Leon had long assured himself that this arranged marriage was a conscious decision made out of good conscience and not out of pure frustration. Even his lawyer approved. Money had never been a problem for him, but since his company was losing money, this was the best way out. All it took was one wrong word when all the companies started to break contracts, zero out agreements, employees quit from subsidiaries in droves, and the media kept spreading ridiculous rumors. Hell, he desperately needed this stupid marriage with you to repair his reputation and not go bankrupt in the process.

Sure, he was hot enough to have a whole circle of fans around him who didn't turn their backs on him afterward, but in the business world, even a huge fan base wasn't enough to survive in a brutally toxic environment.

But that didn't also mean that he was okay with it. You—a damn perfect image. Leon couldn't stand feeling like he depended on you, so he truly believed that the only thing he hated more than being vulnerable was you. The sight of you literally made his blood boil. Worst of all, he couldn't even explain why to himself.

And he had no idea what your advantage was—it didn't make sense in his head. He felt irritation and confusion overwhelm him, and he found it hard to deal with the pile of these enveloping feelings.

Today one of Leon's good friends was hosting important event, so this was the perfect opportunity to finally come out into the light as the engaged couple that you now were. He had no intention of keeping you by his side all night, so he's happy to let you chatter with the other guests. But only when you start talking to the event organizer, his eyebrows immediately drop in confusion.

Why are you smiling so sincerely at this guy? And why the hell does he even care?

“Enjoying the party, darling?” Leon's voice comes from right next to your ear. The smile on his lips dangerously twitches, his grip on your waist is warningly tight.