The gesture was deliberate, his grip firm.

“Leonardo Campbell,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Chase.”

“It seems you two have matters to discuss,” Serenity said, her voice smooth and devoid of any offense. “I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

She was keenly aware of the frost in Leo’s demeanor. Despite his polite greeting, his eyes remained guarded, betraying a lingering distrust he hadn’t quite managed to mask. To him, she was an outsider— an imposter he believed was only after Evan’s money. Which, Serenity found highly ironic, given that money was the sole reason Evan needed a ‘fake’ girlfriend in the first place.

Oddly enough, though, she found she couldn’t blame him. In a world of shallow ties, his fierce loyalty to Evan was almost admirable. If their roles were reversed, she might have been just as protective. Giving Evan a small, reassuring nod, she put her heels back on, turned, and slipped away, leaving the two men to the heavy silence she had left behind.

As soon as the hem of Serenity’s dress disappeared around the corner, Leo turned on Evan, his composure fracturing into pure desperation.

“Bro, you have to cut her loose. Now,” Leo said, his voice low and hard.

Evan recoiled slightly, looking at his lifelong friend as if he had suddenly started speaking a foreign language. “What? What are you even talking about?”

“She isn’t who you think she is, Evan,” Leo gritted out through clenched teeth. He shot a nervous glance over his shoulder, struggling to keep his volume down while his blood pressure spiked.

“Yeah,” Evan replied, his voice maddeningly calm. “I know.”

Leo froze, the air leaving his lungs in a rush. Stunned, he searched Evan’s face. Did Evan already know? Did he realize Serenity wasn’t the professional they’d sought, but just an ordinary girl who had stumbled into the wrong place at the right time?

“You know?” Leo echoed, his voice a ghost of a whisper.

“I know she’s not Talia,” Evan said with a faint, lopsided smile. He reached out, giving Leo’s shoulder a firm, reassuring squeeze. “But it’s okay. Honestly, Leo? She’s better than any paid actress we could have found.”

“What? No—Evan, that’s not what I’m—”

“Look, Leo, I get it,” Evan interrupted, his eyes brightening with a warmth that only made Leo more frantic. “You’re worried because the wrong girl showed up. But if you ask me, she’s the right girl in every possible way.”

“No, Evan! Listen to me!” Leo’s hands flew up in a gesture of frantic exasperation. “She isn’t acting. She’s just—”

“I know she’s not, bro,” Evan said, his tone final. “That’s the best part. She’s being genuine. Sure, she’s playing the role of my girlfriend to keep Grandma happy, but everything else? That’s just her. I can see it, and I’m more than cool with it. So, stop stressing that she’s not the professional you hired. Everything is turning out better than I ever could have hoped for.”

Leo opened his mouth to scream the truth, but the words died in his throat as he realized Evan wasn't just charmed—he was already gone.

“Dammit,” Leo hissed, kicking at an invisible stone on the terrace floor.

“You know, Leonardo, you really should ensure you’re alone before attempting a hushed conversation.”

Leo spun around, his heart hammering against his ribs. Emerging from the velvet shadows of the darkened corner was a figure of quiet authority.

“Grandmother?” Leo stammered, his voice cracking. “When did… how did you…?” He glanced toward the only entrance to the terrace. He hadn't seen her pass by; she seemed to have manifested from the night air itself.

“I was already here when those lovebirds arrived,” Eleanor answered, stepping into the dim light. Her silver hair shimmered like a halo, but her eyes were sharp as flint. “I kept to the shadows. I had no desire to rain on their parade—until now.”

“Did you hear… all of that?” Leo asked. His insides weren’t just trembling; they were liquid.

“I did. So,” Eleanor said, her voice dropping to a dangerously calm level, “my grandson is paying that young woman to engage in a charade? A fake relationship?”

Leo opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He was utterly speechless, caught in the high beams of her scrutiny.

“I see,” Eleanor replied. She didn't need his confession; his silence was a signed and witnessed statement of guilt. “Evan must think I am either stupid, naïve, or perhaps a tragic combination of both. Did he truly believe I wouldn’t look into the woman he brought into my home?”

Leo’s eyes widened. “You’ve already looked into her?”

“I have. And interestingly enough, I find myself in agreement with Evan. She isn't acting. At least, not in the way you think. She isn't after his fortune—not per se.”

Leo blinked, his confusion momentarily overriding his fear. “What do you mean?”

“She is a woman of desperate circumstances, and she acted out of that desperation. So, no, she is clearly not the professional actress you hired to fool me,” Eleanor hissed, the edge in her voice making Leo swallow hard.

She stepped closer, her gaze pinning him to the spot. “But as my grandson said, she is genuine. That is why you are going to leave this alone, Leonardo. I don’t care if they are bound by a contract or a lie. I see the way Evan looks at her when she speaks. I hear the conviction in her voice. She isn’t just memorizing the scripts Evan feeds her; she is absorbing them, making his world her own. That shows an investment. Investment breeds interest, and mutual interest has the potential to become love.”

She leaned in, her expression brooking no argument. “So, Leonardo Campbell, you will bury this. You will leave it alone. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Leonardo gulped and nodded his head. He knew better than to cross the woman who would destroy his family with one phone call.