Chapter 47 – Caught in the Act

Leonel stepped into the room calmly, as if time had never passed. He returned to his seat and placed his phone on the table without saying a word. But his gaze was fixed on Jeslyn—piercing and silent.

Jeslyn felt the atmosphere shift, as if the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. She kept her expression neutral, though her heart raced. It wasn’t guilt—there was nothing to feel guilty about. It was just Leonel. He always knew how to make her feel trapped without even laying a finger on her.

"Welcome back, Mr. Leonel. Jeslyn and I just wrapped up the last few details. Very helpful," Willie said smoothly, though he cast a brief glance at Jeslyn—a gesture not missed by Leonel.

Leonel gave a curt nod, his eyes never leaving Jeslyn, even as he spoke.

"Good. Jeslyn is always thorough," he said. His tone was casual, but Jeslyn knew better. That wasn’t just a compliment. It was a warning—though to whom, she wasn’t sure. Willie? Or herself?

Moments later, Leonel stood. He looked at Willie with his trademark businesslike smile and extended a hand.

"I believe we can continue the finer discussions over lunch. I’ve arranged a table at the executive lounge."

"Excellent. Looking forward to it," Willie replied with ease.

He grabbed his tablet and prepared to leave, pausing only to briefly shake Jeslyn’s hand.

As Willie exited the room, Leonel remained where he stood, still watching Jeslyn seated at the table.

"Jeslyn," he called softly.

Jeslyn turned, keeping her tone neutral.

"Yes?"

Leonel leaned down slightly, his voice low, just enough for her to hear.

"Don’t let anyone think they can touch what doesn’t belong to them."

Jeslyn went still. A heavy silence hung between them.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You know exactly what I mean," Leonel replied, gently but with an unmistakable edge.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out after Willie—leaving Jeslyn in a room that now felt smaller, tighter, and far more complicated than it had minutes ago.

That man… he really knows how to suffocate me, she thought bitterly.

Jeslyn let out a long sigh, waiting until the sound of Leonel’s footsteps disappeared behind the door. She looked down at her hands, now tightly clasped in her lap. They were cold. And it wasn’t the air-conditioning—it was his words echoing in her head.

"Don’t let anyone think they can touch what doesn’t belong to them."

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady her breathing. Then she stood, walked to the corner of the room, and drank from a water bottle in silence. Her throat felt dry—even though she had spoken so fluently during the presentation earlier. What had truly unraveled her wasn’t the meeting or the client, but Leonel. He always blurred the line between business and something far too personal. He got jealous without reason, and worse—Jeslyn didn’t even know what their relationship was.

She exited the meeting room and stepped into the hallway. It felt quieter than before. A few staff members were busy at their cubicles, unaware of how Jeslyn’s world had shifted in the last few minutes.

She headed to the pantry at the end of the hall. It was empty. She leaned against the counter and stared at her reflection in the fridge door’s glass. Calm, professional, with subtle makeup and a neat suit. But her eyes... her eyes betrayed everything.

"Jes, you have to stay strong," she whispered to herself.

It wasn’t the first time Leonel had pulled her between logic and emotion. But lately... it had intensified. His stares were deeper. His words, more personal. It was as if it wasn’t enough for him to control the company—he wanted to control her feelings too.

She sat down on a pantry stool and checked her phone. A message from her assistant, Elma: a follow-up meeting was scheduled for next week, and Leonel wanted her final presentation inputs before Friday.

"Of course. Always a reason to keep me close, right?" she thought bitterly.

She locked her phone and closed her eyes. Just for a moment—just to forget everything.

But Leonel’s gaze returned in her mind. Cold. Possessive. And hiding something she still couldn’t fully understand. It wasn’t just desire. It was something deeper—obsession.

Jeslyn took a deep breath.

"I need to find my own way. Before this gets deeper... and more dangerous than I can handle."

She stood up and walked out of the pantry, leaving behind a version of herself—the fragile, confused one—who still secretly wished that man would stop making her feel like she belonged to him. Because she wasn’t even sure… if she wanted to belong to a man like Leonel.

Later That Day…

When lunch break arrived, Jeslyn drove aimlessly away from the office until she found a quiet restaurant for her meal.

It was a small European-style bistro tucked in a corner of the city, far from the office chaos. She needed space. Distance from Leonel, from his stare, from the pressure that made it hard to breathe.

A server greeted her warmly and led her to a corner table by the window. Afternoon sunlight slipped through the white curtains, casting a soft glow on Jeslyn’s tired yet graceful face.

She ordered pasta and chamomile tea, then leaned back in her chair, savoring the rare silence.

But peace was fleeting.

Through her glasses, she saw a familiar figure walk into the restaurant—a tall man in a casual suit. Jefran.

What twisted her stomach wasn’t his presence... but the woman walking beside him—her hand in his. She giggled softly, leaning into him. They looked close. Intimate.

Jefran’s gaze was elsewhere, still laughing—until it landed on Jeslyn.

He froze.

The smile vanished. His body stiffened, and his grip on the woman’s hand slowly loosened.

Too late...

Jeslyn didn’t rise. She simply stared, blank-faced but with eyes sharp as glass.

Jefran rushed toward her. The woman turned, confused.

“Jes—Jeslyn... it’s not what you think,” he stammered.

Jeslyn raised an eyebrow, still seated. Her voice was cold and even.

“I haven’t said I thought anything.”

“She’s just a friend... we were only—”

Jeslyn gave a thin smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“A friend whose hand you were holding in broad daylight?”

Jefran fell silent, glancing around nervously at the nearby diners. But Jeslyn didn’t care.

She slowly stood, grabbed her bag, her appetite gone. Her gaze drilled into Jefran’s eyes.

“Thank you, Jef. At least now I know why you always avoided talks about marriage.”

“Jeslyn, please—”

She held up a hand, silencing him.

“You don’t need to explain. I just wish you had the maturity to tell me directly. Instead of letting me see it for myself.”

Without even glancing at the other woman, Jeslyn walked out.

Her eyes were hot, but not a single tear fell. Outside, the soft afternoon wind brushed her skin.

And strangely, it didn’t hurt like it had that one night.

Instead, she felt... nothing.

In moments like this, only one face came to mind—not Jefran’s, but Leonel’s. That look of possessiveness, of control, and strangely—honesty. Something Jefran had never been able to give her.

***