CHAPTER 362: CHAPTER 363 OFFER

She pouted, crossing her arms. "Nooo... I just want the fun part. I don’t want to study boring theory."

Leo laughed quietly, shaking his head as he reached over to pinch her cheek gently. "You’re lazy like a panda."

Bella puffed her cheeks. "I’m not lazy... just efficient."

"Efficiently avoiding work," he teased, and she swatted his arm, her pout deepening.

Still smiling, Leo turned back to his screen, but his eyes softened when he caught her reflection on the monitor—her hair falling forward as she leaned curiously toward the blueprint, her lips still slightly pouted.

Suddenly, Bella sat up straighter, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeves as a nervous thought crept back in. She had almost forgotten her mission—almost escaped it—but Jay’s dramatic "I will cry" still echoed in her mind.

"Leo?"

He hummed quietly, his voice calm and low. "Hmm?"

"Jay Jay is pitiful, right?" she began carefully.

"One could say... a little bit," he replied without looking up.

Bella’s eyes brightened with sudden hope, like a tiny bunny spotting a carrot. "He’s bored in his room," she said gently.

"That’s a myth," Leo replied dryly, still focused on the blueprint. "He loves sleeping."

Bella blinked. "He... does. But still," she tried again, pressing her lips together. "Anyone would get bored staying in the same place for so long without even touching their phone. Hehehe..." Her laugh came out awkward, almost guilty.

Leo didn’t flinch. "No. People work all day in the same place without touching their phones, and they function just fine. Jay is just spoiled."

Bella puffed her cheeks, speechless.

She tried again, this time with pleading bunny eyes. "But he wants to spend time with Jace. And Jace went out... and now Jay Jay is sad."

Leo finally paused, lifted his gaze from the screen, and slowly turned toward her. His gray eyes narrowed slightly, studying her face like she was a small creature plotting rebellion.

"Bella." His voice was calm—too calm. "Is Jay using you as a shield again?"

Bella froze, guilt flashing across her face like a neon sign.

"N-no..." she whispered, completely unconvincing.

Leo raised an eyebrow.

She caved instantly, her shoulders slumping. "...Maybe yes."

Leo leaned back in his chair, amusement flickering in his eyes as he watched her squirm. "So," he said smoothly, "my dear wife has come to negotiate for my troublemaker brother again?"

Bella nodded slowly, looking guilty and impossibly cute. "Yes... I’m diplomatic," she murmured.

His lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile threatening to appear. "And what is this diplomatic bunny offering in exchange for her treaty?"

Bella blinked in confusion. "O-offer?"

"Yes," he said, leaning closer, his voice low and teasing. "Negotiations always require benefits. What do I get?"

Bella swallowed, her heart flipping in her chest. She hadn’t thought this far. She hadn’t thought at all. Jay Jay had completely tricked her.

"Umm... I... I can bake cookies?" she offered weakly.

Leo looked at her with the most unimpressed expression in the world.

His eyes lingered on her face for a long moment before he finally said, in that calm, unbothered tone, "No."

Bella’s mouth fell open. "No?" she echoed, gripping the edge of the desk.

"I can buy cookies anywhere," Leo said simply, his voice steady. "And the most important thing right now is Jay’s health." His tone carried that quiet authority that could silence even a room full of executives.

Bella stared at him, lips pressed together. She could tell from his face there was no room for negotiation. But she wasn’t ready to give up yet. Her mind raced, trying to find a loophole, a weak point—something that might melt that stone-cold expression.

Then, like a lightbulb, an idea struck.

"...Well," she said softly, her voice turning hesitant, "anything you say... I’ll do it."

Leo’s eyes lifted from his papers, his gaze sharpening with interest.

Bella blushed under that look, her fingers twisting nervously. "If you let Jay go out for a bit... I’ll do whatever you say."

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. His tongue pressed lightly against the roof of his mouth as he looked at her, amused. "Anything?" he repeated, his voice low and teasing.

Her eyes widened, but she still nodded quickly. "W-well... yes. Yeah."

That smirk deepened—the kind that made her heartbeat stumble. "Alright," he said simply, leaning back in his chair.

Bella blinked, confused for a moment—then her entire face lit up. "Really?"

"Really," he said, his tone unreadable but his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Yay! I’m going to tell Jay!" she said, jumping up with the excitement of a child. She practically bounced out of his study, the sound of her hurried footsteps echoing down the hall.

Leo leaned back in his chair, watching her disappear with a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"She really said ’anything’ so easily," he murmured, shaking his head, though his eyes softened with quiet affection. Somewhere deep inside, he was already wondering what "anything" might mean when it came from his bunny.

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"You mean he agreed?" Jay’s voice rang out so loudly that Bella flinched, her ears ringing.

"Yeah, yeah," she said quickly, waving her hands. "But remember—you’re injured, so take a bodyguard with you, okay? And call me if you need anything." Her tone was firm, like a big sister lecturing a mischievous younger brother.

Jay nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling with triumph. "You’re the best, Bella Bell!"

As soon as she left the room, his grin widened like a child who had just outsmarted his parents. He immediately called the caretaker. "Quick, help me change! I’m going out!"

The poor caretaker sighed. "But sir, your bandages—"

"No buts! Just make me look alive, not like a hospital patient, okay?" Jay said, fixing his hair in the mirror.

Meanwhile, Bella went downstairs and plopped onto the couch. She tucked herself under a blanket and turned on the TV, smiling as her favorite romantic drama began playing.

She was so absorbed in the movie that she didn’t even notice Jay walking past, dressed stylishly and grinning from ear to ear.

"Bye, Bella Bell!" he called, winking as he passed by.

Bella turned her head just long enough to wave absently, eyes still glued to the screen. "Okay, take care, Jay Jay!"

And with that, he was gone.

The house fell quiet again, the soft flicker of the television lighting Bella’s face as she giggled at the drama on screen—completely relaxed and blissfully unaware of the "innocent little promise" she had just made to Leo.