Soon, she grabbed her bag, and they walked out of the hospital together.
Leon didn't expect Emily's mother to be so striking. She was more than just beautiful—there was a mature charm to her that made him speechless. Emily was lovely in her own way, but she didn't quite carry that same air of elegance.
"I'll need a car," Leon thought, his mind drifting as he pulled out his phone. He vaguely recalled a car rental service he'd seen earlier. He opened the app.
Clicking on the 'luxurious' section of the app.
To his surprise, there was only one option available—the M5. He had half a mind to go for something like a Ghost, but the M5 would suffice for now.
He checked the price for a one-day rental—$500. It wasn't much, not with the amount of money he had on hand.
With a resigned nod, he clicked to book the car.
The moment he did, a pop-up appeared in front of him: The car will be delivered to your destination in 5 to 10 minutes.
Leon couldn't help but smile. This would do perfectly.
He slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned his attention to Emily's mother, who had been standing silently beside him. Her calm presence was almost mesmerizing.
"So, what is your name, ma'am?" he asked, breaking the silence.
She looked at him, her gaze steady but weary. "My name is Laiva," she said.
"Oh... so Mrs. Laiva, what do you do?" Leon asked, trying to keep the conversation light but aware of the weight of the situation.
Laiva sighed gently. "I write for a few online blogs," she said, her tone neutral. "Mostly health and wellness, though it's not much. It keeps me busy, but... it doesn't pay the bills like it should."
Leon nodded, understanding more than she probably realized. "That must be tough, with everything going on."
Laiva didn't respond immediately, her eyes shifting toward the hospital entrance. She took a slow breath before answering, her voice quiet but steady. "I do what I can."
Leon could sense the exhaustion in her words. He respected that.
Just then, a sleek black M5 rolled up to the curb. Leon hadn't expected it to arrive so soon, but the timing was perfect.
Laiva didn't seem to notice at first, expecting a normal taxi, not something so... refined. She glanced at the car but didn't pay it much attention. Then, to her surprise, the driver stepped out of the car, walked up to Leon, and handed him the keys.
Laiva's eyes widened slightly. Her gaze flickered between the car and Leon, realization dawning on her. "Is this your car, Leon?" she asked, her voice calm, though there was a trace of surprise beneath her composed demeanor.
Leon looked at the driver, who gave him a respectful nod, then turned back to Laiva. He gave a small, almost casual smile. "Yeah... let's get inside."
Laiva paused for a moment, her expression unreadable. She wasn't rattled, but the sudden shift in the situation made her reassess Leon. She had thought of him as just another young man—well-meaning, certainly—but this was unexpected.
"Alright," she said, her voice steady, though there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. She nodded to him and walked toward the car.
Leon opened the door for her, his manner polite, and as she slid into the plush leather seat. She wasn't easily impressed, but there was something about the effortless luxury that made her think more carefully about the man beside her. This wasn't the casual, friendly young man she had assumed.
As Leon slid into the driver's seat, the car's engine purred smoothly to life. Laiva glanced over at him, her curiosity evident now.
"Where are we headed?" she asked, maintaining her composed tone.
Leon glanced over at her, his usual casual smile on his lips. "I'm actually pretty hungry, so I thought we could stop by somewhere nice to eat."
...
He parked the car and slowly opened the door, stepping out. Laiva followed suit, taking her time as she exited the vehicle. The soft sounds of the city buzzed around them, and the cool air brushed against their skin.
As they walked toward the restaurant, Leon could hear whispers from nearby people. Their murmurs floated on the air, catching bits of the conversation.
"Look at them… they look like a couple."
"She's stunning, and he's got that whole rich vibe... they match perfectly."
"Do you think they're together?"
Leon smirked slightly, not particularly bothered by the attention, but Laiva seemed to notice. She adjusted her posture, her eyes flickering around at the onlookers.
"Ignore them," Leon said quietly.
Laiva gave a small nod, though her features softened a little. It was clear she wasn't used to this kind of attention. They entered the restaurant, the host greeting them with a polite nod, clearly noticing their arrival.
...
After dinner, Leon drove Laiva back to her apartment. The car hummed smoothly through the quiet streets, the night air crisp and cool as they arrived at her building.
When they reached her apartment, Laiva hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Thanks for dropping me," she said softly, offering him a warm but tired smile.
"No problem," Leon replied, giving her a slight nod.
Laiva stepped out of the car and approached the door to her apartment. She reached for her purse to grab her keys, but as she opened it, her face shifted into confusion. She rummaged through the bag, checking every pocket, but her expression darkened as she realized something.
"I... I forgot to take the keys from Emily," she said with a sigh, frustration clear in her voice.
Leon raised an eyebrow. "You don't have them with you?"
Laiva shook her head, holding up her empty purse, clearly frustrated with herself.
Leon paused for a moment, his gaze steady as he assessed the situation. "Looks like you're stuck," he said, trying to hide a small smile.
Laiva sighed, her breath coming out in visible puffs against the chilly night air. "It's fine, you can go. I'll figure something out," she said, though there was an edge of frustration in her voice.
Leon studied her for a second, noticing how she was standing, clearly a little tense. He raised an eyebrow. "You're really gonna try spending the night out here?" he asked.
She gave a small shrug, as if brushing off his concern. "I've handled worse situations."
Leon gave a quiet laugh, but his tone shifted, teasing. "Well, you're already shivering. You sure you want to try spending the night out here?"
Laiva glanced up at the sky for a moment, then turned back to him, her expression more measured. "What do you suggest, then?" Her voice had softened a bit, though there was still that guarded tone.
Leon looked around, mulling it over. "I get that you're not exactly comfortable coming to my place, but how about we just spend the night in the car? Drive around the city. We can find somewhere to park, grab a coffee, or whatever else is open. Doesn't have to be a big deal."
Laiva paused, then narrowed her eyes, clearly skeptical but with a hint of amusement. "You want to drive around the city all night?" She chuckled lightly, as if she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing.
Leon nodded, his smirk just a little crooked. "Yeah, why not? We'll make it work. It's not like you've got anywhere else to be, right?" His tone was light, but his eyes showed that he was serious. "Besides, could be fun."
Laiva looked at him for a moment. After a beat, she gave a reluctant nod. "Fine. But don't get any ideas," she added with a firm look, her voice carrying that no-nonsense tone he'd learned to recognize. "I'm your friend's mom, remember?"
Leon's smirk only widened. "I wouldn't dream of it."
They turned back toward the car.