CHAPTER 414: CHAPTER 414 INVITATION

Because at that exact moment... something touched his thigh.

Jace’s hand.

Jay froze. His spine straightened like he’d been plugged into electricity. His eyes widened so fast it looked cartoonish, and he turned his head very, very slowly to look at the culprit sitting beside him.

Jace was smirking.

Jay’s voice cracked. "W–what are you doing...?"

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did I startle you?"

And in that instant, Jay finally understood Bella’s strange reaction from a few minutes earlier. The realization struck him so sharply that he clamped his mouth shut at once, deciding it was much safer for his sanity to stay completely quiet.

Meanwhile, Leo looked at Jace and Jay with a frown so heavy it could bend steel, and a ridiculous suspicion tiptoed into his mind before he forced himself to ignore it.

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Jace sat across Leo with a contract folder opened in front of him, the pages crisp, the numbers bold, and the logo of the company stamped in deep navy ink. He had expected something normal, something average, something matching the part-time work he’d done before... but this?

His eyes widened slowly, disbelief spreading across his face like a slow sunrise.

"This... this is my starting income?" he muttered, blinking so hard the papers blurred.

Leo, sitting back in his chair with calm authority, nodded once. "Yes."

"Leo, are you—?" Jace turned the page again, staring at the salary and benefits like it was written in some royal language. "Are you sure you didn’t add an extra digit? Or two?"

Leo took a sip of his espresso, unfazed. "I don’t make mistakes in contracts."

Jace stared at him.

Leo stared back.

Jay, standing behind Jace, whispered, "Just sign it before he changes his mind!"

Jace elbowed him. "Shut up, I’m trying to process my entire life choices."

After a moment, he closed the folder slowly, took a deep breath, and picked up the pen. "Fine. If you’re giving me this opportunity... I won’t waste it."

He signed his name with elegant strokes.

Leo’s expression didn’t show much, but the slight, approving nod he gave was more valuable than applause. "Good. You start immediately."

And just like that, Jace officially became part of Leo’s core team.

Leo stood from his chair and pointed toward the right wing of the office floor. "I’ve prepared an office for you. Jay will show you."

Jay grinned proudly. "Come on, bro! Let me show you your room— I mean office. Your office!" He practically dragged Jace away, chattering excitedly about swivel chairs, coffee machines, and the view from the window.

Jace rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the pleased smile forming on his lips. "Okay, okay, slow down. I’m not running away."

While they walked off, Bella was already seated at her workstation, typing quickly with her glasses slightly slipping down her nose. Her focus was intense, her posture straight, her fingers moving with a calm confidence that made her look like a hardworking young man rather than the adorable Bella she truly was. Files piled beside her, and she sorted through them with quiet dedication.

And when Jay passed by her workstation with Jace, he shouted, "Isaac, looking sharp!" Bella ignored him.

Meanwhile, Leo was already deep into his workday. He had changed from his black shirt to a suit; he looked stunning, gorgeous, and handsome in them. He entered the meeting room with the chilling elegance of a man who controlled entire empires with a few words. His client—a well-dressed businessman from abroad—stood to shake his hand.

"Mr. Moretti," the client greeted with respect, "I’ve been looking forward to this."

Leo’s handshake was firm, his gaze steady. "Let’s begin."

Inside the meeting room, his presence dominated effortlessly.

When the meeting finally wrapped up, the last slide dimmed on the projector, and the air in the room softened from tension into polite satisfaction. The client stood up with a pleased smile, smoothing his suit jacket as Leo closed his folder neatly.

"Mr. Moretti, your strategies were exceptional," the man said, adjusting his cufflinks before turning toward his assistant. "Exactly the precision we needed."

Leo nodded once, calm and composed. "I’m glad it meets your expectations."

The client grinned, clearly eager to continue on a friendlier note. His assistant stepped forward, holding a delicate cream-colored envelope with gold edges. The man took it and approached Leo with a warm, open smile.

"Mr. Moretti," the client said, "my wife and I have organized a ballroom event tomorrow evening. It’s an annual gathering we host for close partners and couples." He held out the envelope. "We would be honored if you and your wife would attend."

Leo lifted his eyes from the card with a still, unreadable expression, though a faint flicker of surprise passed through his gaze. The client continued, gently nudging the card toward him.

"It’s formal... elegant, beautiful," he explained with a soft chuckle. "Live orchestra, dance floor, candlelit tables... My wife insisted I personally invite you both."

Leo took the card with steady fingers. The envelope was thick, luxurious, smelling faintly of roses—clearly something his wife had hand-picked. Gold script ran across the top, shimmering under the light.

The client stepped back with an approving nod. "Do join us. A fine young man like you should not always bury himself in work. Spend a beautiful night with your wife. Enjoy."

Leo gave a small, polite incline of his head, the closest he ever came to showing warmth to clients. "Thank you. I’ll consider it."

The man smiled wider, satisfied. "Wonderful. I hope to see you both there."

As the client and his assistant left the room, Leo remained still for a moment, staring at the envelope. His thumb brushed over the embossed design almost absently.

Ballroom... couples only...

His eyes softened slightly, a thought forming quietly in the back of his mind.

Bella— in a ballroom... wearing something elegant... dancing with him...

An image, delicate and unexpected, flickered through him like candlelight.

A faint smile pulled at the corner of his lip as his thoughts wandered to her.

He imagined Bella in a ballroom, wearing something soft and delicate, glowing in some pale, dreamy gown that would make the chandeliers tremble from sheer envy. He pictured her stepping into the hall with wide eyes, her lips parting slightly as she took in the golden lights, the grand staircase, the orchestra playing gently in the background.

She would probably cling to his arm without realizing, her cheeks warming as she murmured something about the place being too fancy.

He could see the way her lashes would flutter when she looked around...

the way she would tuck her hair behind her ear when nervous...

the way she might stand on tiptoe to peek at the dessert table first.