The warmth of the morning lingered in my chest, but as we stepped into the Dre.@im office later that day, a chill seemed to ripple through the air—an invisible current that followed in Leo's footsteps.
The elevator ride was silent. Leo stood beside me, composed and unreadable, dressed sharply in a charcoal suit that seemed to echo the unspoken authority in his presence. The sunlight from this morning was gone now, replaced by the sterile glow of LED panels and the tension of Monday energy.
The doors slid open with a gentle ding.
Heads turned.
Conversations halted mid-sentence.
Every employee within view straightened as if the very atmosphere had demanded it. Leo didn't need to say a word to silence a room—his entrance alone did that.
I kept a step behind him, unsure of how to carry myself now. Earlier, he held my hand like I was the center of his universe. Now, he had slipped into the cold precision of his role—the CEO, the Cyprus heir, the man who ruled with a single look.
We made our way toward the main floor, where the entire core team was already assembled for the scheduled announcement. Leo stood in front of them, hands in his pockets, gaze icy and sharp.
He scanned the crowd once—cool, methodical—before speaking.
"I want to take a moment to acknowledge all your hard work," he began, his voice crisp, commanding, emotionless. "The recent launch exceeded projections. The numbers speak for themselves."
Everyone remained still, almost holding their breath.
"No one gets this far without precision. Dedication. And a relentless pursuit of quality," he continued. "You've delivered. That will be remembered."
Then, he gave a single nod, as if to end the moment.
He turned slightly, preparing to walk toward his office—but then paused mid-step. Slowly, he pivoted back to face the room. His gaze swept the crowd again, this time heavier. Colder.
And then…
"In addition," he said, voice steady, "I'd like to inform everyone that Melody Violet…" —his eyes flicked to me for only a heartbeat— "…is my fiancée."
A stunned silence fell like snow.
No one moved. No one breathed.
Silence.
For a second, it felt like time itself had stalled.
Then—
Cheers erupted like a dam bursting.
"Congratulations, Sir Leo!"
"Miss Melody?! Really?! Oh my gosh—congrats!"
"I knew there was something going on!"
The hush was shattered by applause, laughter, and a sudden whirlwind of excitement. Some clapped in shock, others looked between each other in awe, while a few of the more enthusiastic interns actually squealed. One woman was practically vibrating with excitement, whispering "That's the real-life CEO- Secretary Relationship!" to her neighbor.
A few coworkers gave me a beaming thumbs-up from across the room. Others just blinked, still frozen, like their brain hadn't caught up to the announcement.
In the middle of all the chaos, I stood there—blushing furiously, trying not to look like I was about to melt into the marble floor.
Leo turned once more toward his office, shoulders squared as always, but just as he reached the handle, something unexpected happened.
He smiled.
It was faint—so subtle you could miss it if you blinked—but it was there.
A gentle curve of the lips, barely perceptible to anyone but me. A smile not born of ego or triumph…
But sweetness.
And as the office continued buzzing behind him, and the morning light spilled in from the tall windows, that rare smile lingered on his face as he disappeared behind the door.
And I knew…
He was happy.
Even if he didn't show it the way most people did.
Even if his expression stayed carved in ice—
Inside, Leo Cyprus was glowing.
And that…
That made my heart feel like summer.
The next morning sun filtered through the curtains, warm and lazy, just like any other peaceful day.
Or so I thought.
I yawned and reached for my phone, still half-asleep, rubbing the blur from my eyes as I opened my notifications.
And then I saw it.
BREAKING NEWS: CEO LEO CYPRUS ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO MYSTERY WOMAN!
Another headline blinked right below it.
Who is Melody Violet? The Nation's Newest Cinderella?
Followed by:
Cyprus Heir Off the Market – Public Reaction in Chaos!
My jaw dropped. I sat bolt upright, phone nearly slipping from my hand.
"WHAT—?!"
I screamed, loud and raw, enough to scare an entire apartment complex. I scrambled out of bed, hair a mess, blanket flying off like a cape of panic.
"No, no, no, no—what is this?! ALL networks?!"
The news was everywhere. Social media. Gossip columns. Corporate sites. Even fashion bloggers were suddenly dissecting my outfit from yesterday as if it were part of a royal engagement.
And all I could think about was…
My father.
What if he saw this? What if he already did?!
I felt cold sweat prickle at the back of my neck. He didn't even know I had a boyfriend—let alone that I was now apparently the fiancée of one of the richest, most influential, and most public figures in the country.
Grabbing my phone with shaky hands, I called Leo.
He answered almost instantly, his deep voice calm. "Melody?"
"Leo—I need to go home," I blurted. "To my hometown. I have to visit my parents. It's about the news—I can't let them find out this way."
There was a pause. I could almost hear his calculating mind sorting through the details.
Then he said, "Alright. I'll come with you."
My heart jumped. "You'll… come?"
"Yes." His voice was steady but quieter now. "We'll tell them together."
I stared at my reflection in the mirror—my wild hair, my sleep shirt with a dancing donut, the pale panic written all over my face.
"I-I mean… okay. That's good." I tried to sound normal. Confident. But inside?
I was freaking out.
My father was strict. Traditional. The kind who believed in long conversations before relationships… and thorough interrogations afterward. The thought of him standing in front of Leo Cyprus—the billionaire, stoic, emotionally reserved Leo Cyprus—made my stomach do a full somersault.
Still, Leo wanted to come. He wasn't backing out.
And neither could I.
As I packed my bag with trembling hands and checked the earliest possible route to the province, I whispered to myself:
"Melody Violet… you're going home."
With your CEO fiancé.
This is it!! to face what I feared ..
Heaven help us all.