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.

Wesley looked completely distracted, his attention locked on his phone as he traded rapid-fire messages with someone.

Clearly, a man of his status had a million things on his plate, but Leanna couldn't help but wonder where they actually stood.

Were they a couple, just a casual hookup, or something she couldn't even put a name to yet?

Worrying about their label was a luxury she didn't have the time to indulge in right now.

Tucking her hair back, she gave him a serious look and decided to just ask. "You're not seeing someone right now, are you?"

Turning his head just enough to look at her, Wesley gave her a dry, sarcastic smirk. "What do you think I am?" he asked coolly. "Some kind of professional escort who balances multiple women?"

"Sorry, my mistake," she muttered under her breath, feeling a bit foolish.

Suddenly, the phone in her pocket vibrated; it was the one she'd snatched off the table during the chaos at the Wheeler Mansion earlier that day.

Unlocking the screen, she saw a flood of texts from her best friend, Pauline Valdez. "Your fiance's uncle is back in town. You have to go for him!" "But word on the street is he's basically on his deathbed." "And apparently, he's impotent." "He needs a kid ASAP just to make sure someone inherits the family name."

"Impotent?!" Leanna blurted out, the word escaping her mouth before she could think better of it.

Shock hit her like a physical weight a second later.

If Ian were supposedly incapable of performing, then who was the person who had left her body feeling so incredibly sore from their encounter last night?

Disbelief washed over her as she stared at the glowing screen.

Right next to her, Wesley snapped his laptop shut and leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he focused entirely on her.

"Impotent?" he repeated, his voice dangerously low. "Who are you talking about right now?"

Biting her lip hard, Leanna desperately wished she hadn't let those thoughts leak out of her mouth.

Crimson heat flooded her face instantly as she started to stammer, admitting that she'd just heard some gossip about him. "But I know it's just talk!" she added quickly, trying to fix the mess. "I mean, you're definitely capable... Actually, you're very capable... And for a really, really long time, too..."

Slowly, her voice faded into a tiny squeak as Wesley watched her with a look of pure amusement that made her want to vanish into thin air.

"Keep going," Wesley prompted, a smirk playing on his lips. "What else have people been saying about me?"

Realizing there was no way out of this, Leanna decided to just be blunt and get it over with. "I heard you don't have much time left to live and that you can't perform in bed, so you supposedly came back to find someone to have a baby with for the sake of the business."

Leanna ducked her head the second those words escaped her lips, wishing she could just disappear.

Wesley looked genuinely amused as he leaned in closer, his powerful, masculine energy completely surrounding her.

"Issues in the bedroom, huh?" Wesley whispered in a low, raspy voice while staring her down. "Maybe we should run another test to be sure."

…

Everything felt like a total blur as Leanna heard herself mumble a confused "okay" without even thinking.

Reality finally hit her when Wesley lifted her up and carried her toward the bed.

She realized she was still incredibly sore from the night before and wondered who the hell started those rumors about him being bad in bed—because they could not be more wrong.

Wesley started pulling at his tie with a slow, effortless confidence that was honestly hard to look away from.

One by one, he began popping the buttons on his shirt while she watched, mesmerized.

Leanna snapped her eyes away immediately, feeling her face get so hot she thought her nose might actually start bleeding.

Her heart was thumping against her ribs when she finally just screamed it out. "I'm still way too sore down there!"

Wesley either missed what she said or was just messing with her. "Sorry, what was that?" he asked in a calm, teasing voice.

Leanna screwed her eyes shut like she was about to jump off a cliff and yelled, "I said I'm still swollen!"

A heavy, awkward silence filled the room the moment she stopped shouting.

Keeping her eyes tightly closed, Leanna waited for him to say or do literally anything. But he didn't.

She eventually peeked one eye open since he was so quiet, but Wesley immediately palmed her face and pinned her back against the mattress.

Dark shadows swallowed her vision, making every single touch feel a thousand times more intense. Leanna shivered, her whole body starting to shake.

"Let me see for myself," Wesley murmured, his deep voice vibrating right above her.

Leanna's heart practically stopped as she realized exactly what he was about to do.

Biting her lip to keep from making a sound, she tried to hide her embarrassment, but she couldn't stop her legs from trembling.

It felt totally surreal when he actually reached down to check her private parts, leaving Leanna in a state of complete and utter shock.

Time seemed to crawl at a snail's pace, making every heartbeat feel like a long, painful wait. Leanna became painfully aware of every tiny sensation, her skin buzzing with a sharp, tingling heat as a wave of embarrassment washed over her.

The darkness over her eyes forced her to focus entirely on her body, making even the lightest touch feel ten times more intense.

Images of Wesley's steady, capable fingers flooded her mind, and she bit her lip to stop it from trembling as she struggled to keep her emotions under control.

A soft, sudden breath escaped her throat as she felt a sharp jolt of feeling. "Ah..." she whispered, her voice barely audible in the quiet room.

Wesley leaned down until his lips were brushing against her ear, his voice smooth and tempting. "There's no reason to fight it," he murmured. "You can make as much noise as you want if it feels good."

Leanna tried to blink, and her long eyelashes swept across his palm like a soft feather, creating a light, tickling feeling against his hand.

The look in Wesley's eyes turned even more intense, and his chest began to rise and fall with a much deeper, heavier rhythm.

He finally pulled his hand away and sat back with a serious expression. "You're definitely irritated down there," he noted. "We're going to have to take a break from any more bedroom activity for a bit."

The tension in Leanna's shoulders finally began to fade as she felt him move a few inches away.

The blindfold was suddenly removed, and the brightness of the room rushed back into her eyes.

Leanna attempted to prop herself up, but Wesley immediately leaned back in, pinning her gently against the bed. He spoke in a deep, gravelly voice, and the hot air from his breath against her neck sent a fresh shiver of excitement straight through her.

"Your friend actually had a pretty good idea about one thing," he said, his eyes searching hers. "What do you think about giving me an heir to keep the family name alive?"