When he pulled back, her lips were swollen, her eyes were half closed, and her breath was ragged.

Her chest rose and fell against his, and her fingers were still tangled in his hair. He looked at her like she was the only thing in the world worth seeing.

Ringggg!

Ringgggggg!

Bella’s phone shattered the silence.

Leo’s expression shifted. His jaw tightened. His eyes darkened. He had been waiting for this moment all day, this quiet, uninterrupted time with his beautiful wife.

And now someone was ruining it.

He muttered something under his breath. Something in Italian. Something not very nice.

Bella reached for her phone on the desk, her fingers fumbling slightly. Her cheeks were still flushed. Her lips were still tingling.

It was Karl.

8:34 PM. Why was Karl calling her this late?

She swiped to answer. "Hello?"

Leo pulled her closer, his arms tightening around her waist. He buried his face in her neck, breathing her in. His lips brushed her skin, soft and warm, tracing the curve of her shoulder. He was not going anywhere. He did not care who was on the phone. He did not care if the whole world called.

"Hi, Bella. Sorry I called so late." Karl’s voice was rushed, a little breathless. "I am at the stage, volunteering backstage for the annual day setup. I saw the practice schedule and your name was on it for dance. But you did not show up. Did you sign up for a performance?"

Bella’s eyes flashed. "No. I will tell you everything tomorrow. But Krystal registered my name without my consent."

Karl’s sharp intake of breath was audible even through the phone. "What? She did what? That is insane. That is not legal. That is not ethical. Bella, that is—"

"I will explain tomorrow."

"Okay, okay. But do not forget to tell me everything. I mean everything. Every single detail. I want to know exactly what that rat did."

Bella smiled despite herself. "Hmm."

Karl hung up.

Bella set her phone down on the desk, her fingers lingering on the screen for a moment. She stared at Karl’s name, thinking about annual day.

Leo’s voice was low and calm. "Well. What is going on with Krystal? Do you want my help?"

Bella shook her head.

A small smile spread across her face. A cute smile. An innocent smile. But there was something else beneath it, something evil. Something that made Leo’s heart skip a beat.

"Don’t worry," she said, her voice soft but certain. "I have planned everything for her doom. Every detail. Every step. She will not know what hit her." She paused, her eyes glinting. "The professor did not listen to me when I wanted to solve everything privately. I guess I need to do it publicly now. To get justice. To make sure everyone sees what she really is."

Leo stared at her.

Her eyes were bright. Her cheeks were pink. Her lips were curved in that sweet, dangerous smile. Even when she was being a little bit evil, she still looked super cute in his eyes. She always looked cute. No matter what. She could be plotting the downfall of her enemies, and he would still think she was the most adorable thing he had ever seen.

"Then it looks like I should make an appearance at your college annual day," he said, his own smile deepening. "I do not want to miss my wife’s performance. I do not want to miss seeing you shine."

Bella’s face lit up. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, squeezing him like she never wanted to let go. "Sure!"

She kissed his cheeks, left then right, then his nose, then his forehead, then his chin. He let her. He loved when she did this. He loved the feeling of her lips on his skin, soft and warm and full of love.

"But make sure you do not look around," she said, her voice dropping into a low, serious tone. An impression of him, maybe. Her eyes narrowed playfully. "There are many beautiful girls. Eyes on me only. If I catch you looking at anyone else, I will... I will..."

"You will what?" he asked, amused.

"I will hack your phone and change all your passwords."

He laughed. "That is terrifying."

"It should be." She poked his chest. "I am very dangerous."

"You are very cute."

Bella rolled her eyes. She did not understand why he was calling her cute when she was telling him something serious.

Leo chuckled and pulled her closer. "Of course. Eyes on you only, bunny. You ruined me for any other girl."

Bella’s nose scrunched. "Ruined?"

"Ruined," he repeated, his voice low and serious now. "My eyes do not work anymore. They only see you. I could be standing in a room full of the most beautiful women in the world, and I would not notice a single one. Because you are the only one captured inside here." He pressed her hand to his chest, over his heart. "My heart does not beat right when you are not near. It stutters. It pauses. It waits for you."

Bella’s breath caught.

"My lungs forget to breathe," he continued. "I hold my breath when you walk into a room. I do not even realize I am doing it. You are the only one captured inside. The only one who ever will be. From the moment I met you until the moment I die, there will never be anyone else."

Bella’s cheeks turned a deep, rosy pink. She hid her face against his chest, pressing her forehead into his shoulder, embarrassed by how much his words affected her.

"You are becoming very romantic nowadays," she mumbled into his shirt.

"I am naturally born romantic," he said, his lips brushing her hair, his voice vibrating through her. "You just activated something in me. Something I did not know existed."

"Oh really." She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, soft and slow, like a cat seeking warmth. She fit perfectly against him, like she had been made to be there.

He nodded gently, his chin resting on top of her head.

She shifted, laying her head on his chest, right over his heart. She could feel it beating, strong and steady, a rhythm that matched her own.

"Leo," she said quietly.

"Yes?"

"What do you think? Why were we born?" She traced small circles on his shirt, her finger moving in lazy patterns. "Are we really here for a perfect career, marriage, and wealth? Is that it? Is that all there is?"

Leo stroked her back. His hand moved in slow, soothing circles, up and down, up and down. He thought for a while.

"I do not know," he said finally. "I used to think we were born to work. To build. To leave something behind. A legacy. A name that would outlast us. Something that would prove we were here." He paused, his hand stilling on her back. "But then I met you."

Bella looked up at him, her dark eyes searching his face.

"Now I think we were born to find each other," he said, his voice soft, almost reverent. "Everything else, the work, the wealth, the name, it is just background. Noise. Distractions. You are the reason. You are always the reason. Before you, I was just existing. Going through motions. Doing what was expected. But you..." He shook his head, unable to find the words. "You made me want to live. Live with you."

Bella’s eyes glistened. "Leo..."

"I am serious." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek. "Before you, I did not know what I was missing. I thought I had everything. Money, power, and respect. But I was empty. I was a shell. And then you walked into my life, and suddenly..."

He swallowed.

"Suddenly I understood," he said. "Why people write poetry. Why people fall in love. Why people do stupid things just to see someone smile. I understood because I would do anything for you. Anything."

She pressed her hand to his chest, feeling his heart beneath her palm. "I feel the same."

"You do?"

"I did not know what I was missing until I found you." Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. "I felt I was seen when I was with you."

"I always see you," he said. "I always have. From the very first moment."

She smiled. "I know."

He kissed her forehead, his lips lingering there. She closed her eyes, savoring the warmth.

"I used to think love was weakness," he admitted quietly. "Something your enemies could exploit. Something that would get you killed."

Bella’s heart ached for him.

"But I was wrong," Leo continued. "Love is not weakness. It is strength. It is the only thing that matters. Everything else fades. Money fades. Power fades. Even memories fade. But love..." He shook his head. "Love stays."

She pressed her palm flat against his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart. "Yours is beating so fast."

"It always beats fast when you are near."

"Even after all this time?"

"Especially after all this time." He covered her hand with his, pressing it harder against his heart. "Feel that? That is for you. Every beat. Every pulse. Every single one."

Bella’s eyes filled with happy tears.

She lifted her head and kissed him. Her lips moved against his, tasting him, memorizing him.

When she pulled back, she was smiling.