CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25 STUPID COLD LIAR

As soon as Leonardo got a call and excused himself from the dining table, Isabella let out a long breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

The room felt lighter without his intense presence.

She quickly wiped her mouth, snuck away from the table, and tiptoed back into the living room where she had hidden her precious plushies behind the curtain like they were fugitives.

"Hah! Safe," she whispered, hugging Berry and Moonbeam like reunited friends.

Just as she was about to head upstairs with them cradled in her arms, a cheerful voice rang out behind her.

"Hey, you!"

She turned around, startled.

And then—

Pink.

All she saw at first was a flash of pastel pink hair, bouncing like it had its own attitude. A tall figure jogged toward her with the brightest grin and the most annoyingly confident energy.

His jacket was half-zipped, his ripped jeans were designer, and his silver earrings sparkled under the hallway lights.

"Hello, young sister-in-law," he said, winking at her like they’d known each other for years.

"I’m your one and only brother-in-law—Jay. Full-time heartbreaker, part-time chaos machine, and now... your favorite family member."

Isabella blinked.

And blinked again.

Her arms instinctively tightened around her bunny.

"...Your hair looks like candy floss," she said, completely ignoring everything else he said.

Jay paused. Then laughed.

"I like you already."

Leonardo stepped back into the hallway after finishing his call, his expression calm but frosted over as always. He was scrolling through something on his tablet, barely sparing a glance around until he heard the loud, overly cheerful voice echoing through his home.

His eyes lifted just in time to catch Jay, in all his pastel pink-haired chaos, leaning way too close to Isabella, who stood there clutching her plushies like they were sacred relics.

And then—He heard her say it.

"...Your hair looks like candy floss."

Leonardo stopped mid-step.

His jaw tightened.

His hand clenched just slightly around the edge of his tablet.

He turned his face away without a word, expression unreadable but there was a strange cold sharpness in his gaze now.

He walked ahead with long, purposeful strides... yet paused when he realized—

Jay wasn’t following.

He didn’t like being ignored. Not by his brother. Not when that tone was in his voice.

Leonardo turned slightly, voice cold and clipped.

"Jay."

One word.

And the hallway dropped in temperature.

"Sorry, sister-in-law... we’ll watch a movie together next time~" Jay grinned, throwing a wink at Isabella like a heart-thief in broad daylight.

Isabella blinked, slightly shy but sweet, and raised her small hand to wave goodbye. "Okay!" she said with a soft smile.

Jay gave a lazy salute and turned away, hands in his pockets, whistling.

Leonardo, who had silently been watching the exchange from a distance, looked like his soul had been personally insulted. His jaw clenched, his brows twitched, and his perfectly calm face had cracked into something that could make thunderstorms look gentle.

Jay had crossed the line.

And that smile Isabella gave him?

Unacceptable.

As Isabella innocently turned around and climbed the stairs to the third floor, her mind wandered back to something—

So... this was Jay’s floor?

She blinked.

But Jay looked like someone who liked strawberry milk, pink and chaos. His room must be filled with neon signs and dancing lights!

"Wait..."

Her steps slowed.

Her cheeks puffed in realization.

Leonardo lied to her!

That cold-faced man can joke?!

"Cold jokes," she muttered under her breath, eyes wide, "He told me this was Jay’s floor...when it’s his?!"

She stomped into the bedroom dramatically.

Without a word, she marched to the bed, flopped down with her plushies, and grabbed one of Leonardo’s huge pillows.

She hugged it tightly at first.

It was firm, heavy... and smelled just like him.

"...Ugh." She kicked it with her foot. "Stupid cold liar."

But then—

The pillow fell slightly to the side.

It looked... sad?

Her eyes softened.

"Aww, sorry... Mr. Pillow," she whispered, picking it up carefully like it had feelings. "I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at your scary owner."

She gave it a quick kiss on the corner and tucked it beside her plushies like it belonged to their team now.

Because in Isabella’s little world... every object had a soul. And Mr. Pillow had just been adopted.

Suddenly remembering she had something important to do, Isabella quickly sat up, her dreamy world of plushies and pillow-hugging left behind.

She grabbed her laptop and opened it, the bright glow lighting up her delicate face as she sat cross-legged on the sofa. Her fingers moved fast across the keyboard, eyes sharp and focused, nothing like her usual soft self.

Her lips were set in a thin line. The more she dug, the angrier she became.

