Leanna rushed back to the Wheeler Mansion as fast as she could.

Several servants were already standing by the front door, waiting for her to arrive.

Two of the staff members jumped forward the moment she stepped through the door and grabbed her wrists. They forced her arms behind her back, pinning her in place.

Emilio walked toward her while leaning heavily on his cane, his face twisted in anger. "You ungrateful girl! How dare you try to back out of this engagement!"

He lifted his hand high in the air, getting ready to slap her, but a sudden cough from across the room stopped him.

Shifting her focus toward the sound, Leanna glanced toward the far side of the room.

Carl was standing there, watching the whole scene unfold.

He looked just as annoyed as Emilio because he had spent the last few days stressed out by angry shareholders and bad press.

His main goal was to find a way to make himself look like a good person to the public again.

Furthermore, the Spencer Group's next big launch was essentially a paperweight without Leanna's sketches, so he literally couldn't afford to let her go.

Carl gazed at Leanna with a calculating, predatory glint. "Leanna, drop the act. Just walk down the aisle with me, and I'll pretend this little tantrum never happened," he offered.

Leanna didn't blink as she looked him right in the eye, her voice icy. "Carl, stop trying to gaslight me. You're the one who cheated right in front of my face. I would never marry you because, honestly, you're just repulsive," she snapped.

"How dare you!" Carl yelled, his face turning red with rage.

Only the fear of that incriminating cheating video going viral had forced him to grovel at the Wheeler Mansion in person.

Beyond the scandal, Carl knew after three years of being together with Leanna that her creative genius was his biggest meal ticket.

"You stubborn, ungrateful girl!" Emilio bellowed, raising his hand once more to try and strike her.

Leanna stared her father down, speaking through clenched teeth with total conviction. "I don't care if you kill me in this house, I am never, ever marrying him!" she vowed.

Fire burned so brightly in her gaze that for a split second, Emilio felt like he was looking at a ghost from his past, making him flinch.

Leanna shouted for everyone to hear, "Lock me up or hit me all you want! It won't change a thing—this marriage is dead!"

During the scuffle with the servants, her collar shifted just enough to reveal a fresh, dark constellation of hickeys blooming across her neck.

Carl's eyes flared a bright, angry red the moment the truth hit him. He didn't actually have any feelings for Leanna, but the thought of her being with another man was a massive blow to his ego.

"Who did this to you?" Carl demanded, his voice shaking as he struggled to keep his temper under control.

The idea of marrying a woman who had already given herself to someone else was completely unacceptable to him.

Leanna looked around at the stunned faces in the room and let out a soft, mocking laugh. "You went out and found someone else, so I just followed your lead. It's only fair that we're even now, right?"

A cold, sharp smirk played on her lips as she tilted her head. "Are you still so eager to make me your wife after hearing that?"

Carl's face twisted with pure rage as he barked back at her. "There's no way those marks are real! Who would even want you? No decent man would even glance in your direction—no one but me! Or did you just pull some random guy off the sidewalk to help you lie?"

Leanna threw her head back and laughed again, though her eyes remained as cold and empty as ice.

"I didn't settle for just anyone," she replied in a perfectly steady tone. "I spent the night with your uncle, Ian."

"My uncle?" Carl repeated, the words knocking the wind right out of him.

He lost his mind and lunged forward, raising his hand to strike her across the face. "Leanna, you pathetic, lying brat!"

A deep, smooth voice echoed from the entrance before his hand could make contact. "Did you just say his uncle?"

Wesley walked into the room with such a powerful presence that it felt like the air had been sucked out of the space.

He kept his eyes locked on Leanna, his expression impossible for anyone to figure out.

"His uncle," he said again, shifting his focus toward Carl for a brief second.

Carl's heart dropped into his stomach the moment he realized he was looking at Wesley Stewart.

The color drained from Carl's face as he scrambled to take back his words. "No, that's not true," he stammered.

One look from Wesley was all it took to make Carl shut his mouth and stop talking immediately.

