"Yes. It's my fault. I haven’t properly introduced myself yet.

"Hello, Miss Bennett. My name is Leon Williamson. I’m your blind date this time. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

Short and straight to the point. It was also completely different from the information my mom gave me, so I was thrown off.

"But… the person they arranged for me wasn’t—"

Leon raised an eyebrow. He picked up his teacup and took a slow sip. "That guy isn’t good enough for you. So I came instead."

He looked up at me. "What’s wrong? Do you prefer him?"

I froze.

The way he said that…

Why did it sound like he already knew me?

My heart started pounding, but Leon remained perfectly composed, his calm, deep gaze fixed on me without blinking. He was clearly waiting for an answer.

I had no choice but to get over my nerves and speak, "Of course not… I don’t even know him."

He let out a soft laugh. "Then it’s fine if I take his place?"

I swallowed. "I… don’t mind."

Of course I didn’t. If anything, he was the one getting the worst end of this deal.

Leon appeared truly gratified by my response. Reaching out, he presented a thick booklet and placed it on the table before me.

"Excellent. This is my personal dossier," he explained. "It details my history, interests, professional skills, career path, earnings, and financial holdings. Please, feel free to go through it at your own time.

"To be perfectly frank, my objective for this meeting is marriage. My social circle doesn't have many women, which allows me to promise absolute fidelity. Once we wed, I intend to uphold every commitment I make today, and that includes a non-compensatory transfer of all my individual assets to your name.

"I have no intention of imposing any burden upon my partner, so she will enjoy total freedom as long as our marriage remains intact. If you are alright with these terms, it is my sincere hope that my proposal..."

He paused slightly after saying all that. Those striking eyes locked onto mine again, almost deliberately drawing me in.

"…can be considered."

His voice was warm and low, naturally magnetic. Combined with that face you couldn’t look away from, and the way he was staring straight at me, I was completely dazed. I felt like I was practically floating.

Was this some kind of hallucination after being driven insane by Brogan?

Under the table, I pinched my thigh hard.

Ow.

That hurt. So it wasn’t a dream.

My face must have gone increasingly vacant, because the flicker of amusement in Leon’s eyes told me I’d once again lost my cool.

Trying to recover, I grabbed my glass for a tactical swallow of water before forcing out the question: "Mr. Williamson, are you actually suggesting... that you want to marry me?"

He met my gaze, his nod both solemn and resolute. "Indeed. Miss Bennett, I would be honored to be your husband."

There was no mistaking his stance. He was firm.

I was left utterly reeling.

Who exactly asks for marriage the very first time they meet?

And for that person to be Leon, a man I had always considered to be in an entirely different league.

Nonetheless, he was now sitting across from me, saying sincerely and gently that he wanted to be my husband. It felt unreal.

"But… why me?"

He seemed to have expected that question. Leaning back casually, tilting his head slightly. "A woman as capable, strong-willed, and beautiful as you is one in a million. Do I really need a reason to want to marry you?"

He even raised a brow at me with a faint smile after saying it. He sounded so serious and sincere that I ended up feeling a little embarrassed instead.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "But… aren’t your conditions even better?"

Leon paused for a rare two seconds, then looked straight into my eyes. "Do you think I’m good?"

I froze and swallowed instinctively. I glanced at the table in front of me. Every single dish was perfectly tailored to my taste, clearly chosen with care.

I’d actually wanted to comment on it earlier. I’d only asked him out late last night, and he had already figured out my food preferences in such detail the next day.

At the very least, as a blind date, he was incredibly sincere. The way he treated people was nothing like the cold, ruthless rumors. On top of that, everything about him, from his background to his capabilities, left no doubt that he was a spectacular catch.

I hesitated for a moment. "You… You’re great."

Leon visibly brightened, lowering his head with a quiet laugh. He pushed the booklet toward me again. "Well, want to give it a try with me?"

I knew he meant marriage.

My first instinct was to retreat. This wasn’t even something that had ever appeared in my life plan, but the sincerity in Leon’s emotions was impossible to ignore. I wanted to be honest, too.

