Leo sighed but smiled faintly. "Actually… yeah."
"Her name's Daisy," Leo said, his tone quiet but thoughtful.
Adrian blinked. "Daisy? You mean the actress from last night?"
Leo nodded slowly.
"Man, she's gorgeous," Adrian said with a grin. "You're telling me you actually talked to her?"
Leo's lips curved slightly. "Something like that."
Adrian laughed. "Bro, that's wild. You, falling for a celebrity? That's going to be fun to watch."
Leo didn't answer. He just looked down at his desk, a small, knowing smile on his face — one that made Adrian frown slightly.
"Wait," Adrian said, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you smiling like that? You already like her, don't you?"
Leo leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant. "Maybe more than you think."
Adrian grinned, ready to tease him. "Man, you lucky guy. Everyone was staring at her, and you actually got to talk to—" He stopped when he saw Leo's serious expression. "Wait, what? Why do you look like that?"
Leo nodded slowly. "We didn't just know each other. We… dated."
Adrian's jaw dropped. "You're kidding. You and Daisy?"
"She wasn't called Daisy back then," Leo said quietly. "Her name was Kayla."
Adrian rubbed his temples. "Bro, how come you never told me? I was your best friend — and you were dating her behind everyone's back?"
Leo shrugged slightly, a trace of regret in his eyes. "We wanted to keep it private. She was shy, quiet. She didn't like attention. I respected that."
Adrian leaned forward, voice low. "So what happened? Why did you break up?"
Leo's expression darkened. He stared at the coffee cup in front of him. "A stupid misunderstanding.
By the time Daisy got home, it was already past nine. The house was quiet — just the faint hum of the air conditioner and the soft ticking of the wall clock.
She dropped her bag on the sofa and kicked off her heels, feeling the weight of the day sink into her shoulders. After a long shower, she slipped into her pajamas and walked into the kitchen to make something light for dinner.
Just as she sat down with her bowl of noodles, her phone rang again — Kultura.
"Hey, you're still awake?" Daisy asked softly.
"I couldn't sleep," Kultura said on the other end, her voice small and sweet. "I just wanted to hear your voice."
Daisy smiled faintly. "You should be in bed, silly girl."
"I know. I just miss you, that's all. And Mom keeps asking when you'll visit."
Daisy's smile faded a little. "Tell Mom I'll come soon. Work's just… a lot lately."
"Okay," Kultura murmured. Then, after a pause, "You're not crying again, right?"
Daisy laughed quietly. "No, I'm fine. I promise."
They talked a few minutes more before Daisy convinced her sister to sleep. When the call ended, she set the phone down and stared at the dark window.
Her reflection looked back at her — calm, composed, but a little lonely.
She thought about Leo again. The way he smiled that morning. The way he said "Anytime."
Her heart gave a quiet ache.
"Just one chance…" she whispered, repeating her own words from the night before. "Don't mess it up this time."
She finished her food, turned off the lights, and went to bed. But even in the silence, his face stayed in her mind — and somehow, that made her feel a little less alone.
The following week, Leo's schedule became a storm. An unexpected business trip came up — one he hadn't planned for. His company had a major deal to finalize abroad, and his uncle, who was also part of the board, insisted Leo attend in person.
At first, Leo thought it was just another negotiation. But as soon as he arrived at the meeting room, he realized something was off. His uncle's tone was too smooth, too practiced — and the other board members kept exchanging glances.
Leo leaned back in his seat, his sharp eyes scanning the documents placed before him. "Uncle," he said calmly, "why does this proposal have your signature instead of mine?"
His uncle smiled faintly, pretending innocence. "It's just business, Leo. You've been busy lately — I thought I'd help speed things up."
Leo's jaw tightened. He had seen this before — subtle moves to take control of the company he worked hard to rebuild.
"You mean you tried to push through a deal without my consent," Leo replied, voice low but steady. The room went silent.
His uncle chuckled nervously. "Don't make this personal, Leo."
But Leo already knew — it wasn't just business. It was a trap, and he had almost walked into it.