Thislooks so delicious." Leo's eyes go wide in awe as I place roasted chicken in his plate. "Hmm...this makes me so hungry, baby. I can't wait to taste it." He feverishly grabs the forks and takes a bite of chicken.

I'm eagerly waiting for him to say something when he coughs. "You okay?" I ask worriedly.

He jabs himself in the gut and nods, "Yeah... I'm fine. It's just... I accidentally swallowed the chicken without chewing it properly in excitement. Can I have water please?" He gives me an awkward smile.

"Oh, sure." I fill his glass and he swallows the whole content. "You should try soup. I made it with the help of instructions they provide in the YouTube video. But I had to do some alterations in it in the end." I say proudly. "You can't completely rely on them."

"Sure, babe. Where's soup?"

"Uh...it's right here. In front of your eyes."

His eyes furrowed, "Pardon?" I eye him suspiciously and soon he gets it, "Ah, I thought it was curry."

"You mean my soup in which I poured all of my emotions and hard work isn't look like a soup." I frown.

"Oh baby, I didn't mean it in that way." He tries to reach my hand but I pull it away.

All my women hormones become messed up and I sob tearlessly. "I got it you didn't like my roasted chicken. No one has a taste. But you don't have be so harsh for the soup. This is my recipe. I put all of my heart into it. I even added extra garlic and milk in it."

He frowns, "What? What kind of idiot adds milk in a soup." His eyes go wide as saucer as he notices that he can't take back what he just said.

I gasp, "Did you just call me idiot?"

Leo stands up, panicked.

"Oh no baby, my sweetheart, the only love of my life. I was referring to those idiots whose instructions you followed. YOU'RE SMART. Very SMART. EVEN SMARTER THAN GOOGLE AND MARY POPPINS COMBINED."

Furious, I rush towards the couch, "I don't want to hear your lies, Leo. I know you referred to me." I say and slump down on the couch. "Sierra's boyfriend never lies to her even if he has to drink her tea that smells like shit."

"I never lied to you." He knelt before me squeezing my hands. His eyes holding a glint of honesty.

I swallow a lump and say, "But you never tell me the truth either." I clasp his cheeks with my hands as his eyes soften. "How your parents died, Leo? I know somehow whatever the reason of your fear is—it is related to them."

He squeezes my hand gently and kisses it, "The day when my parents died, police claimed that it was an accident. Only if they knew that it was a planned murder. My uncle.....Roberto was the mastermind behind it. He killed them. His own brother and sister-in-law."

I'm taken aback. Awhile ago, I'd doubts about his parents' death but when it finally cleared that they were murdered by his own uncle I'm completely shocked. Roberto was a bastard but I'd never thought he'd kill his own brother and family.

"Roberto threatened me and used my biggest fear to shut me. I was only ten at that time so I couldn't do anything to avenge my parents." He looks so broken at that moment and my heart wretches witnessing him like this.

"What did he to you?"

"He-He shut me in a dark room for days and...." He shuts his eyes as if trying to disappear the horrible memory that is playing in his mind. "and one day...

t-there was this drunk man who was one of Roberto's friend I guess tried to force himself on me but aunt Lessi saved me before he could've done anything." Leo continues, "She always saved me Jane, even when Roberto often beats her for that. She's always been there with me. However, there was this time when I wanted to kill Roberto but Aunt Lessi stopped me. She said that death would be easy for him. If I want to avenge my family I'd have to take back the thing for what he killed my parents. My dad's fortune. Fifty percent shares of the company were still belonged to me but I donated them to a charity and determined to build my own fortune. Roberto was so pissed at me because he wanted all of the company's shares to himself. That night he came drunk and tried to beat me but before he could've hit me aunt Lessi threw a blow on his head with a vase. She helped me to run away from him. All through my life I worked hard to become like my father and avenge his death.

And when I finally succeeded in it, I wasn't satisfied. I blew out the records of his illegal work and destroyed him. Yet, the anger was still there. So I found another way to release it. I began taking different girls at home and hotel."

"Oh, Leo.." I embrace him in a hug. My heart ache for the thought of him going through these kind of things in a very young age. "I'm sorry you've been through this alone."

"I wanted to tell you everything the same day Erica showed up at my office , but I couldn't because of the thought of you judging me." He pulls away and adds, "I've been a coward in my entire life, Jane. And I'm still scared to lose you."

"Oh, Leo."

"Oh, Jane."

"Oh, Leo."

"Oh, J—"

"Borrriiiing..." I jump up at the sound of a familiar creepy voice but Leo doesn't seem to be affected by it.

"How did you get in?!" I growl.

"You should've locked your door, bombshell. Especially when you're alone." Dorcus shrugs, leaning against the recliner with a plate of roasted chicken in his hand.

"I'm not alone." I say pointing at Leo who is still on her knees. Dorcus gets up and about to leave when I stop him, "Where do you think you're going with my plate?"

"I'm gonna throw that rat's corpse out of the building." He tells pointing at my tonight's dinner, "You should be careful with these tiny innocent things. My mom says they spread severe diseases." With that Dorcus leaves and Leo burst out laughing. I gasp and smack his arm. He pulls me into a passionate kiss.

"I don't understand," Leo pulls back and quizzes, "Your parents are bakers and your brother is a great chef then how you're a terrible cook."

"Who said cooking comes in genes?" I pout, "If it does then my mother makes terrible steak remember?"

"Ah, I remember." Leo nods, "Promise me you will never cook again, baby."

"Unless you do something wrong." I giggle.

"That won't happen."

***

"Mm, stop it." I murmur against his lips as he continues placing sweet kisses on my face. "Let me sleep. I'm really tired, baby."

"Okay, Princess." Placing a last kiss on my forehead he wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer to his chest and I snuggle into him.

That night Leo and I sleep together—without having sex.