CHAPTER 415: CHAPTER 415

Because he knew her.

Of course she would look for dessert first.

And if she didn’t find any she liked, she would pout softly, cutely, like a kitten whose treat was taken away. Her lips would form that tiny little curve he adored, her brows lowering in quiet disappointment. And he would... he truly would... feel an almost childish panic to fix it immediately.

He could imagine himself slipping away for a moment, speaking to the staff, ordering something special just for her, something sweet, something she would love. And when he returned to her with a plate in hand, the way her whole face would light up, the way she would beam at him with that bright, innocent happiness...

His heart burst with unknown emotions.

He could see it so clearly it almost felt like it was happening already.

A soft chime echoed on Leo’s phone, pulling him out of his daydream. It was a message from Assistant 5, the one monitoring Jace’s first-day performance. Leo tapped the screen, expecting something ordinary... but instead, his eyes narrowed with interest.

Sir, Mr. Jace completed all assigned tasks ahead of schedule

He reorganized the entire database and solved two system errors I didn’t even know existed.

Leo scrolled further.

He has an incredible eye for detail.

Sir... he is extremely talented

A subtle shift touched Leo’s features, the faint, rare satisfaction that only appeared when someone surpassed his expectations. He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers, absorbing the information. Jace wasn’t just doing well... he was thriving. And Leo appreciated competence more than anything.

He closed the message, the corner of his mouth raising slightly.

Good.

Very good.

Jace was given database-related work. It was completely different from Bella’s work, who traced his enemies, which was much harder, and he wasn’t sure how she did it, since no one else was able to do it before. And some critical and confidential work was also handled by Bella. He could trust her, and she was always able to compete, which made him happy and proud of Bella at the same time.

After a moment of silent thought, Leo reached for the landline phone on his desk. He dialed the three-digit extension he had memorized long ago, Bella’s office line.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

And then—

"Hello!" Bella’s cheerful voice answered, bright and sweet even through the crackle of the line. She was clearly still Isaac on the outside, but her voice always gave her away to him.

Leo leaned back, letting the sound settle over him as a soft smile touched his lips.

"Isaac," his tone shifted instantly into Boss Mode, deep, firm, commanding, the voice everyone feared and respected. "Come to my office within five minutes."

There was a small pause.

"Sir... b-but I’m working..." Bella replied, sounding caught between responsibility and nervousness.

He closed his eyes briefly, amused by her tiny panic. "Don’t worry."

"But—"

"Come. To. My. Office," he repeated, each word slow and authoritative.

Bella sighed from the other side of the phone, a tiny muffled exhale that sounded like she was scrunching her nose in frustration. "Yes, sir..." she muttered, her voice softening at the end.

Leo hung up, his smile growing just a little deeper.

A few minutes later...

Bella pushed open the office door without knocking, her disguise still in place but her energy unmistakably hers. She spotted Leo immediately, seated behind his desk, the sunlight brushing against his dark hair while he typed something on his MacBook with quiet focus. His assistant stood outside like a silent guard, but Bella slipped in without hesitation, closing the door softly behind her.

"Leo..." she whispered, stepping toward him with that small, eager smile she only ever showed him.

Leo raised his head the moment he heard her voice. His expression softened instantly, the tension around his brows melting, the sharpness in his eyes giving way to a gentle warmth that rarely appeared in the office. Without saying a word, he shifted his chair slightly and patted his thighs.

Bella didn’t even pretend to hesitate.

She crossed the room in a few light steps, her glasses slipping down her nose, her jacket rustling softly. She climbed onto his lap with a familiarity that would have shocked every employee outside. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her forehead resting near his jaw as she breathed in his scent.

"You called me, sir," she said softly, her voice muffled against him, half teasing, half shy.

Leo placed one hand around her waist, pulling her closer until she fit comfortably against him. His other hand brushed a stray strand of hair behind her disguised ear. "Hmm," he murmured, his voice deepening, "I wanted to talk to my Bella."

Her eyes lit up instantly, bright as stars, as if just hearing her name in his tone made her entire morning glow. She pulled back slightly, her cheeks warming.

"Leo..." she whispered again, her voice soft and shy and full of something he felt straight in his chest.

He let out a quiet breath, his thumb brushing gentle circles against the small of her back. "You came so fast," he said, his tone low, almost fond. "Were you rushing to see me?"

Bella hid her smile in his shoulder. "N-no... I just... I wanted to come quickly."

Leo smirked, the corner of his lips curving with satisfaction. "I can tell."

She lightly hit his chest, flustered. "I was working, you know..."

"And now you’re here with me," he replied simply, his fingers sliding up her spine in a slow, soothing motion that made her lean even closer.

Bella looked up, her glasses slightly crooked, her lips parted in a shy smile. "What did you want to tell me?"

Leo didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he cupped her cheek gently, brushing his thumb across her warm skin as if he needed a moment just to admire her, his baby girl who came running to him the second he called.

"Something came up," he murmured. "And I want to talk to you about it."

Bella tilted her head, curious, soft, trusting. "Talk to me then..."