Meanwhile, Daisy sat quietly on her couch, still in her light home clothes, her hair tied loosely. The apartment was dim except for the soft glow of the lamp beside her. She had tried to distract herself with her phone, but her thoughts kept replaying the scene at the set — the stare, the tone, the unwanted attention.
Just then, her phone buzzed.
Leo: Are you home?
She blinked, staring at the message. Why is he asking that this late?
Daisy: Yes. I just finished my shoot.
Leo: Good. I'm outside.
Her heart skipped. Outside?
Before she could type another word, the intercom rang. She stood up slowly, confusion flickering in her eyes. "Mr. Leo?" the guard's voice said. "He's here to see you."
She froze for a few seconds, her heartbeat quickening. "Let him in," she said softly.
When the doorbell finally rang, Daisy opened the door — and there he was, standing under the warm light of the hallway. His expression softened when he saw her, wearing that quiet, shy look he found so captivating.
"You shouldn't have come this late," she murmured, avoiding his eyes.
Leo took a small step closer, his voice low but calm. "I heard what happened."
"It wasn't a big deal," she whispered. "I'm fine."
"I know you'd say that," he said, his gaze warm but intense. "But I wanted to see for myself."
There was silence for a moment. The air between them felt heavy yet gentle — like words unspoken were floating between them.
Leo's tone softened. "You've always been like this. You never tell people when something hurts you."
he said, his tone gentler now. "You look tired. You've been filming all day, and then that nonsense happened on set."
"I'm fine," she murmured, glancing up at him. "Really."
Leo stepped closer — not too close, but close enough that she could smell his cologne. "I can tell when you're lying."
Her heartbeat quickened. She wasn't used to anyone standing this near. "Why do you care so much?" she whispered.
"Because I still do," he replied simply, his voice low but certain.
She froze at his words, unable to speak. The silence stretched between them, filled with warmth and tension.
Then Leo gave a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Relax. I'm not here to make you nervous. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
He turned slightly toward the door, but before he could leave, Daisy's soft voice stopped him.
"Thank you… for coming."
He paused, turning to look at her again. The way she stood there — shy, a little flustered, but genuinely grateful — made his chest tighten.
"You don't need to thank me," he said, smiling faintly. "But if you really want to… you can do it by taking better care of yourself."
She smiled shyly, lowering her gaze. "I'll try."
Leo glanced at the clock on the wall. The time had already slipped past midnight.
"You should get some rest," Daisy said softly, breaking the silence.
Leo gave a small smile. "If I leave now, it'll already be morning by the time I reach home."
She hesitated, holding onto the hem of her oversized sweater. "Then… maybe you should stay a little. Just for a while," she said, her tone almost a whisper.
He raised a brow, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Are you inviting me to stay, Miss Daisy?"
Her cheeks flushed immediately. "No— I mean, I just thought— it's late, and…"
Leo chuckled quietly. "I'm joking."
She turned away to hide her face, muttering under her breath, "You shouldn't tease people like that."
After a short pause, she said, "You haven't eaten, have you?"
He looked at her curiously. "How do you know?"
"You always forget when you're busy," she said, walking toward the small open kitchen. "I can make something light."
"You don't have to."
"I want to," she said, not looking at him. Her voice was calm but firm.
Leo watched her move around the kitchen — her quiet focus, the way she brushed her hair behind her ear as she opened the fridge. There was something soothing about her presence, something that felt like home.
Soon, the smell of warm noodles filled the air. She served it in two bowls, setting one in front of him. "It's simple," she murmured, "but I hope it's okay."
Leo picked up his chopsticks, watching her carefully. "You've changed," he said quietly.
She blinked. "How?"
"You're calmer. Softer. But… still the same when you care about someone."