Chapter 6 SOMETHING MAGNETIC

POV: LEONARD:

I couldn't get into my suit for the wedding.

I thought I would scale through with it. As the invitation cards went out and everything began to fall into place, I convinced myself I could handle this last private transaction.

But standing in front of the mirror, staring at the suit, I realise I was about to cross an endless bridge... into a union I would never come out from, and one I would always regret.

So I typed on my phone. After several unsent drafts, I finally messaged Erica the last one, stating I wouldn't be available for the wedding.

It wasn't because Erica was the kind of woman I couldn't fancy. Truth is, I've never fancied any woman. I don't think I ever will.

No, you are wrong. I'm not into boys. I'm simply not into anyone.

My heart has never fluttered. I don't believe in love or flowers. To me, everything in life is business-transactions, benefits, profit margins. There's no such thing as hearts for hearts, love for love. It's always love for money. Hearts for gain.

I knew postponing a wedding I never objected to at the last minute was madness, but I hoped a few more days would give me reason to agree.

Not to please my mother, who begged me to marry her friend's stepdaughter. Not even for Mr. Gerux, whose only wish is to have me as a son-in-law. For all I know, his wish wasn't rooted in love and goodwill... it was strategy, ambition, greed.

I only needed more time to prepare for a long journey like marriage.

Preparation wasn't from the financial aspect. I am rich. My father made sure of that, and I have tripled what he left behind, marking me the richest bachelor in the country. I could sponsor a thousand weddings, postpone them a thousand times, and still wouldn't feel the debit alert.

Preparations were to calculate my losses if the marriage happened. Marrying Erica would bring me no benefit. It would do her family a great favour. And I don't do favours. I'm a man of counts and profits.

So, when I heard Erica had taken off after reading my text, choosing flight over collapse, my losses flashed before my eyes. I nearly became a man abandoned at the altar by his bride. A man who couldn't own a woman. That kind of headline? I hated the tag. I detested the near ridicule. So, I had to act. I had to bring her back and go on with the d*mn marriage.

As my employee, Erica's work phone was connected to our company tracking system-only activated when necessary. Finding Erica was a necessity.

Within hours, I located her in an unfamiliar apartment belonging to an unfamiliar man. And Erica, she appeared... looking strangely lively.

The last time I saw her with such light in her eyes was twelve years ago. She had been ten. I was fifteen.

My parents, Nathan, and his chauffeur father had all travelled to attend Mrs. Gerux's burial. After a while, I grew bored of the mourners and wandered through the estate. I found Erica and Nathan in the backyard, chasing butterflies, laughing like the tragedy didn't touch them.

She looked happy even though it was her mother's burial ceremony. And Nathan... he looked like he'd just broken out of the Hays prison walls.

Their joy meant nothing to me, except that I didn't like it.

When I returned to the country years later and found them still together, still happy... again, it meant nothing to me, but I still didn't like it. Hence, I agreed to the marriage proposal. Not because I loved anyone. Not because I wanted Erica. But because the idea of wiping that flawless joy off their faces appealed to me... like a real business.

And I did.

Breaking them up drained Erica's glow. But now, seeing her, she wasn't smiling, yet she had that same liveliness about her. Like someone who had remembered how to smile again.

Even more surprisingly, she yelled at me. Fiercely defended a man I'd never seen or heard of. Boldly called me a loser. The words shook me. But for a second, they impressed me.

Erica has always been confident. But never around me. Maybe because I intimidate people, and she wasn't immune... until now.

However, I shoved her into my car despite her fight to stay behind.

"Must I go home with you?" she snapped, struggling against the seatbelt I had just buckled.

"Trust me, Erica, I don't want you in my home either. But I won't let you disgrace me."

I climbed into the driver's seat and pulled off.

Outside my home, reporters and paparazzi swarmed the gates. The moment they saw my car, they rushed forward like starving dogs on meat.

Erica ducked instantly. I wouldn't say she was afraid. More like unprepared. She didn't expect this ambush. But I couldn't blame her. We have kept our relationship a secret, off public digest. Whenever we appear in public together, we are either a boss and his employee or family associates.

But she should've known-it was her doing-anything that hints at a scandal involving me will always attract media flies.

With cameras flashing and microphones ready, I stepped out. Then went to her side.

Erica was still trembling when I opened the door and helped her out.

The cameras landed on her like claws.

"Ms. Erica," one reporter called out, "do you dislike being married to Mr. Hays?"

"Ms. Erica," another asked, closer this time, "did you really try to run away from Mr. Hays?"

Their questions didn't surprise me. What would thrill the tabloids more than hearing her confirm that I was the monster she wanted to escape?

But what stunned me, truly stunned me, was when she hid against me. Her face was buried in my chest, her whole body fidgeting.

I wasn't supposed to react. But somehow, I felt a pull, an odd determination, to take her out of the chaos.

"Mr. Hays!" another voice called as I turned to walk her inside. "Will there still be a wedding?"

I paused. Looked at the reporter. Then looked down at Erica.

She had lifted her head. She was staring at me. Into my eyes. Something she had never done before-not as my fiancée, not as my bride, and not as the woman I almost married.

She would have rather done anything than look at me this way. But now...her gaze was Steady. Tender.

I didn't understand what the attraction was, but something pulled me in, something magnetic. My eyes dropped to her lips.

And before I could stop myself, I kissed her.

Gasps rose from the crowd like waves crashing.

Erica hesitated for a second...then melted into it as I deepened the kiss.

And with every camera flash burning into our silhouettes, we kissed as though no one else existed.