Chapter 5 ~ Dinner Together

"I’m going insane thinking about that man!" Jeslyn groaned as she rolled on the bed, her mind in turmoil.

She hadn’t stepped out of her room all day, haunted by what Leonel had said yesterday. How could he—her sister's fiancé—want to become her affair?

Jeslyn stared blankly at the ceiling, then buried her face into the pillow in frustration.

"Why is my life such a mess?" she mumbled.

Her phone vibrated endlessly on the nightstand. Dozens of messages from Jefran and even her best friend, all wondering where she had gone. But she ignored them all.

The only voice she kept hearing was Leonel’s:

"As long as I’m the only one allowed to kiss and sleep with you."

"I don’t mind being second."

"You’re mine, Jeslyn."

"Aaaargh!!" Jeslyn rolled again and sat on the edge of her bed. Her hair was a mess, her eyes swollen from lack of sleep, and her thoughts refused to settle.

“I have to get out of this mess. I have to!” Her resolve finally kicked in. She got up and walked to the mirror, staring at her reflection with disgust.

“I’m not anyone’s puppet. I have to break free from that dangerous man,” she said, as if convincing herself.

A knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts.

“Jesse, are you ready? We’re going to be late for dinner,” her mother’s voice came from outside the door.

“Dinner?”

Thud.

Jeslyn nearly forgot. Tonight was the family dinner with Jefran’s family to welcome Leonel’s return.

Her stomach twisted. What was once a simple formal dinner now felt like psychological torture. How was she supposed to sit at the same table, pretend everything was fine, while the man who had threatened and humiliated her would be right there... smiling sweetly in front of everyone?

Jeslyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. No. She couldn’t afford to look weak tonight.

"Just a minute, Mom!" she called, trying to make her voice sound normal.

Once her mother’s footsteps faded, Jeslyn turned back to the mirror. “You have to be strong, Jesse. Don’t give him a chance to corner or tease you. Don’t,” she muttered to her reflection.

She opened her wardrobe and chose a navy dress—elegant and graceful. Not to attract attention, but to show she wasn’t some fragile girl. She would stand her ground and show no fear toward Leonel.

She would face him. At the dinner table. In front of everyone.

She styled herself with a natural makeup look and let her hair fall in soft waves. When she was ready, she stepped out of the room. Her parents were already waiting.

“Took you long enough,” her mother said with a frown.

“Sorry, Mom. I fell asleep,” she replied with a bright smile.

“Well then, let’s get going,” her father added.

Jeslyn’s family car drove toward the luxurious restaurant where the dinner was held. During the ride, Jeslyn remained silent. Her hands were tightly clasped on her lap, trying to ground the storm inside her chest. That smile she wore earlier was just a mask. Deep down, her mind spun with endless possibilities.

Upon arrival, a server escorted them to the VIP room. From afar, Jeslyn could already see Jefran’s family seated neatly around the long table. Including… him.

Leonel.

He was lounging at the end of the table, wearing a black shirt with the top two buttons undone. His eyes immediately locked onto Jeslyn as she entered. And just like always, that sly smirk appeared—the kind of smile that seemed to know every secret about her.

But Jeslyn didn’t flinch. She returned his gaze, lifted her chin, and walked confidently to her seat, as if nothing had ever happened between them.

“Jeslyn, you look absolutely stunning tonight,” Jefran’s father complimented.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Jeslyn replied politely.

“Leonel, this is Mrs. Emma and Mr. Jose, Jeslyn’s parents. You already know Jeslyn is Jefran’s fiancée, right?” Leonel’s father introduced them.

“Yes, Dad. I know. We met briefly at the party the other day, didn’t we, Jeslyn?” Leonel added with a teasing tone.

“Um… Yes,” Jeslyn answered calmly, though her heart was racing. She prayed he wouldn’t do anything outrageous.

“You didn’t reply to my messages, Jesse,” Jefran whispered beside her.

“Ah, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t feeling well, so I slept all day,” she replied with an awkward smile.

