The door opened, and Tristan stepped out, still carrying that same carefree expression. His wild, finger-length hair framed his sharp features, and the casual beige clothes he wore only emphasized his natural charm. But it was his emerald-green eyes—bright and full of mischief—that stood out, making him look effortlessly charismatic.
After getting out,Tristan walked over to the other side of the car, pulling the door open with an easy grace.
From the vehicle, Ivonne emerged, her red heels clicking softly against the pavement. The off-shoulder crimson dress hugged her figure perfectly, accentuating her curvy beauty. She radiated confidence, her smile bright as she tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
"Mom," Tristan called out sweetly the moment he saw Aunt Eleanor, his grin boyish and carefree.
Aunt Eleanor barely had time to react before Ivonne stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her in an affectionate hug. "Aunt, how are you?" Ivonne asked warmly.
Aunt Eleanor stiffened slightly, though she quickly masked it with a polite smile. She knew all too well about Ivonne's crush on Leonard,after all Ivonne was high profile while chasing Leo—and now that he was married, this situation felt even more complicated.
"I'm good,what can happen to me. All day I just have to rest"
Ivone leaned in with a sweet, playful tone. "Aunt, you've become even more beautiful~"
Aunt Eleanor let out a small chuckle, already used to Ivonne's flattery. In the past, she didn't mind it—after all, Ivonne was a bright and lively girl, and since Leo was single back then, it didn't seem like a bad thing. She and Ivonne had always gotten along well.
But now, things were different.
Brushing aside the thought, she nodded. "Let's go inside. You both must be tired from the trip."
Sge walked towards inside , while Ivonne followed closely, her heels clicking softly against the floor as she entered the house.
When they stepped into the hall, Aunt Eleanor glanced back and noticed Tristan lingering near the doorway. His gaze darted around the room, as if searching for someone—perhaps bracing himself for an ambush.
Her fingers twitched with the overwhelming urge to twist this troublemaker's ear. So now you know to be scared, huh? she scoffed internally. But with Ivonne standing beside him, she forced herself to stay composed, inhaling deeply to keep her temper in check.
"No one's home right now. They've all gone to work," she said, her tone laced with helplessness.
Realizing the implication, Ivonne let out a soft chuckle, her amusement evident. Tristan shot her a sharp glare, but she only smiled, clearly not afraid of his glare.
When Melisa returned, this was the scene that greeted her—Aunt Eleanor cutting fruits for Tristan while Ivonne chatted with him, her voice light and carefree.
At the sound of the door, all three turned their attention toward her. Under their mixed gazes—some curious, some assessing—Melisa felt a strange sense of scrutiny. Still, she maintained her composure, offering a small, polite smile.
"Melisa, dear! You're back!" Aunt Eleanor said excitedly, only to pause mid-sentence as if suddenly remembering the awkwardness of the situation.
Melisa nodded in response.
"Oh, you must be Leo's swapped wife, right?" Ivonne said, her tone light, almost teasing. But the moment she noticed Melisa's pale face, she quickly added, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."
No matter how reluctant Melisa felt, she still forced herself to say, "It's okay," when Ivonne apologized.
A short silence followed before Aunt Eleanor spoke up. "She must be tired from work. Go rest a bit. Leo and his father should be arriving soon."
Melisa felt a wave of gratitude toward Aunt Eleanor for giving her an escape. Without wasting a second, she excused herself and headed straight to her room. She had no desire to stay in this awkward atmosphere any longer.
In her room ,while sitting at her desk, lost in thoughts about her dreams, Melisa unknowingly dozed off. The exhaustion from last night's restless sleep finally caught up to her, pulling her into slumber before she even realized it.
Unbeknownst to her, a figure had entered the room, watching her silently.
"Melisa, wake up." A warm hand patted her cheek, pulling her from the depths of sleep.
"Uhm..." She murmured drowsily before her eyes snapped open. "Leo? What time is it?"
"It's eight o'clock. Dinner is ready," he said, his voice calm yet firm.
"It's already eight o'clock?" Melisa muttered, shocked as she hurriedly sat up.
Leonard nodded, his gaze briefly sweeping over her sleepy face. "Come down soon. Everyone's waiting."
Seeing Melisa and Leonard coming down together, Ivonne masked the flicker of jealousy in her eyes with a bright smile.
"Melisa, you have to tell me your secret! How did you get Leo to be so attentive? Waking you up personally? I tried for years—everyone even called me his tail—and yet, I never got this kind of treatment," she said slowly, her voice light and teasing, but the underlying meaning clear.