CHAPTER 227: CHAPTER 227 WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE PERSON?

"What’s your favorite flower?" he asked suddenly, his voice low, heavy with that intensity that always made her blink faster.

Bella’s eyes went round. She tilted her head, lips pursed as if she had to dig through a box of memories. "I like baby’s breath and..." she pressed her finger to her chin, blinking rapidly, "rose... too." She nodded once, proudly, as if settling on the answer.

Leo’s gaze didn’t leave her face. His jaw ticked faintly, and then, with a small pause, he said, "Tulips." His voice was deep, measured, but his eyes stayed fixed on her like he was trying to etch her expression into memory.

Bella’s eyes lit up immediately, her lips curving into a bright, wide smile. "Mee too! I also like them! They’re so pretty!!!" she said in a rush, her hands clasping together, her shoulders bouncing a little with excitement.

Her joy was so pure, so unfiltered, it knocked the breath out of him. Leo’s lips parted slightly, watching her glow, and his chest tightened as if something warm and dangerous had lodged there.

For her, it was just flowers. For him... it felt like she had unknowingly matched a piece of him he hadn’t realized he wanted someone to see.

And in that moment, as she laughed softly and rocked on the edge of the bed, cheeks flushed pink with excitement, all he could think was how badly he wanted to lean in, close that tiny distance, and kiss the life out of her.

But instead, his fingers curled tightly into his palm, his jaw tense as he forced himself to remain still.

Bella was still gushing about tulips, her hands moving as if she could draw the flower in the air. Her lips curved into that bright, innocent smile, and Leo... he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

He leaned in, slowly, deliberately, until the space between them felt charged. His shadow fell over her, and Bella’s voice faltered, her lashes fluttering as she realized how close he was now.

"Bella," he said, low and smooth, his gray eyes locking on hers. "You answered so easily... flowers, colors, seasons." His gaze dipped briefly to her mouth before rising back up. "But what about people?"

She blinked, confused, her voice almost a whisper. "P-people?"

His lips curved faintly, though his eyes burned with something sharper. "Who’s your favorite person?" he asked, the words carrying a weight she could feel in her stomach.

Bella froze, her mind blanking. She hadn’t expected something like that. Her cheeks grew hot, her heart thumping. She fidgeted with the hem of her dress, looking anywhere but his eyes. "I-I don’t know... that’s... that’s a hard question."

"Is it?" His voice dipped lower, his hand braced on the mattress between them, caging her without touching. "For me... it isn’t."

Her breath caught, and for a moment she didn’t dare ask. But her wide brown eyes flickered up to him, curiosity winning over nerves. "W-what... what about you?"

Leo’s jaw tightened, his throat working as if holding something back. His gaze didn’t move from her, not for a second. "...My favorite person," he said finally, voice low and husky, "is sitting right in front of me."

Bella’s eyes went wide, her lips parting in shock, her whole body flushing hot as if his words had wrapped around her like fire.

"W-why?" she asked softly, her lashes fluttering nervously, cheeks pink.

"No answer," Leo murmured, a low chuckle escaping him, warm and deep. The sound made Bella’s stomach twist like butterflies taking flight.

She quickly tried to change the topic before she melted on the spot. "Um... do you ever have a pet in your life?" she asked, tilting her head, her voice careful, curious.

Leo leaned back slightly, his eyes thoughtful. "Maybe."

"Maybe??" Bella blinked in confusion, her brows scrunching. "How can it be maybe? Either yes or no!"

He gave a faint shrug, his expression unreadable but tinged with something faraway. "When I was eleven, there was fat orange cat... she used to follow me everywhere. I didn’t feed her or call her, but she kept coming back. One day, she even came into my house and stayed for a while." His jaw tightened, his voice quieter. "Then she disappeared."

Bella’s eyes softened, her heart tugging painfully at the blank expression on his face as he said it. Without thinking, she reached out, her small hand patting the back of his much larger one gently. "It’s okay, Leo," she said with a tiny smile, her tone light but full of reassurance. "Cats are unique creatures... when they choose you, it means you’re special to them."

He turned his head, surprised by the way she said it—simple, yet it warmed something inside him.

"And that time," Bella added brightly, as if eager to cheer him, "you were chosen by cat distribution system!"

His brows furrowed, but there was the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of his lips. "Cat... distribution system?" he repeated, the deep timbre of his voice carrying both confusion and curiosity.

"Yes!" Bella said quickly, her eyes sparkling now, her hand still resting on his. "It’s like... when the universe thinks someone is too lonely, it delivers them a cat! Like a little gift from the world." She puffed her cheeks and nodded firmly, proud of her own explanation.

For a second, Leo just stared at her, silent. Then, slowly, his lips curved into the smallest smile, soft and rare, his eyes lingering on her glowing face. "You’re really something, Bella," he said quietly, almost as if to himself.

Bella’s heart thudded in her chest. She didn’t know why, but when he smiled like that—so subtle, so fleeting—it made her want to keep talking forever, just to see it again.

Leo’s gray eyes sharpened as he leaned closer, his tone deceptively casual yet it pinned her in place. "Last question," he said, his gaze holding hers. "Do you... ever have a boyfriend?" Deep inside, he already knew the answer. She was too soft, too innocent—he could tell. But he wanted to hear it from her lips.

Bella blinked rapidly, caught off guard. Her cheeks heated, and she fidgeted with her fingers nervously. Why was he asking such a question? Her lashes lowered, and after a small pause she whispered, "...Yes."