Chapter 70 – A Truth Too Painful to Bear

“Any news about Jeslyn?” Leonel asked, his sharp gaze fixed on his subordinate.

“I’m sorry, Sir. We haven’t been able to track Miss Jeslyn’s whereabouts,” the man before him replied cautiously.

Leonel let out a long, frustrated sigh. “Where exactly did she go? What are they hiding from me?” he muttered as he rubbed his face in agitation.

“Assign two of our men to watch Jeslyn’s parents’ house. Follow them wherever they go, and report immediately if you hear anything about Jeslyn!” Leonel ordered, his tone full of emphasis.

“Yes, Sir.”

The men quickly left the room, leaving Leonel alone in his thoughts. His chest tightened as worry gnawed at him. Jeslyn’s absence was unbearable.

“Where are you, Jessy?” he murmured, dragging both hands down his face in frustration.

In his study, Leonel sat rigidly, fists clenched atop the desk. His dark eyes glimmered with a mixture of fear and rage. He was used to facing enemies, threats, even betrayal. But losing Jeslyn’s trail—it felt like a part of himself had been ripped away.

“Where are you, Jessy? Don’t drive me insane looking for you,” he whispered hoarsely, burying his hands into his hair in despair.

Meanwhile, in another place, Jeslyn sat in silence on an old wooden chair near a crackling fireplace. The flames were the only source of light in the dim room. She held a mug of warm coffee, but her trembling hands betrayed the cold that seeped not from the air, but from deep within her heart.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I never thought it would hurt this much, Leon.” Her voice was hoarse, broken, almost drowned by her suppressed sobs.

She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself, but the more she recalled Leonel’s face, the more shattered her heart became. Jeslyn felt trapped in her own feelings.

“Jeslyn, your twin brother Julio’s death… it’s connected to Leonel and the gang he leads.”

Those were her father’s words—words that pierced her soul like daggers. Jeslyn’s heart ached unbearably. Why now? Why did she have to learn the truth only after she had fallen in love with Leonel?

Five years ago, when Julio died, she had sworn revenge. She knew her twin had been murdered, and she vowed to kill the one responsible. But who would have thought that the culprit was Leonel himself?

Jeslyn didn’t want to believe it, yet deep inside, she knew Leonel was a dangerous man.

She buried her face in her hands, the warmth of the fireplace unable to chase away the chill consuming her chest. Her father’s words echoed relentlessly, hammering her heart without mercy.

“No… not Leonel,” she whispered, her voice breaking. She shook her head violently, as if trying to shake off the bitter truth. “Why does it have to be him? Why the man who protected me, who made me feel alive again?”

Memories of Leonel flooded her mind—the way he secretly looked at her with a faint smile, the firm yet comforting grasp of his hand, the warmth of his embrace that made the world feel safe. Now, those memories turned into chains that cut her deeply.

Tears streamed down her face. “If he truly killed Julio… how can I keep loving him? How could I ever forgive him?”

Her mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Is Leonel really the one who killed Julio? But why? What was his reason?

Jeslyn bit her lip, her eyes swollen red from crying. She knew Leonel was a dangerous man, a sinner drenched in blood. Yet deep down, Jeslyn also knew—Leonel never killed without a reason.

So what reason did he have to kill Julio?

“For what reason have you come here, you traitor!” Jefran’s mother snapped the moment she saw Leonel enter their residence.

“I want to see Jefran,” Leonel answered calmly.

“No! You’ve already destroyed his life and career. What more do you want from us?” she spat with bitterness.

“Don’t block my way, Aunt. Unless you want me to use force. This house is the main residence of the Clovies family, and as the first grandson of this family, I have the right to come here whenever I please,” Leonel declared firmly.

Her face turned pale, fear flickering beneath her anger.

“For what other reason do you come here, Leonel? And now you dare raise your voice at my wife?” William appeared, his voice booming with fury.

Leonel turned slowly, his gaze sharp and piercing, yet his tone remained calm. “I didn’t raise my voice. I merely reminded her that I have a right in this house, Uncle.”

William clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “A right? Don’t speak of rights! You stained the Clovies family name with your dirty methods! Do you think taking over the company shares makes you worthy of stepping foot here?”

The living room grew heavy with tension. Jefran’s mother cowered behind William, her face drained of color.

“I didn’t steal them. They sold the shares to me willingly, Uncle,” Leonel replied evenly.

He stepped forward, standing face to face with William, his eyes cold. “I didn’t come here for nostalgia, Uncle. I came to see Jefran. We have matters to discuss. And believe me—I don’t like being stopped.”

William sneered, his eyes full of contempt. “If you’re here to ruin my son’s life again, you better leave now. I won’t let you drag him into your filth!”

A smirk tugged at Leonel’s lips. “If you really wanted to protect Jefran, you should have raised him not to be such a coward.”

“Open your eyes, Uncle. The one causing trouble and damaging the company is your son. I only helped him out of the mess he created,” Leonel pressed on, his voice cutting.

“Lies!” William roared, his face flushed with rage. “If it weren’t for you, Jefran would be leading the Clovies Corporation right now! You ensnared him with your schemes, then pretended to be his savior!”

Leonel’s smirk widened, his gaze icy. “Schemes? The business world—and this family—have always been full of schemes, Uncle. The difference is, I don’t close my eyes. I act. While you—” he leaned forward, eyes narrowing, “—waste your time covering up your son’s failures and your own lies.”

Jefran’s mother gripped William’s arm tightly, silently begging him not to lose control. But William stood his ground, trembling with fury.

“Watch your tongue, Leonel! I won’t let you belittle my son in this house!” he shouted, his voice quivering with restrained anger.

Leonel chuckled coldly and stepped even closer. “I’m not belittling him, Uncle. I’m stating the truth. Out there, the world shows no mercy to the weak. If Jefran keeps hiding under your protection, he will never stand on his own.”

Just as the tension reached its peak, footsteps echoed from the staircase.

“Enough!” a firm voice cut through the air.

Jefran stood at the top of the stairs, his gaze sharp, his face cold but lined with pain. His eyes locked on Leonel.

“If you want to talk to me, stop troubling my parents,” Jefran said as he descended slowly, each step deliberate. “We’ll talk outside.”

He walked past them and stepped out of the house.

Leonel only smirked and followed him out, leaving the heavy silence behind.

“We must be careful of him,” William muttered, his eyes narrowing at Leonel’s back.

“We cannot let our son get dragged into his mess,” his wife whispered anxiously.

***