The two servants holding Leanna were so scared of the man approaching them that they quickly backed away and let her go.

Wesley reached down to pull Leanna up and kept a firm, protective hand on her waist while he scanned the crowd.

"Can someone explain what's going on in this room?" he asked in a relaxed voice that still made everyone's skin crawl with fear.

Emilio stood there in a daze, trying to figure out why this stranger felt so familiar and dangerous at the same time.

Emilio noticed how terrified Carl looked and realized that this newcomer was someone the Wheeler family needed to treat with extreme respect.

"Those marks on my daughter... Did you do that?" Emilio asked, his voice low and heavy.

"Yeah, that was me," Wesley answered, not even flinching as he owned up to it.

Shock hit Leanna hard—she never thought he'd actually show up. All that gutsy energy she had gathered to show off the marks just evaporated into thin air.

Turning her head, she took him in—the man was tall, with sharp features and piercing eyes that made him look like he owned every room he walked into.

A sudden wave of panic washed over her anyway. She couldn't help it; her legs still trembled at the memory of the night before.

Her eyes then drifted back to Carl, who hadn't made a peep since "his uncle" walked in. Carl looked completely humbled, acting like a kid showing massive respect to "his uncle."

Relief and nerves tangled in Leanna's chest. She started to wonder if she'd accidentally messed with someone way out of her league.

Was this side of the Spencer family actually way more powerful than she'd guessed? Still, he was exactly the kind of big shot she needed on her side.

Wesley's gaze shifted to Carl, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "So, my dear 'nephew,' you got anything to say for yourself about this mess?"

Just the way he said "nephew" was enough to make Carl start shaking from head to toe.

Carl hesitated, his lips moving uncertainly before he finally spoke. "I… don't have anything to say."

Utter bewilderment flooded his mind. How could Wesley possibly claim to be his uncle?

Weakness crept through his legs until he nearly lost the strength to remain standing.

Standing before him was none other than Wesley, the formidable patriarch of the Stewart family, a man the Spencer family had spent years trying to get close to. Yet now this powerful figure casually called himself his uncle… all because of Leanna?

From Leanna's perspective, however, the moment looked entirely different.

Carl, usually so arrogant, now appeared entirely deferential before Wesley, and a single word or even a quiet glance from the man seemed enough to pull her safely out of danger.

Heat rushed to Leanna's eyes, the rims turning red in an instant.

Tilting her head downward, she tried to conceal the storm of emotions threatening to spill out.

Why had everything turned out like this?

Without Wesley standing beside her, humiliation would stretch on endlessly.

Forced to witness her own fiance betray her before her very eyes, she would still be expected to marry him afterward, smiling as though none of it had ever happened!

For years she had walked alone, with no one to lean on, training herself never to shed a tear.

Yet in that moment, perhaps because of the steady warmth of the broad hand resting at her waist, a fragile strength stirred within her, and her slender shoulders began to quiver faintly as tears slipped free one after another.

Droplets of moisture landed softly on Wesley's sleeve.

A flicker of surprise crossed his expression, and he lowered his gaze to study her face.

With a low, steady voice, he inquired. "Are you crying?"

Memories of her boldness from the night before flickered through Wesley's mind.

A faint crease formed between his brows as his sharp gaze swept across the people gathered in the room, irritation simmering beneath the surface.

"What exactly were you talking about just now?" he demanded sharply.

How had these people managed to drive Leanna to tears? And the tension right before he walked in…

Carl stood frozen, lips pressed together, not daring to utter a single word.

Drawing in a steady breath, Emilio straightened his posture and pressed himself to clarify. "We were merely discussing the engagement between Carl and Leanna. But who could have imagined that this disgraceful daughter of mine would sneak out and spend the night with another man and..."

Before he could finish speaking, his voice faltered and cut off abruptly.

Wesley slowly shifted his gaze toward Carl, his voice even but cold enough to send a chill through the room. "Yesterday, I happened to see a report circulating online. It mentioned a Miss Wheeler… and you."

