Chapter 26 ~ Dimitri Clovies

“Welcome, Jeslyn,” said Jefran’s mother warmly as she greeted Jeslyn and Jefran upon their arrival.

“Thank you, Auntie.”

They walked toward the spacious family dining room, where a long table was already set with a variety of delicious dishes. Jefran’s father and a man about his age were sitting and chatting there.

Seeing Jeslyn and Jefran enter, both men stood up.

“How are you, dear Jeslyn?” greeted Jefran’s father, who had long considered Jeslyn as part of the family.

“I’m well, Uncle.” Jeslyn smiled softly as she gave him a brief hug.

“Jeslyn, let me introduce you. This is Jefran’s uncle—his father's younger brother,” said Jefran’s mother.

“Your fiancée is very beautiful, Jef,” the man praised, making Jefran smile proudly.

“I’m Dmitri Clovies. You can call me Uncle Dmitri,” he said, extending his hand.

“Jeslyn,” she replied simply.

“What a lovely name for such a lovely young lady,” Dmitri added, making everyone at the table chuckle—everyone except Jeslyn.

She tried to politely pull her hand back from Dmitri’s grasp. Something about the way he looked at her made her uneasy. There was a cold, intense, almost predatory look in his eyes.

Jeslyn smiled awkwardly, trying to remain courteous despite the tension in her body. Dmitri’s stare sent chills down her spine.

“Please, take a seat. Let’s start our lunch together,” said Jefran’s mother, attempting to break the tension.

Jeslyn sat beside Jefran, trying to distract herself, though she could still feel Dmitri glancing at her from time to time.

“Oh, isn’t Leonel coming?” Jefran’s father asked his wife.

“Leonel?” she turned to Jefran. “Do you know where your brother is?”

“I’ll give him a call,” said Jefran, while Jeslyn tried to stay composed.

“No need. I’m already here.” Everyone turned toward the voice. Leonel entered the room wearing a relaxed outfit.

Where did he get those clothes? Jeslyn wondered, catching his brief glance in her direction.

Dmitri stood and looked at Leonel. “It’s been a while, Leonel,” he greeted, offering his hand.

Jeslyn immediately sensed the tension between them. Something must’ve happened in the past—Leonel’s expression was full of hostility.

“Yeah. I was hoping I’d never have to see your face again,” Leonel replied coldly, hands in his pockets.

When Leonel didn’t accept the handshake, Dmitri slowly pulled his hand back.

The once-warm atmosphere at the table instantly turned cold.

Jefran glanced nervously at his parents. His mother gave a strained smile, trying to defuse the situation. “Leonel, that’s no way to speak. Dmitri is family.”

Leonel snorted softly but sat down in the empty seat across from Jeslyn. Their eyes met briefly. He said nothing, but the look he gave her made Jeslyn’s heart race nervously.

Dmitri let out a short laugh, one that lacked any warmth.

“Young people are always so full of anger. But I understand—old wounds take time to heal.”

“And some uncles should know when to stay gone,” Leonel replied sharply, not even glancing at him.

Jefran’s father cleared his throat, clearly displeased.

“That’s enough. This is a family lunch—let’s avoid any conflict.”

“Of course. I only came to see my handsome nephew’s beautiful fiancée,” Dmitri said, his ambiguous smile turning to Jeslyn. “And now I understand why everyone is so intrigued by you, Jeslyn.”

Jeslyn bit her lower lip and gripped the edge of her napkin. She felt extremely uncomfortable.

Before the situation could escalate, Leonel cut in.

“If you're just here to flirt with Jefran’s fiancée, I suggest you focus on your food. Save your games for someone who cares.”

Dmitri stared at Leonel, his gaze sharp—like two predators sizing each other up.

“I’ve always admired how much you care, Leonel. Especially for your brother and his… partner,” Dmitri said finally, before sitting back down. “But be careful. Too much care can lead you to fall into the deepest pit.”

“I don’t understand what you mean. But I do know this—you're a womanizer. So let me warn you: leave Jeslyn alone,” Leonel said with emphasis.

Everyone assumed Leonel was just being protective of Jeslyn as his brother’s fiancée. But both Jeslyn and Leonel knew the truth. His warning wasn’t out of family concern. It was possessiveness—because Leonel felt Jeslyn belonged to him.