Jessica.

Her so-called mother.

She was officially married to Sam...an underground mafia boss who wore expensive suits by day and ran illegal deals by night. Jessica wasn’t innocent either. She had her own men, hidden connections, people who did her dirty work with no questions asked. While she smiled like a high-society lady, she made sure her enemies disappeared like smoke.

And then there was Stella.

Beautiful, yes. But behind her picture-perfect looks was a dark, twisted nature. There were multiple stories on private forums—anonymous girls sharing how Stella beat or humiliated them just for being prettier. For wearing something she didn’t like. For laughing too loudly near her.

And the boy she ran off with?

A struggling actor. Young, charming, poor. Currently living with Stella in some hidden flat like two lovebirds playing pretend.

Isabella’s fingers slowed.

A soft sigh left her lips.

So... this was her real family?

She had imagined her mother being someone with a gentle smile, a soothing voice, and eyes that held the warmth of spring. Hair like soft waves and a heart that could calm storms.

Instead... she got Jessica.

A woman who used her like a pawn.

Isabella sniffled, wiping her eyes quickly.

"I’m not crying," she muttered to herself, trying to blink away the ache in her chest. "It’s just... dust from the laptop."

Just then—

Click.

The door opened.

Isabella straightened instantly, alert.

But then she relaxed a little, seeing Leonardo walk in..cold aura, the usual.

He didn’t look at her at first. He placed his phone on the nightstand and rolled his neck slightly like he’d had a long day.

Then his eyes landed on the bed.

More specifically...

On Berry, Moonbeam, and Mr. Pillow, who were all lined up neatly on his side of the bed like they owned it.

His expression darkened immediately.

A storm cloud gathered over his perfect features.

Isabella gulped.

Oops.

Leonardo’s cold gray eyes locked onto the plushie invasion on his bed, and then slowly drifted to Isabella, who was sitting like a guilty little squirrel caught nibbling on forbidden nuts.

His gaze was sharp silent, deadly, and very much not in the mood for stuffed animals named Berry and Moonbeam.

Isabella shivered under the weight of that look.

But then—

She remembered.

He lied to her.

Her eyes suddenly flared with heat.

"You... lied to me!!" she shouted, her cheeks puffing, eyes glaring like an angry kitten with just enough courage to roar at a lion.

Leonardo raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised by her sudden bravery.

"What?"

"You said this was your brother’s room!" she huffed. "And I believed you like a fool! But it’s your room! You tricked me! Are you some mafia boss or a prankster with bad taste in jokes?!"

Leonardo’s jaw tightened slightly. His hand rubbed the bridge of his nose.

He wasn’t used to being shouted at.

Especially not by a tiny bunny in his sofa.

He crossed his arms slowly. "You believed it. That’s on you."

"Let’s talk now," Leonardo said, his voice deep and controlled as always. He gestured toward the sofa, and Isabella blinked and quietly walked over to sit back again.

She sat straight on Sofa.

"I’ve arranged a guest room for you on the second floor," he began, watching her carefully, expecting a protest or pout.

But instead Her eyes lit up like someone had just told her she won a prize in a lucky draw.

"Really? Thank you!" she said, smiling sweetly, completely missing the part where it was supposed to sound cold and distant.

Leonardo frowned slightly.

He continued, tone firmer now. "You’re not allowed to interfere in my life. What I do, who I meet—none of it concerns you."

He said it with a seriousness that would have crushed anyone else. But Isabella just nodded politely like he was giving her exam instructions. "Okay."

"...And within a year," he added, eyes sharp as he tried to read her face, "we’ll divorce."

This time, he expected at least a flinch. A sad look. Some tearful hesitation.

But Isabella just blinked. Then nodded again.

Nodded.

In fact was that a tiny sparkle in her eye?

Leonardo’s expression darkened.

He leaned back slightly, confused.

Isabella, meanwhile, was calculating something in her head.

One year... that’s twelve months. If she picks two side hacking jobs every month, saves wisely, maybe learns baking well enough to open an online shop...

Yes. She’d become a little rich woman by then and maybe... just maybe she could even buy a tiny villa. A pink one. With a garden. And fast Wi-Fi.

She glanced at Leonardo.

Of course, she thought proudly, I’ll repay my husband...

...He deserves a little.

She smiled.

Leonardo stared at her.

He suddenly wasn’t sure who was divorcing whom anymore.