"What?" Leo exclaimed, his surprise evident.
"I have my eye on Melody.
I like her, and I think we should have dinner with her and discuss the possibility of making her as your wife.
She knows how to handle the pressures of our company,
and she's charming and well-mannered.
Sure, she might not come from a wealthy background,
but we can give her the power and connections she needs to thrive."
Leo's expression darkened at his father's suggestion.
"No, Dad. I don't want to put that kind of pressure on her.
She deserves to make her own choices without being thrust into an arrangement like that."
His father sighed, clearly frustrated.
"Leo, think about it.
She could be a valuable asset to the company, and marrying her would strengthen your position."
"I don't care about that,"
Leo insisted, his voice resolute.
"I'm not going to force her into a situation she didn't ask for.
I won't have her used as a pawn in your plans."
"I'll handle this my way,"
Leo finally said, determination shining in his eyes.
"And I will not entertain this discussion any further."
With that, the door swung open, and Leo stepped out,
his expression a mix of frustration and resolve.
The air was thick with unspoken words,
and as he caught my gaze, I could see the frustration still lingering in his eyes.
Leo entered his office in silence,
the weight of their discussion evident in his tense posture.
I finished preparing the tea for the chairman and made
my way into the conference room where Leo had left his father.
As I stepped inside, I was met with the sight of the chairman,
Disappointment etched across his features.
He was leaning back in his chair,
his arms crossed tightly over his chest, and I could sense the palpable tension in the air.
"Good afternoon, Chairman,"
I said, trying to sound cheerful despite the heaviness of the moment.
His gaze shifted to me, and I could see a flicker of annoyance pass over his face.
"Melody," he acknowledged, though his tone was far from warm.
"Is Leo around?"
"He's in his office, Sir" I replied cautiously.
"Would you like me to fetch him?"
"Just leave him, haaah I can't understand him he is too stuborn,"
he snapped, the irritation evident in his voice.
I decided to break the silence and try to lighten the atmosphere
in the conference room.
"Chairman," I began with a warm smile,
"I hope you don't mind me saying,
but you have a wonderful son. I believe he truly wants what's best for you and the company."
The chairman's expression softened at my words,
and he leaned forward, intrigued.
"You think so?"
he asked, his tone becoming more engaged.
"What do you believe would be best for Leo?"
"Honestly, I think he just needs to follow his own path," I replied,
trying to gauge his reaction.
"He's capable of making his own decisions,
and I trust he'll find the right way to balance his responsibilities."
To my surprise, the chairman's gaze sharpened as he asked,
"And what if that path led him to marry someone like you?
Would you be okay with that?"
I was so surprised by the question that I accidentally spilled the tea I had just poured,
scalding my arms in the process.
"Ouch!" I yelped, feeling the heat.
The chairman's eyes widened in alarm as he jumped to his feet.
"Are you alright?!"
he exclaimed, a hint of panic in his voice.
"Bryle! Get in here!"
A moment later, Bryle rushed into the room,
concern etched on his face.
"What happened, Sir?"
"I spilled tea on my arms,"
I explained, trying to brush it off, but the sting was undeniable.
Bryle quickly moved to assist me, examining my arms for burns
and hurriedly get some cold compress.
Just then, Leo appeared at the doorway,
his expression shifting from confusion to fury as he took in the scene.
"What's going on?"
he demanded, stepping into the room with purpose.
I could see the anger boiling beneath the surface and
hurriedly entered to the conference room,
I instinctively moved toward him, wrapping my arms around him tightly.
"Stop, Leo! It's okay!" I pleaded, hoping to diffuse the tension.
The chairman raised his hands, backing away slightly.
"Leo, I wasn't trying to upset her. It was just a conversation."
Leo took a deep breath,
his body relaxing a fraction as he looked down at me.
"You shouldn't be getting hurt over this,"
he said softly, his voice filled with concern.
"I'm fine, really," I assured him, giving him a reassuring squeeze.
"Let's just focus on taking care of this."
As I stood there, wincing from the burn,
Leo's expression shifted from anger to concern.
Without a moment's hesitation,
he gently took the cool compress from Bryle's hands.
"Here, let me,"
he said, his voice steady yet filled with care.
I could feel the warmth of his hands as he placed the compress against my scalded skin.
The coolness was soothing,
and I looked up to see his focused expression,
brows slightly furrowed in concentration.
"You need to be more careful,"
he said softly, his eyes locked onto mine.
"I don't want you to get hurt."
The chairman observed the scene,
a mix of surprise and admiration on his face.