Jeslyn lowered her gaze, feeling the heat between the two men. This wasn’t just a typical family feud. Something deeper was at play. Something from the past. And her instincts told her she was caught in the middle of a war far beyond a simple love triangle.

“Oh come on, Leonel. I wouldn’t dream of flirting with my own nephew’s fiancée,” Dmitri chuckled. “Look at her now—tense because of your words. I was simply welcoming her as family.”

Suddenly, Jefran took Jeslyn’s hand that was resting on the table.

“Don’t worry. I’ll always protect my fiancée. She won’t be tempted by any playboy charms, right, Jes?”

“Yes,” Jeslyn smiled at Jefran, though her heart beat a little too fast.

Leonel clenched his jaw and looked away, fuming silently with jealousy.

“We should eat now. Things got a bit tense—let’s enjoy our lunch in peace,” said Jefran’s mother.

Lunch began, but the tension lingered at the table.

Jeslyn tried to focus on her plate, cutting her meat slowly, though her hands trembled slightly. She could feel two pairs of eyes on her—Dmitri’s sly, predatory gaze and Leonel’s burning, possessive glare.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Leonel barely touched his food. His jaw was tight, fingers tapping the table—barely holding back his anger.

Meanwhile, Dmitri kept chatting casually about business, occasionally throwing in a flirtatious comment toward Jeslyn, trying to seem close. Unfortunately, Jefran didn’t notice the discomfort Jeslyn was feeling—though Leonel clearly did.

“Jeslyn,” Jefran’s mother called, pulling Jeslyn from her thoughts, “after lunch, help me prepare some tea in the back garden, okay? We can chat there.”

“Of course, Auntie,” Jeslyn answered quickly, glad for the distraction.

But before they could finish eating, Leonel suddenly stood.

“I’m full,” he said flatly, then walked off without a glance back.

Jeslyn lowered her head, not wanting anyone to see the way her heart reacted to him leaving. But deep down, she knew, Leonel wouldn’t stay silent for long.

And she was right.

Not long after Jeslyn helped Jefran’s mother in the back garden, a deep voice called out to her from the side of the house—a voice she knew all too well.

“Jessy.”

The voice was flat, but carried a weight that made her stomach tighten.

Jeslyn turned and found Leonel standing there, leaning casually against one of the balcony pillars, his hands tucked into his pockets.

“What are you doing here? What if someone sees us?” Jeslyn asked, her tone tinged with panic.

“So what if they do? I’m just talking to you,” Leonel replied calmly.

“But—”

Without warning, Leonel reached out and took the same hand that Jefran had held earlier. He brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it.

Jeslyn gasped, stunned.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, quickly pulling her hand away. “Don’t play games with me, Leonel.”

“You reek of Jefran’s scent. I don’t like it,” he said curtly.

Jeslyn swallowed hard, her heart beginning to race.

“You have no right to say that,” she whispered, though her voice trembled—whether from anger, nerves, or the overwhelming presence of Leonel, she couldn’t tell.

Leonel stepped closer. His movements were slow, deliberate, and heavy with tension. The distance between them shrank until Jeslyn could smell his familiar masculine scent—one that used to make her weak.

“I have every right in the world, Jessy. Because you belong to me,” he said, his eyes boring into hers.

“You can pretend to be loyal to Jefran, but your body, your heart… they’ve already spoken to me. You can’t lie to yourself.”

“Leonel…” Jeslyn tried to break eye contact, but his face was too close, his voice too binding.

“Please don’t do this… not here. This is still your family’s house.”

Leonel let out a cynical breath, his tone sharp.

“You look scared. Are you that afraid of hurting Jefran? You’d rather ignore my feelings just to protect his?”

“It’s not that…” Jeslyn bit her lower lip. “I just don’t want to cause a scene… my family—”

She couldn’t finish her sentence.

“I get it,” Leonel said quietly. Then his tone grew firmer. “But let me warn you: stay away from Dmitri. He’s dangerous.”

Jeslyn blinked, confused by the sudden shift.

“Whatever he offers you, say no. Even if Jefran agrees; you must refuse. Be firm,” Leonel said, his voice laced with urgency.

“What are you two talking about?”

A third voice interrupted them, and both Jeslyn and Leonel turned toward the source.

Jefran stood not far away, eyes narrowed with suspicion.

***