CHAPTER 367: CHAPTER 367 WHERE ARE WE GOING?

Bella’s curiosity couldn’t be contained for long. She kept sneaking glances at him as the car rolled smoothly through the quieter outskirts of the city, away from the usual crowded streets. "Where are we going?" she finally asked, her voice soft but bubbling with excitement.

Leo only smirked, his eyes focused on the road ahead. "Patience, Bunny," he said, reaching over to ruffle her hair.

"Patience," she muttered under her breath, fixing the strands he’d just messed up, her lips forming a small pout. She glanced out the window, noticing the city scenery fading into open spaces lined with tall fences and long stretches of private driveways. Her brows furrowed. "This doesn’t look like a date spot..."

When the car turned past a guarded gate and into a wide open area filled with sleek vehicles and men in black suits holding guns, her mouth fell open. "Leo..." she whispered, pressing her face against the glass, "is this...?"

Before she could finish, the car rolled to a stop beside a massive white private plane streaked with deep military-green stripes that gleamed in the sunlight. Her eyes went wide with disbelief. "A plane? You brought me to a plane?"

Leo’s lips curved faintly as he unbuckled his seat belt. "You’re quick to catch on," he said, stepping out. He walked around to her side, opened her door, and extended his hand to her like a gentleman.

She placed her hand in his, still staring at the enormous jet before her. "Leo... are we flying somewhere?" she asked, her voice half awe, half disbelief.

He chuckled softly and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Where else would a plane take us, Bunny?"

Her heart skipped a beat as he guided her toward the stairs leading up to the jet. The moment she stepped inside, her breath caught. The interior was stunning—soft leather seats, warm lighting, and a faint scent of cedar and vanilla in the air. Everything looked luxurious yet oddly personal, like he had designed it with quiet taste rather than showy wealth.

"Leo..." she murmured, turning in a slow circle to take everything in, her eyes shining. "This is even more beautiful than the last plane I saw!"

He leaned against the doorway, watching her with quiet amusement as she spun around like a child seeing magic for the first time. "I’m glad you like it," he said, his deep voice carrying just a trace of pride.

Bella smiled, still holding his hand without realizing it. "Like it? It’s perfect!" she said brightly.

Soon, the flight attendant arrived with a professional smile, offering two glasses of chilled water and a tray of neatly arranged snacks. Bella thanked her politely, her voice small but sweet, and Leo gave a quiet nod before the attendant left them alone again.

Moments later, the pilot’s calm voice came through the intercom, announcing their takeoff. Bella’s shoulders stiffened instantly. She had only ever been on a plane twice in her life and that too with Leo.

As the engines roared to life and the aircraft began to move, she instinctively reached out and grabbed Leo’s hand. Her small fingers gripped his tightly, and he blinked in surprise before a faint, amused smile tugged at his lips.

The world tilted as the plane lifted into the air, the pressure changing, the ground falling away beneath them. Bella’s eyes were shut tight, her lips pressed together, her brows scrunched in concentration as if sheer willpower could keep the plane steady.

Leo looked at her, dazed for a moment—not because of the altitude, but because of her. The way she sat there, bundled in her white dress, clutching his hand as though it was her anchor, felt too good. She stirred something in him, an urge to protect her, to provide for her, to make her feel safe.

Last time, she had been too scared to even sit beside him, choosing the seat across the aisle. Now she sat close enough that he could feel her warmth seeping through the space between them.

When the plane finally steadied high above the clouds, she slowly opened one eye, then the other. The moment her gaze caught the window, all fear melted away.

"Leo!" she gasped softly, pressing her hands to the glass. "The clouds... they look so pretty!"

Her voice was full of awe, like a child seeing a dream come true. The sky stretched endlessly around them, soft clouds rolling below like waves of cotton touched by sunlight.

Leo turned slightly, watching the light play across her face—the wonder in her eyes, the joy in her small gasp, the way her hand still rested unconsciously on his.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked again, unable to hide her excitement. She turned to him, her eyes bright as the sky outside.

He leaned closer, his lips brushing near her ear as his deep voice rumbled softly, "Patience, Bunny. It’s a surprise."

Her heart skipped. The warmth of his breath made her cheeks flush pink, and she nodded quickly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and trust.

Outside, the clouds drifted past like soft dreams, while inside, Leo couldn’t stop watching the one sitting beside him—her wonder brighter than the sky itself.

"At least tell me how much time it will take?!" Bella asked, her voice rising with impatience.

Leo leaned back in his seat, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, his lips curling faintly. "One and a half hours," he said.

Bella smiled happily, satisfied with the answer, and immediately reached for her tablet from her bag. She switched it on, her fingers already tapping rapidly on the screen as she opened her work files.

But before she could type another word, the tablet vanished from her hands. She blinked in confusion and turned—only to see Leo holding it easily with one hand, his gray eyes calm but firm.

"Leo!" she gasped, half protesting.

He arched an eyebrow. "What did I say about today?" His voice was low, that kind of calm that carried quiet authority. "It’s a day for us. No work. No third wheels. Not even your tablet."