Both of them stared into each other's eyes. It's hard to maintain her pleading gaze as if she's searching for an answer Leo couldn't give. How can he make her remember him? When in fact, he wasn't in her life in the first place? Leo was just a colleague to the one who brought her in the mansion.
He's the only one who took care of her. He's the one who brought the doctor, paid everything so that Zella wouldn't find out who she was. With the silver notice all around the Idris, it's impossible to hide it from her if someone slipped their tongue.
Would Leo have wanted her wish to be anything but the memories they have with each other?
Laina Luciano didn't even exist. He just made Zella believe it was her identity.
Sometimes, he felt sorry for her. She kept on believing his lies, as if it's true, and that their marriage was real. Maybe Zella can even feel it in the first place. She never had the courage until now.
Leo sighed, asking, "How can I do that?"
"Answer me first. Who are you?"
"Leo Luciano, your husband." Leo wanted to cut off a nosy Zella and just go home while her words ring in his ears. Zella swallowed, tilting her head to one side, and stared at him in silence. Both of them didn't back down from the staring contest. It just got heated for a few moments.
"Why do I feel like you're not my husband? Why are you acting odd whenever you touch me? Whenever you give me something? You're acting strange in everything, Leo. And now, the dance…"
Leo unclasped his hands from the steering wheel. He queried, "What about the dance?"
"You acted like you're in love with me, then after the spotlight is turned off, you become cold." It made Leo tired out. With all of the pressure Jeremy Tyran has pressed on them a week after, Leo had to meet the deadline and bring the fugitive's heads. They're order to kill, not to spare.
"You always become cold when no people are looking. You acted like you're in love with me even if we're alone, but I couldn't feel it, Leo."
Zella was trying hard to shed off the mask Leo was wearing. He had, based on how he acted earlier with the maid who barged inside the room and interrupted their kiss. Zella was getting suspicious every day about who he was, and how he dealt around her.
Leo didn't respond, and just turned to the road, puffing his cheeks, wondering what he should do. Zella continued, "I'm a big deal to you, right?"
He creased his forehead. Leo's dying to get rid of her inside the mansion. Because of her, his heart has moved. After a month of not killing someone, he hasn't touched the caliber inside his cabinet because he's afraid Zella would walk in and see him holding a gun. It can trigger something… especially, she's accused of murder.
From the very first time he saw her on the car seat, his brain racked, formulation a solution of how to deal with the mess. Randall was similar to what he could feel, but Leo knew his anxiousness was way beyond. His hunch was right…
"Laina, what are you saying?"
"You got annoyed just right now. I kept on nagging you to tell me about our memories, but you don't answer. I guess I'm a big deal to you." Zella doesn't know if those words were for her to vent out her frustration or because she wanted to know how Leo dealt with anger. She should be more certain of what she wanted to see, but Leo has layers of mask in his face.
Zella couldn't read them.
"Laina, it isn't like that. I just don't want you to think. You're suffering from a lapse in your memory, and I don't want to be a burden."
"So you'd tell me or not? Upon who are you?" Zella cut him off immediately. She doesn't want to hear any of his lies. Or if it's a lie, then that's good. Zella found a reason not to trust him at all.
"Laina…" Zella turned to the car's door, opened it up, and climbed down the car. Leo unbuckled his seatbelt, went out fast, and chased her down the alley of the fountain. Zella walked fast to the front staircase, but before she could do that, Leo grabbed her elbow.
She wriggled out of his touch immediately.
"Why are you so angry to me?" Leo asked. It seemed unfair for her to get angry when she's the one who came from Telamur, crossed the border, and didn't even know she's on another homeland, ready to get killed anytime. Leo should be the one who's furious.
"Ask yourself why. I won't give you answers unless you give me some, too." Zella brushed off his touch from her elbow, turned to the staircase and rushed to the front door.
Leo placed his hands on his hips, watching her walked inside the mansion and disappeared from her sight.
…
"A party?" Leo asked while sipping coffee. Etienne, Vincent, Jon Cho, and Randall stopped from cutting their steaks and turned to Leo, who was talking with Jeremy. Leo placed down the cup, nodding, and answered yes.
"We're so busy running the business the plans for the fugitives are still at stake," Jon Cho muttered. Etienne and Randall exchanged glances. As Leo wrapped up the call, he turned off his phone, and the rest of the Cassanos were waiting for him to say something.
"A party of the spies prepared inside the Calvorite Hall next week."
Another party for another two-faced people who just give you pecks on cheeks because they're convenient for you. Leo sighed, and picked up his mushroom soup. He took a sip as Randall probed further, "Party? What are we going to do there?"
"We need to establish connections for the fugitives' locations. Plus, it's a private party, so only Jeremy Tyran and the rest of the spies are invited," Leo pointed out. That mean they needed help from the other group of spies, and Leo doesn't want anyone to get in his way.
If Leo Luciano has a plan, he has a plan. He wouldn't let another person to shelter under his wing because their plan failed. If he plotted a way out, it should be certain. Before he carried it out, it meant to be successful. Leo never failed to do so.
"What are we going to do there? Isn't Cassanos independent than the rest of the spies?" Vincent asked. Leo nodded, placing down his fork, and wiped the corners of his mouth.
"We are independent, yes. So Jeremy Tyran would show it to the party. Everyone will know the Cassanos are very good at their job, and they'll not pick a finger on us. The downside is… we are assigned to the fugitives now, unlike them, they're still on rebels," Leo explained. They might get busted if they all go out to the party with Laina in the mansion.
"You know the bottom line of this is?" Randall glanced at each one of them. Leo knew the conclusion. Anyway, he doesn't have to say it.
"We are hiding one of the top fugitives they needed to find. So what are we going to do with Zella, Leo? We couldn't leave her here inside the mansion after we're out there partying."