Chapter 44

• The atmosphere grew heavy, the silence punctuated only by the quiet sounds of the restaurant. Leon, composed yet evidently taken aback by her confession, gathered his thoughts before mustering the courage to respond. "Do you love me too... or do you choose Ava?" he inquired, his words laden with both curiosity and apprehension. Jasmine's eyes shifted away, revealing the depth of her uncertainty, the vulnerability of her emotions.
• A moment of tense anticipation passed before Leon's voice broke the silence once more, his tone slightly impatient. "You have the answer already," he urged, his patience wearing thin as the weight of the decision he sought seemed to linger in the air. With those words, he pocketed the folded paper, rising from his seat, and Jasmine's heart ached at the imminent response she knew she had to provide.
• As he stood before her, her voice trembled as she spoke with an air of authority that belied her inner turmoil. "You should take care of Ava. It's an order or you'll have to face me," she warned, a hint of desperation underlying her command. Leon's response was a knowing smirk, an acknowledgment of the implicit challenge she had issued, before he turned away from the table, leaving her alone with her emotions.