Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Fool
"H-Honeymoon?!" Isabella shouted, her voice bouncing off the hallway walls. "No, I don’t—wait, I can’t—!"
But she didn’t even get to finish.
In one swift move, Leonardo stepped forward and covered her mouth with his hand, pushing her gently but firmly back into her room. The door clicked shut behind them.
Her back met the wall, and she stared up at him with huge, panicked eyes. His face was dangerously close. Too close. His scent—clean and sharp like expensive cologne and something darker filled her nose. His hand was warm against her lips.
And his gray eyes, they weren’t calm like usual.
They were dark. Stormy. Intense.
Her heart skipped, stumbled, and then raced all at once.
"Don’t shout, little bunny," he muttered under his breath, his jaw tight, voice low but sharp like a blade.
Little bunny?! Isabella blinked. Did he just call her that?
Leonardo slowly moved his hand away from her mouth.
She didn’t speak. Couldn’t.
Then, he straightened his back a little and looked away for a second, as if calming himself.
"My mother," he said at last, "thinks we should... cultivate our relationship."
"...Cultivate?" Isabella echoed blankly.
He met her eyes again. "She arranged a short honeymoon trip. A safe place. Guards will follow from a distance."
Isabella stood frozen for a full second.
Then she made the most confused, shocked little "O" face, like someone had just told her the sky turned green.
"Wait... so this is your mom’s idea? Not yours?"
Leonardo narrowed his eyes slightly. "Does it matter?"
"Yes! Of course it matters! You can’t just say ’honeymoon’ like you’re talking about the weather!" she cried, her voice climbing again.
"I can," he replied calmly. "And I did."
"But... but I didn’t even want to go with you!"
Leonardo stepped closer again, and Isabella immediately pressed her back more firmly to the wall like she could sink into it.
"Does the mafia care about official paperwork?" he asked, voice smooth and threateningly soft.
Her eyes widened again. "Y-You’re joking..."
He leaned down, just a little, his face just inches from hers.
"Do I look like I’m joking?"
Her brain completely short-circuited. She didn’t even know what to do with her hands. Her knees felt weak. Her thoughts were screaming.
But out loud, she could only manage a soft whisper:
"...I haven’t even packed..."
Leonardo’s eyes flicked down to her strawberry pajamas.
"You’ve got ten minutes," he said.
Then he turned around, opened the door, and left her there frozen in place, blushing like crazy.
Isabella rubbed her chest softly, trying to calm her heart, which was still beating fast from both fear and closeness.
"He’s scary..." she mumbled to herself. "And weirdly good at threatening people. Well, duh—he’s a mafia boss."
She stood there for a moment, blinking at the door he just walked out of.
Then—
"Wait." Her eyes widened.
She turned around in a full circle.
"I don’t even have a suitcase..."
Her shoulders drooped.
So she just stood there. Waiting. Awkwardly. Hoping maybe he forgot or changed his mind. She stared at the corner of the room like it would give her answers.
Ten minutes passed.
And then... a knock.
No, not a knock.
The door opened by itself.
Leonardo walked in with a deep frown already on his face.
"You’re not ready?" he asked coldly, arms folded.
Isabella stood in the same strawberry pajamas.
"I-I don’t have a suitcase..." she said in a tiny voice, like it was a valid excuse.
Leonardo looked her up and down, his eyes scanning the messy bun and wrinkled clothes.
He let out a sharp sigh.
Then muttered without emotion:
"At least you could’ve taken a bath."
That made her blink fast.
Then he added casually, as if pointing out the weather:
"We should’ve just bought new clothes."
And then, almost like he was talking to himself, he stared at her again and said with quiet judgment:
"Fool."
Isabella gasped, her eyes going wide.
"E-Excuse me?! Did you just call me a fool?!"
Leonardo turned, already walking out again. "Five more minutes. I’m waiting in the car."
And just like that he vanished again, like a storm passing through.
Isabella stood frozen.
With a huff, Isabella stomped toward her wardrobe, muttering under her breath.
"He didn’t even tell me where we’re going! Honeymoon? What kind of man just announces that and walks away?"
She pulled open the wardrobe doors and squinted inside.
"Hmph. Fine. I’ll wear whatever I like."
After her shower, she picked out a soft yellow dress with puffy sleeves that made her feel cheerful and confident. It wasn’t fancy but it was cute, sunny, and had pockets. She slipped into white shoes, tied her slightly damp hair in a neat ponytail, and looked in the mirror with a frown.
Then her eyes drifted to her laptop on the desk.
She bit her lip.
"I can’t leave you here... what if I get a new order?"