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Jefran looked at her with concern, gently squeezing her hand under the table. “You look okay, but if you’re still unwell, we can leave early.”

Jeslyn smiled faintly. “It’s alright. I’m feeling much better now.”

Across the table, Leonel watched their interaction with sharp eyes. The hand-holding, the gentle smiles, Jefran’s concern—it was like a thorn stabbing his consciousness. His jaw clenched, but he kept his composure.

“We’re truly happy that Jefran found such a graceful and kind woman like Jeslyn,” Jefran’s mother chimed in.

“Thank you, Auntie,” Jeslyn replied quickly, hiding her tension behind a polite smile.

Appetizers were served, and the mood around the table eased into light conversations. But for Jeslyn, this dinner felt like a ticking time bomb. She could still feel Leonel’s eyes on her, even though he pretended to swirl the wine in his glass.

“Jeslyn,” Leonel suddenly spoke up, “if you’re still not feeling well, maybe you should ask Jefran to take you home. Or… I could take you.”

Jeslyn’s grip on her spoon tightened. But she still smiled. “Thank you for the offer, Leonel. But I believe my fiancé is more than capable of taking care of me.”

Leonel’s smirk widened. “Of course. I’m just... concerned. Sometimes it takes someone who really knows us to understand what we need.”

That line felt like a blade straight to her chest. Jeslyn noticed Jefran looking a bit puzzled but not yet suspicious.

Jeslyn took a deep breath. Stay calm. Don’t let him get to you. You’re in control now.

She straightened up and looked Leonel in the eye, her smile just as sharp. “Thanks for your concern, Leonel. But Jefran is more than enough for me.”

A few people at the table looked surprised by her firm response, but Leonel only chuckled softly.

"Touché," he murmured. “Let’s see how long you can keep this up, sweetheart.”

Jeslyn simply gave a small smile and turned her gaze to Jefran. Focus, Jesse. Don’t let him take control, she reminded herself.

The dinner conversation continued, though the atmosphere remained slightly awkward, masked by small laughs and polite chatter. Beneath it all, Jeslyn could feel the heat radiating from Leonel’s end of the table—his gaze still peeling at her, as if trying to strip her mind bare.

A few minutes later, Leonel’s phone vibrated on the table. He glanced at it, then stood up. “Excuse me, I need to take this call.”

He exited the VIP room calmly. But Jeslyn knew… something was coming.

Sure enough, a moment later, her own phone buzzed. That small vibration felt like a bomb going off in her head.

One message. From Leonel.

“Meet me at the back balcony. Now. Or the video gets sent to your fiancé in 3 minutes.”

Jeslyn froze. Her face turned pale, her hands trembling. But she quickly controlled her breathing.

“Sweetheart, are you okay?” Jefran asked, noticing her sudden change.

Jeslyn forced a smile and shook her head. “I’m fine. I just need a bit of fresh air. I’ll head to the restroom for a moment.”

Jefran moved to stand, but Jeslyn stopped him. “No, it’s okay. I’ll go alone. Really.”

With shaky steps, Jeslyn walked out. Down the long hallway leading to the rear balcony, she saw the glass doors open. The night breeze brushed against her skin, carrying the scent of flowers—and an invisible weight pressing against her chest.

Leonel stood with his back to the door, staring up at the night sky. Her footsteps made him turn.

“You came quicker than I expected,” he said calmly, as if nothing was wrong.

Jeslyn clenched her fists. “Do you have no heart, Leonel? Threatening me like this… You’ve gone too far!”

Leonel stepped slowly toward her. “I’m not threatening you, Jeslyn. I’m just… showing you the only way I can keep you by my side.”

“By threatening to send that video to Jefran?” Her voice trembled.

He stopped just a step away. “You know I could do worse. But I haven’t. Because I still want you to choose—consciously—to stay with me.”

Jeslyn’s eyes welled with tears. “And what if I say no?”

Leonel’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a cold stare. “Then I’ll make sure you pay for it. After all… shouldn’t you be responsible for what you did?” he said with a wide, intimidating grin—leaving Jeslyn utterly cornered.

***