Chapter 84 – A Question That Shattered the Table

The heavy silence pressing over the dinner table was finally broken by Mr. Tanaka. He chuckled softly, as though he had been thoroughly entertained by the scene he had just witnessed.

“Well… it seems I came to a dinner banquet, but what I’ve gotten instead is a drama far more interesting than a business discussion.”

A few guests laughed lightly, attempting to ease the tension, but their gazes remained sharp and curious.

Mr. Tanaka leaned back in his chair, his eyes shifting between Jeslyn, Jefran, and Leonel. “But now I’m curious, if I may ask….” He leaned slightly forward, his voice lower but still clear enough for everyone to hear. “Who exactly still holds the strongest claim to Miss Jeslyn’s heart? Is it Mr. Jefran, her official fiancé? Or Mr. Leonel, who clearly shares a different kind of chemistry with her here at this table?”

The words made the entire room tighten. Some guests even held their breath, waiting for a reaction from the three of them.

Jeslyn froze, her face paling. The question felt like a noose tightening around her throat.

“What do you mean by that, Mr. Tanaka? The relationship among the three of us is clear—Jeslyn is my fiancée, and Mr. Leonel is my brother, which makes him Jeslyn’s brother-in-law,” Jefran quickly answered. He recognized the question as a trap, meant to expose whether the rumors surrounding the three of them were true.

Leonel straightened in his seat, his smile cold yet laced with mockery. “Ah, so that’s your explanation, Jefran? Very amusing. If it’s truly no more than a brother-in-law relationship, why is it that everyone at this table seems unconvinced?”

Several guests cleared their throats—some bowed their heads to hide faint smiles, while others looked at Jeslyn with clear curiosity.

Jeslyn lowered her head, her face burning, but no words would come out.

Mr. Tanaka raised his glass, his eyes narrowing with interest. “Indeed. I see something different as well. Chemistry cannot be faked. No matter how carefully you choose your words, body language and gestures often reveal more than speech ever could.”

The words cut like a blade.

Jefran gave a faint smile, trying to preserve his image before the guests. “Perhaps you are reading too much into the situation, Mr. Tanaka. Jeslyn is my fiancée—that is fact. And no one can dispute that.”

Leonel leaned back in his chair, tapping his finger lightly against the table, his gaze locked on Jeslyn. “Of course, that’s a fact. But facts can change, can’t they?” His voice was calm, but clear enough to make several guests turn in shock.

Jeslyn felt trapped in the center. Her breath grew heavy, her fingers clutching the napkin in her lap until it nearly tore. She knew that if she remained silent, the rumors would only grow stronger. But if she spoke and made the slightest mistake, everything could explode in public.

She shot Leonel a sharp, irritated glance. She couldn’t understand why he kept saying such things, as if deliberately provoking a scene.

“Enough, Leonel,” Jeslyn whispered under her breath, her sharp gaze making her message clear to him.

But instead of backing down, Leonel arched his brow slightly, as if daring her. “Am I wrong, Jeslyn? Isn’t everyone here waiting for your answer? Not Jefran’s, not mine—but yours.”

The table froze once more. Every eye was now fixed solely on Jeslyn.

Jeslyn swallowed hard. Her throat was dry, her heart pounding. Words clung to her tongue, refusing to come out. She knew that even the smallest answer could become fuel for endless gossip.

Mr. Tanaka watched in satisfaction, his arms folded over the table. “Yes, it seems only right that we hear directly from Miss Jeslyn. Wouldn’t you agree?” he said with a meaningful smile.

Jefran leaned slightly forward, his tone calm but heavy with pressure. “Jeslyn doesn’t need to prove anything here. Everyone knows her status.”

Leonel’s smile turned icy, his gaze piercing. “Then let her confirm it herself. Stop speaking for her.”

Jeslyn’s fingers clenched the napkin so tightly it nearly ripped apart. Her chest felt as though it was being crushed.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to steady her heartbeat. A faint, restrained smile curved her lips, though her trembling eyes betrayed her unease. “It seems many of you have read too much into the situation,” she said softly, yet clearly enough for everyone to hear. “I respect Mr. Leonel as my fiancé’s brother, and Jefran—” Jeslyn turned to him with a small smile. “He is my future husband. There’s nothing more to question.”

Her words were firm, but the faint tremor in her voice could not be completely hidden. Some guests exchanged glances—some nodded in acceptance, while others became even more convinced that something was being concealed.

Mr. Tanaka nodded, smiling faintly, as though satisfied with an answer that didn’t fully close the speculation. “Ah, a sweet reply. But as I said, body language often speaks far more truthfully.”

Jeslyn lowered her gaze again, spooning her soup though her throat felt far too tight to swallow.

Jefran placed his hand on the table, tapping his wine glass lightly, signaling everyone to redirect the conversation. “I think that’s enough on the matter. We’re here to discuss business cooperation, not personal affairs.” His voice was steady, but carried enough weight to silence further comments.

The silence returned, broken only by the clinking of silverware and glasses. Yet the tension remained heavy, like embers waiting to ignite again. Leonel said nothing further.

Leonel sat alone, brooding, with a glass of vodka in hand. His wounded eyes reflected the flickering fire in the hearth, while outside, snow fell thick and relentless.

Jeslyn’s words echoed in his head:

“I respect Mr. Leonel as my fiancé’s brother, and Jefran—he is my future husband. There’s nothing more to question.”

Each word cut deeper than the last.

“So in your eyes, I was only ever a mere escape?” Leonel muttered, almost laughing, though his heart ached far too deeply.

He lifted his glass slightly, staring at the amber liquid trembling faintly in his grasp. A bitter laugh slipped past his lips, vanishing as quickly as it came, replaced by a heavy, weary sigh.

“An escape, huh…” he whispered, almost to himself. The image of Jeslyn’s faint smile as she looked at Jefran at the dinner table haunted him. A smile that was never meant for him. A smile that confirmed the unbridgeable distance between them.

He downed the vodka in a single gulp, the burn in his throat failing to warm the chill creeping into his chest.

Leaning back, Leonel stared at the fire as it danced silently. “If that’s the case, Jeslyn… then why those looks? Why those moments that made me believe I was more than just your brother-in-law?” His voice cracked as he whispered into the empty room.

His fist tightened over his knee. The pain gnawed at him—not just jealousy, but a subtle betrayal he could never fully understand.

Outside, the snow continued to fall, as though the world itself was burying everything beneath its cold, white silence.

“I’ve waited far too long for you,” he murmured, closing his eyes.

***