So she pulled out her laptop bag, tucked in her laptop, charger, phone, earbuds, and zipped it up carefully.
Now, with her yellow dress swaying, and her tech bag slung over her shoulder, she looked more like a college girl heading to class than someone going on a mafia honeymoon.
She stepped outside, her shoes softly tapping on the marble.
And just ahead Leonardo was standing beside the black car, his hand in his pocket, checking his watch.
When he looked up—
He froze.
His gaze locked onto her.
His eyes blinked slowly.
Yellow dress. White shoes. Laptop bag on one shoulder. Pink lips slightly bitten from nervous habit.
She looked...
So young.
Well—she was.
He was twenty-eight.
She was nineteen.
A nine-year gap.
And for a second, Leonardo’s cold, guarded mind paused.
Not because she looked innocent but because she made his chest feel something strange and unfamiliar.
Like he needed to protect her and also drag her back inside because why did she look this cute when she was mad?
But as usual he said nothing.
Just stared.
Isabella, unaware of the storm in his chest, marched up with her bag.
"I’m ready. And I’m not wearing makeup, just saying," she announced.
Leonardo blinked.
Still silent.
His voice came only after a second delay:
"...Get in the car."
"Wait, Bella!"
A familiar voice called out from behind, and Isabella turned around instantly, eyes lighting up.
"Jay Jay!!" she shouted with a wide smile.
Jay rushed toward her and without hesitation, wrapped her in a tight hug—lifting her straight off the ground like she weighed nothing.
Isabella laughed in surprise, her feet dangling midair.
Leonardo stood nearby, watching the scene with a blank expression.
Jay looked over at his older brother, sticking out his tongue childishly as if to say,
’That’s what you get for making me train so hard, big bro.’
Leonardo’s jaw clenched ever so slightly.
Jay gently put Isabella down, his hands still on her shoulders as he looked at her.
"You’re only showing up now?" she asked with a small pout. "But I’m already leaving..."
"I know," Jay said softly, smiling. "But I wanted to see you before you go."
Isabella smiled weakly.
"Thanks... I’ll miss you."
Jay nodded, then added playfully, "I hope you enjoy your honeymoon."
Isabella’s face twitched, and her eyes darted to Leonardo.
"Enjoy?" she repeated under her breath, biting her bottom lip.
She gave a small nod.
"I... I’ll try."
Jay watched her silently for a second, then ruffled her hair.
"Don’t let him bully you, okay? Call me if he acts too mafia."
"I will," Isabella whispered, trying not to smile.
Then she looked around and frowned. "Where’s Mom? I mean... Lina?"
Jay sighed. "Busy. Something came up with the estate. She told me to send you off and tell you to stay safe."
Isabella’s shoulders drooped a little. "Oh... okay."
Leonardo’s voice suddenly spoke behind her.
"Time’s up."
Jay stepped back, hands in his pockets now, but his eyes still soft.
"Bye, Bella. Text me when you reach, okay?"
"I will," she said, stepping into the car at last.
And as the door closed, she peeked once more through the window.
Jay was waving.
And Leonardo... was staring at her again like he didn’t understand why she affected him this much.
Isabella quietly settled into the backseat of the sleek black car, sliding in beside Leonardo. She placed her laptop bag between them like a mini wall of safety.
Leonardo’s sharp eyes immediately flicked to it.
He frowned.
"What’s inside?" he asked, already sounding suspicious.
Isabella looked at him innocently. "My laptop... mobile... charger..."
Leonardo’s jaw tightened slightly.
"So you didn’t even pack a single set of clothes?" he asked, voice flat, as if confirming his worst fear.
Isabella gave a soft, guilty laugh. "Yes... yeah... I thought you’d buy me clothes there."
She looked out the window quickly, avoiding his stare.
Leonardo turned his full face toward her now, his eyes narrowing with that quiet, slow-building heat he always had when annoyed.
"I see."
His voice was calm, but his words had weight.
"Well then... I hope you don’t regret it."
He turned back to his phone, scrolling with a flick of his thumb, his expression unreadable.
Isabella blinked.
"Regret what?" she mumbled under her breath, confused.
She glanced at him, but he didn’t explain.
He didn’t even look at her again.
Well... whatever.
She didn’t want to think too deeply about it. It was too early in the trip for emotional damage.
So she grabbed her phone, opened her favorite game, and began playing Candy Crush with laser focus.
As she matched candies and heard the cheerful "Sweet!" sound effects echo through the quiet car, she pretended not to notice the subtle glance Leonardo gave her from the corner of his eye.