19

Rosa walked down the grand marble staircase, her mind completely spinning. Every step she took felt heavier than the last. Knowing that Giovanni had willingly sacrificed his own childhood, his voice, and his entire future just to buy Leo's freedom completely rewired how she looked at him. He wasn't just a cold, ruthless billionaire power player anymore; he was a protector who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders so the people he loved didn't have to.

She glanced at Leo walking beside her, who had effortlessly slipped right back into his cheerful, easygoing demeanor, as if he hadn't just revealed a tragic family secret.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped back into the living room, Nina was sitting on the edge of the sofa, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. The throw pillows were still scattered all over the floor from their earlier battlefield.

"Finally," Nina said, her eyes instantly locking onto Leo with that familiar, fiery spark. "I was about to come up there and make sure you hadn't used your medical license to bore my best friend to death."

"Please, Nina," Leo scoffed playfully, stepping around a stray cushion and picking it up to toss it back onto the armchair. "Rosa was completely captivated by my presence. Unlike you, she actually appreciates fine company."

"Fine company? You?" Nina let out a dramatic gasp, rising from the couch. "You are an absolute pest, Leo and you have been since we were kids!"

Rosa couldn't help but smile, the fog in her chest lifting slightly as she watched them instantly fall back into their bickering routine. It was the perfect distraction, but as she looked at the two of them standing there—her fiercely loyal best friend and Giovanni's sweet, protected younger brother—a small, hidden thought crossed her mind. They were a chaotic mess right now, but beneath the bickering, the spark between them was undeniable.

"Alright, you two, seriously, knock it off," Rosa laughed, stepping between them before Nina could launch another cushion. "Leo, thank you for the medicine. It’s actually already helping. But if you’re going to stay and hang out, you are absolutely helping us clean up this crime scene of a living room."

"Me? Clean?" Leo held up his hands, retreating a step with a dramatic look of horror. "I am a guest, Rosa. A medical professional! My hands are meant for saving lives, not fluffing pillows."

"Oh, please," Nina scoffed, rolling her eyes so hard it looked painful. She stepped right into his personal space, pointing a finger at his chest. "Your hands are going to be meant for a bruising if you don't pick up that velvet cushion right now, *Doctor*."

Leo looked down at her finger, then up at her face. The playful smirk on his lips softened just a fraction, his eyes glinting with that familiar, maddening amusement that always seemed to push Nina’s buttons.

"You know, Nina," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave as he leaned in just a tiny bit closer, entirely unbothered by her glare. "For someone who claims to hate my guts, you sure find a lot of excuses to stand this close to me."

Nina’s jaw dropped. A furious, bright blush rushed straight up her neck, completely betraying the fiery anger in her eyes. "I—you—you wish! I am standing close to you so I can properly aim my fist!"

"Sure, let's go with that," Leo chuckled, finally bending down to pick up a stray pillow. He tossed it perfectly onto the couch, never breaking eye contact with her. "Thirteen years later, and you’re still just as easy to rile up as you were when we were kids."

"And you're still an insufferable jerk!" Nina fired back, though she turned around quickly to hide the fact that her heart had inexplicably skipped a beat. She grabbed another cushion, aggressively punching it back into shape before slamming it onto the sofa.

Rosa stood by the armchair, quietly watching the two of them trade barbs. A small, knowing smile tugged at the corner of her lips. They were bickering like toddlers, yes, but the sheer, electric friction between them was practically vibrating through the room. The history was there, the unresolved childhood tension was there, and beneath all that yelling? There was a massive spark just waiting for a match.

Rosa stood by the armchair, watching the back-and-forth volley of sharp remarks and heated glares. The air between them was practically thick with unspoken history and a weirdly intense energy. For a second, Rosa felt completely like a third wheel. As though she didn't even exist there in her own living room.

She cleared her throat, letting out a loud, exaggerated cough to shatter their little bubble.

"Leo, don't you need to get back to the hospital?" Rosa teased, folding her arms with a playful pout. "I'm a little jealous here. Since you walked through that door, all you've done is talk to Nina."

Nina snapped her head toward Rosa, her eyes widening in absolute horror. "What?!" she squealed, her voice jumping an octave. "As if I would *ever* willingly have a conversation with him! He's just taking up my oxygen!"

Leo didn't look offended at all. Instead, he just chuckled, stuffing his hands casually into his trousers pockets while keeping his amused gaze fixed right on Nina's flushed face.

Rosa smirked, leaning against the back of the sofa. She decided to just throw a grenade right into the middle of the room to see what would happen.

"Seriously though," Rosa asked, her eyes darting between the two of them. "Do you guys like each other?"

The word like had barely left Rosa’s lips when Leo’s playful demeanor completely vanished.

Immediately, Leo stood up as straight as a board, his eyes widening as if he had just been caught doing something highly illegal. He practically bolted away from the couch, tapping frantically at his pocket.

"I have to go!" Leo announced, his voice suddenly loud and incredibly rushed as he began backing away toward the grand foyer. "The hospital just called. Big emergency. Lives to save!"

Rosa’s jaw dropped as she watched him practically sprint for the exit, not even giving Nina a chance to throw another cushion.

"Leo!" Rosa screamed after him, her voice echoing through the grand hallway as he ran off. "Your phone didn't even ring!!"

"It was on silent!" Leo shouted back, his voice fading fast as the heavy front door opened and slammed shut behind him.