The moment those words landed, both Carl's and Emilio's faces drained of color.

Both men immediately understood exactly what he meant.

Though Leanna had never released the video she recorded, whispers had somehow still begun spreading online. Among the rumors circulating, the most explosive one claimed that Leanna had fled home after discovering Lucy and Carl entangled in an affair.

Those rumors had already thrown Carl and Emilio into a frenzy.

Just the day before, they had exhausted every connection they possessed, pouring money and influence into suppressing the story and forcing the media into silence. Their plan had been simple—keep the scandal buried until Leanna married into the Spencer family. Once the marriage was finalized, they could easily steer public opinion and dismiss the entire incident as nothing more than malicious gossip.

What they never expected… was for Wesley to have seen that news himself.

Leanna felt a sudden tug as Wesley drew her firmly against him, guiding her head into the shelter of his arms like a fierce lion shielding its cub.

Calm indifference laced his voice as he remarked, "If that's the case, then the ones caught up in that news should naturally be the ones walking down the aisle, shouldn't they?"

Those he referred to were none other than Carl and Lucy themselves.

Reluctant to offend the Spencer family, Emilio shifted uneasily and turned his gaze toward Carl for his opinion.

At that moment, Carl's entire body quivered, his complexion drained of color as dread settled over him. "Y-yes!"

Wesley regarded him with quiet authority and queried, "In that case, you're willing to cancel your engagement to Leanna, aren't you?"

After a tense pause, Carl swallowed hard and managed to choke out a stiff reply. "That's right."

Such obedient compliance left even Leanna momentarily stunned.

Meanwhile, a faint, amused chuckle slipped from Wesley's lips as he concluded smoothly, "Good. Then it's decided."

Resting against the steady heat of his chest while her tears soaked into the fabric of his shirt, Leanna sensed a storm of protectiveness and unexpected tenderness stirring within him.

"I'll take Leanna with me for now. You two can stay here and keep discussing the wedding."

Without another word, he bent down, lifted Leanna effortlessly into his arms, and strode toward the exit.

Just as he reached the doorway of Wheeler Mansion, Leanna suddenly spoke, her eyes still red with grievance as she looked back at the people inside. "And my mother... what about her?"

Carl stiffened before reluctantly motioning toward Emilio.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Emilio quickly forced out a shaky assurance. "Your mother will be fine—nothing will happen to her."

Upon hearing that, a trace of relief finally eased the tension in Leanna's chest, and she quietly nestled back against Wesley's embrace.

Long after the two disappeared into the distance, Emilio remained rooted where he stood, his legs trembling as the shocking scene from moments ago replayed endlessly in his mind.

His brows drew together slightly as he pressed. "Is that man your uncle? Why does his presence feel so suffocating?"

Carl shook his head quickly. "That's not my uncle. That's the head of the Stewart family."

Fear and reverence flashed across Emilio's eyes. "The head of the Stewart family?" he echoed hoarsely. "You mean the legendary Wesley Stewart—the ruthless man people say holds absolute power, the one infamous for his merciless approach? How could someone like him possibly take an interest in Leanna?"

Struggling to steady himself, Carl answered in a strained tone, "I'd like to know the same thing. I have no idea how she ended up connected to Wesley. But one thing is certain—never try to play tricks in front of Wesley. The last family that attempted it went bankrupt overnight, their entire clan ruined beyond recovery."

Upon hearing that, the color drained from Emilio's face. Shock overwhelmed him so completely that his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor.

His mind reeled in pure disbelief. Leanna had somehow become entangled with a man of such terrifying power!

Inside the Bentley, Leanna sat rigidly in the seat, her complexion drained of color.

Seated beside her, Wesley glanced over and asked casually, "Was last night because you found out I'm… Carl's uncle?"

Slowly, Leanna lifted her gaze to him, fragile uncertainty shimmering in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I already knew you were Carl's uncle—that's exactly why I approached you in the first place. Our night together began with a lie… and for that, I'm truly sorry."