"Ughhm" the chairman clearing his throat to make us distracted
"I must say, Leo," he began, his tone lightening,
"I didn't expect you to take such quick action. It's impressive how you care for her."
Leo glanced back at his father,
his expression still serious but with a flicker of pride at the compliment.
"She deserves it, because he is my secretary" he replied, not breaking eye contact with me.
"I care about her well-being, of course."
The chairman's gaze shifted between us,
and I could sense a shift in his demeanor.
"Well, it's good to see you looking out for your secretary, son.
It seems you have a lot more to offer than I realized."
As Leo continued to hold the compress against my arm,
the tension from earlier began to dissolve.
I could see the warmth returning to his eyes as he focused on me,
his touch gentle and reassuring.
"How does that feel?" he asked me with his voice low and soothing.
"Much better, thank you,"
I replied, a small smile breaking through my earlier discomfort.
His attention felt comforting, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for his care.
The chairman watched, clearly impressed by his son's reaction.
"Leo, you might just have a knack for this after all,"
he remarked, a hint of pride in his voice.
Leo shrugged, his gaze still fixed on me.
"I just want to make sure she's okay," he said,
and I could sense the genuine concern behind his words.
As Leo continued to press the cool compress against my arm,
both of us were stunned by the chairman's unexpected question.
"Leo, how about marry Miss Melody? This would be sounds great right, Melody? You both have some Chemistry" the chairman said, and chuckled with the excitement of his suggestion.
I glanced at Leo, and his wide eyes mirrored my shock.
The chairman, seemingly pleased with our reaction,
stood up with an air of finality.
"Alright then, it's settled. You'll marry my son, Melody. What do you say?"
He smiled at me, his expression warm yet commanding.
I blinked, struggling to process his words.
"Wait, what? Are you serious, sir?"
Leo, still holding the compress,
shook his head in disbelief.
"Dad, you can't just decide that for us!"
The chairman chuckled lightly, unfazed by our protests.
"Why not? It's a good match. Just think about it, Melody." He turned to me, a satisfied grin on his face.
"Goodbye, Melody. Take care of my son."
With that, he waved cheerfully and exited the room,
leaving Leo and me in stunned silence.
I looked at Leo, who was still processing what had just happened.
"Did that really just happen?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I can't believe he just put you on the spot like that."
"I know!" I exclaimed, still reeling from the surprise.
"What do we do now?"
Leo met my gaze, a mix of concern and confusion in his eyes.
"I guess we just… figure it out?"
As the weight of the chairman's words hung in the air,
I knew our relationship had just taken an unexpected turn,
one we both needed time to understand.
Overwhelmed by embarrassment and confusion,
Leo quickly followed his father out of the room,
leaving me standing there with my arm still stinging.
Bryle, noticing my flustered state, approached me with a furrowed brow.
"Wooohh, Melody, what just that happened?"
he asked, clearly puzzled by the sudden turn of events.
I glanced back at Leo's retreating figure,
my heart racing from the shock of the chairman's proposition.
"I have no idea, Bryle," I admitted, my voice shaky. "It all happened so fast."
As I struggled to wrap my mind around the situation,
I felt a mix of thrill and apprehension. What did it mean for Leo and me?
Would this really become a reality? Just then, the door swung open,
and Leo re-entered the conference room, his expression a mixture of frustration and
determination.
"Melody," he said, catching his breath,
"we need to talk about this."
My pulse quickened at the intensity in his gaze.
"Yeah, we do," I replied, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Can you believe he just did that?"
Leo exclaimed, running a hand through his hair in agitation.
"I mean, I'm not ready for any of this!"
"I know, same to me and and and we are not still in dating!!" I replied, the thrill of the moment mixing with the weight of uncertainty.
"But… what if we just… went along with it?"
Leo's eyes widened in surprise. "What? You're serious, right?"
The air between us crackled with tension,
a mix of possibility and anxiety.
I took a step closer,
the distance between us shrinking. "I mean, it's not like we don't have chemistry… right?"
For a moment, we both stood there,
caught in the whirlwind of emotions swirling around us.
Leo's expression softened, and I could see a hint of curiosity beneath the layers of confusion.
"You really think we could make this work?"
I nodded, feeling a surge of courage.
"Maybe we should give it a chance—together."
Just then, Bryle cleared his throat, reminding us we weren't alone.
"Uh, guys? I'm still here, you know."
We exchanged nervous glances,
and I couldn't help but stunned at the absurdity of the moment.
and deep down, the thrill of what lay ahead made my heart race even faster.