Chapter 55 – Torn Between Two Fires

"Um… Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Jeslyn said, excusing herself.

She couldn’t bear Leonel’s piercing stare any longer. Everyone looked happy, yet she felt suffocated under the weight of his gaze.

Jeslyn quickly walked toward the ladies’ room. Once inside, she stared at her reflection in the mirror above the sink. She could finally breathe again after being silently judged by Leonel the entire time. It was unbearable.

She washed her hands and adjusted her makeup slightly. But just as she stepped outside, someone grabbed her arm and pinned her against the wall in a quiet hallway.

Thump.

"Leonel?" Jeslyn gasped.

"Why are you doing this?" Leonel demanded, his voice low but intense. The space between them was barely a breath.

"What are you talking about?" Jeslyn snapped back, locking eyes with him.

"After everything you’ve learned about him—after all the lies—you’re still going through with this engagement?" he pressed.

"So what? This was the plan from the beginning. You were the one who ruined it!" she retorted sharply.

"I ruined it? What about Jefran? You're still letting him near you even after what he did to you?" Leonel’s voice was tight with restrained emotion.

"So what? I’ve known him longer. And you—" Jeslyn jabbed her finger into Leonel’s chest, "—you’re just a guy I had a one-night stand with. So why does it matter?"

Leonel flinched at her words.

"I don’t even know who you really are, and I—" Jeslyn drew in a shaky breath. "I love Jefran."

Thud.

Leonel’s eyes widened. "You... love Jef—"

She didn’t get to finish. Leonel silenced her with a kiss. Not soft. Not tender. It was a kiss charged with emotion, a desperate, almost angry attempt to shut her up.

Jeslyn froze in shock. His lips claimed hers, not out of affection, but out of a desperate urge to prove something—to mark what he believed was his. She pushed at his chest weakly but didn’t resist entirely. Her body trembled, her breath caught in his, but then—

Bang.

Jeslyn shoved him away with all her strength. Her eyes glistened with confusion and rage.

"Are you insane?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why would you do that, Leonel?"

Leonel looked down, trying to contain the storm inside him. But his eyes still burned.

"Because you’re mine. And I hate seeing someone else trying to claim what belongs to me."

Jeslyn shook her head slowly. "I’m not an object. And you have no right to interfere anymore!" she snapped.

"I care, Jeslyn!" Leonel’s voice cracked. "I don’t care what I am to you now. But you know damn well—we’re still connected. And I can’t just walk away from that!"

Jeslyn bit her lip, holding back tears. "We were never meant to be, Leonel. That night—it was a mistake. And you need to stop pretending it meant anything more."

"I’m marrying your brother next month."

"Mistake?" Leonel echoed bitterly. "If it was just a mistake, then why do you still look at me like that? With trembling eyes and shaking hands?" He reached out and placed her hand on his chest.

Jeslyn pulled back quickly. "Stop it, Leonel. Please."

Footsteps echoed down the hall.

"Jeslyn?" Jefran’s voice called from a distance.

Thump.

Jeslyn’s heart raced. She quickly pushed Leonel farther away, putting space between them. Her breathing was still shaky, but she tried to calm herself.

Leonel looked at her one last time—a look that held something unspoken, something that made her heart ache with guilt.

"Stay away from my fiancée!" Jefran’s voice was firm as he approached. He grabbed Jeslyn’s hand, but Leonel caught her other wrist.

Now she stood between two men, completely trapped.

"Let her go. She’s my fiancée!" Jefran snapped.

"Screw that!" Leonel growled and yanked Jeslyn’s hand, breaking Jefran’s grip.

"Let me go, Leonel!" Jeslyn protested, stumbling slightly as Leonel pulled her along. "Where are you taking me?!"

"Where the hell do you think you’re taking her?!" Jefran shouted, chasing after them.

Leonel didn’t answer. He kept walking, dragging Jeslyn along as she struggled to break free. They exited the restaurant.

"Let go of me, Leonel! You’re insane!" Jeslyn screamed as they rushed past the doors.

He didn’t stop. He dragged her down a quiet hotel corridor toward the basement parking lot.

"Don’t make me fight you!" Jeslyn warned, trying again to free herself.

They reached his car. The night air was cold, but the tension between them was boiling.

Leonel flung the car door open. "Get in."

"No!" Jeslyn cried. "You can’t treat me like this!"

Jefran’s voice rang out again. "Leonel! Stop! Don’t touch her again!"

Leonel looked up, his face red with fury. "She’s not yours, Jefran!"

"She’s my fiancée! She is mine!" Jefran shot back.

"That title means nothing! Either fight me or back off and stay out of this!" Leonel’s tone was dark and dangerous.

Jefran stopped a few steps away. His jaw clenched, his stare sharp. "Don’t be stupid, Leonel. Do you really think acting like this will bring Jeslyn back to you?"

Leonel glared at his younger brother. "I don’t need her to come back—because she never left."

Then he turned back to Jeslyn. "Get in the car."

Jeslyn shook her head, stepping back. "I’m not going anywhere with you, Leonel. You’ve crossed the line."

Jefran moved forward. "You heard her. She said no."

Before he could reach her, Leonel blocked his path. "Take one more step, and I won’t hold back."

"Stop being such an arrogant bastard! She’s not something you can win!" Jefran snapped.

"Yeah, I am arrogant," Leonel said through clenched teeth. "Because she’s more than just your fiancée. She’s more than that to me—and you know it."

Jeslyn stood trembling between them. "Stop! Both of you, stop this!"

But neither man backed down. The tension crackled in the cold night air, ready to ignite.

Jeslyn didn’t want this to spiral into a public scandal, especially not in front of their families. She turned to Jefran.

"Jef, please tell our parents I’m not feeling well and I’m heading home," she said gently.

"But Jes—"

"Please." She briefly touched his arm, her eyes pleading. "I’ll call you later. Just… don’t make this worse."

Jefran fell silent, staring at her with a mix of hurt, disappointment, and frustration. Finally, he exhaled deeply and gave a reluctant nod. "Alright."

Jeslyn turned to Leonel. "And you—stop acting like a damn tyrant."

Leonel didn’t answer. He held her gaze with burning intensity but bit back the words he wanted to say. Only one word left his lips.

"Get in."

Without another word, Jeslyn slid into the passenger seat. Leonel closed the door, got in, and started the engine. Without so much as a glance at Jefran, they drove off—leaving behind the chaos, and an even greater storm brewing between them.

***