As she spoke, tears slipped down her cheeks one after another.

For a brief moment, Wesley seemed caught off guard.

Leaning closer, he raised a hand and gently brushed the damp tracks from her face, his brows knitting with mild confusion. "Where did that bold woman from yesterday disappear to? Didn't you claim you were bold enough to handle anything? Why all the tears now?"

At that point, Leanna could no longer keep her composure. As the car jolted along the road, her unsteady body tipped forward until she collapsed against Wesley's chest.

Through shaky breaths, she admitted, "My mother's in critical condition at the hospital… I have to save her. I have to find some way to break free from the Wheeler family…"

A moment later, overcome with emotion, she grabbed the front of Wesley's shirt and used it to wipe the tears from her face.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to fool you. I'm honestly grateful you stood up for me today. I just… never imagined you'd actually come all the way to the Wheeler Mansion to look for me…"

Wesley lifted his hand, intending to rest it on her back, but his movement halted halfway through.

After a brief pause, he kept her loosely within the shelter of his arm, his large hand lowering to give her back a light, reassuring pat.

Even so, a quiet thought lingered in his mind—was this apology sincere, or merely another careful performance?

After all, throughout everything that had just happened, he had hardly spoken a single word.

Moisture soaking into the fabric of his shirt made Wesley crease his brows slightly. "This suit isn't cheap. Each one costs a hundred thousand dollars."

Jerking her head up at once, Leanna stared at him in disbelief. "One hundred thousand dollars… for a single outfit?"

Her gaze drifted back down to the fabric she had just soaked with tears, the realization hitting her all at once that she had treated something so outrageously expensive like a tissue.

Shock flooding her expression, she hurriedly blurted out, "I'm sorry—really, I am. I'll pay you back for it."

A faint, mocking snort slipped from Wesley's lips. "Pay me back with what? That check I handed you this morning?"

Leanna dropped her gaze, shame flickering across her expression. "I shouldn't have taken that check in the first place. If you want it back, I'll hand it to you."

"Spoken like someone born with money," he drawled. "Does money really mean so little to you? You must be sitting on quite a fortune."

While speaking, his attention drifted to the tablet beside him, fingers sliding across the screen as though adjusting a few documents.

With a shake of her head, Leanna replied in a low voice, "I'm not rich. But I studied design in college. If you give me time, I can create something to repay you."

During her university years, her design work had won one award after another.

Amusement flickered in Wesley's eyes as he observed her, his gaze sharp and unreadable.

Without warning, he bent toward her and casually set the tablet aside.

His chin brushed against her soft lips before he pressed down in a sudden, commanding kiss.

Air slowly deserted Leanna's lungs, her breathing growing uneven as heat crept across her flushed cheeks.

Just as she began to feel dizzy, Wesley finally pulled back, giving her a moment to breathe.

Doubt flickered across his face as he looked at her. "You're this inexperienced? Don't tell me you've never even been kissed before."

Her fingers rose to brush her tingling lips, the gesture hesitant and self-conscious. "I have kissed someone."

A smoldering intensity settled in Wesley's eyes as he studied Leanna's face, and then he leaned down and captured her lips in another firm kiss.

Unlike before, he showed no intention of stopping quickly, drawing the kiss deeper again and again until her breath grew uneven.

"This makes my second kiss," Wesley remarked in an easy, almost careless tone. "If you've already kissed someone before, why do you seem even clumsier than I am?"

Leanna's face briefly filled with stunned surprise.

After a long pause, she lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting together. "Truth is… I've never kissed anyone at all. I was just lying..."

From Wesley's throat came a cool, knowing laugh. "I figured as much."

Reaching up, he tilted her chin so their eyes met, his gaze steady and unreadably deep. "About the question you asked me yesterday, I've already made my decision. But I don't need a girlfriend—I need a wife."

Silence wrapped around them as Leanna stared at him, a slow realization spreading through her mind that she might have entangled herself with a man no one could ever hope to resist.