"We can try getting to know each other first. Heading straight into marriage… isn’t that a little too soon?"

At my answer, a flicker of dimness passed through his eyes, but it was gone almost instantly.

He nodded obediently. "Okay. We’ll go at your pace."

After the meal, Leon had his assistant arrange a driver to send me home.

On the way, I overheard part of a conversation between him and his assistant. Only then did I realize that at the exact time I had asked him out, he had originally been scheduled for an important international meeting.

Guilt hit me immediately.

"Did I make you miss your meeting? I’m sorry, I didn’t know…"

Leon waved it off, reassuring me. "It’s nothing. Meetings can happen anytime."

Even though everything about his tone and expression told me it wasn’t a big deal, I still felt bad.

Noticing my somber mood, Leon leaned in unexpectedly. He brought his face close to mine, his eyes blinking softly. "Anyway," he murmured, "no meeting matters more than finding a wife. It isn't every day that you ask me out."

He was so near that I could track the slight flutter of his long eyelashes.

In those stunning eyes, I saw nothing but my own reflection staring back.

My pulse quickened, the sound of my own heart loud in my ears.

"Leon…" I breathed.

Perhaps he sensed my agitation, for a faint crimson flush began to creep across the tips of his ears.

Gently, he retreated, creating a respectful distance between us once more.

"Ahem… I should get back to work."

The goodbye was rushed. When he turned and walked away with his long strides, his steps looked a little… unsteady.

I watched his back as the car window slowly rolled up. Somehow, I felt a quiet kind of happiness, like I actually liked being around Leon.

It wasn’t until evening that Leon finally seemed to be done with work and messaged me. It was a photo of a bright full moon, clearly taken just moments ago.

I replied quickly: "That’s beautiful."

He replied even faster. "Yeah. It made me think of you."

Think of me?

My face warmed.

"You always this smooth?"

He replied like an honest man, "I just said what I thought. Does that count as flirting?"

This guy…

How did he always maintain a serious expression while saying things that made my heart race?

I was still thinking about how to respond when another message popped up.

"Are you free for dinner tomorrow?"

I didn’t hesitate at all.

"Yeah, I am."

Leon never hesitated to take the initiative.

During the following days, he and I shared every meal. On the occasions when his schedule permitted, he would accompany me while I shopped after we ate. Having him by my side drew a significant amount of attention from passersby.

Following our outings, he would never fail to escort me back home. As if by some sleight of hand, he would always reveal a present from within his vehicle.

The gifts varied. At times, he presented me with rare, limited-edition handbags. On other occasions, it was exquisite jewelry of immense value, sourced from high-end auctions.

Initially, I was hesitant to receive such lavish items.

However, his demeanor became remarkably solemn. "Miss Bennett, if we’re in the stage of getting to know each other, then that means I’m pursuing you.

"Giving gifts or anything else is simply part of the cost I should bear. Plus, it’s all well within what I can afford. If you don’t accept them, I’ll take it as you refusing to continue seeing me."

As he said that, he lowered his gaze slightly. "Or… is that what you mean?"

The look of disappointment on his face left me completely speechless.

Ultimately, I was left with no other option but to take the shopping bags home with me.

As the days passed, I began to feel as though I was being buried under his wealth. The constant stream of his generosity started to make me feel quite uncomfortable.

To return the favor, I arrived at a department store well before our dinner one afternoon, intent on finding a gift for him in return.

However, after a lengthy search through the aisles, I realized there wasn’t a single practical item that Leon seemed to actually require. I finally settled on a versatile tie from a brand he frequently wore.

Just as I was paying and having it wrapped, a familiar scoff came from behind me.

"Ava, finally done throwing your tantrum?"

My body stiffened instantly because I knew that voice.

Brogan Sheppard.

I turned around. Brogan and a few of his friends were standing at the store entrance, looking at me with lazy amusement. I didn’t spare him a second glance. I turned back and continued waiting for the staff to finish wrapping.

However, his friends had no intention of letting it go.

"Shopping, Ava? That’s a man’s tie. Picking something out for Brogan?"

"That style totally matches the suit he’s wearing today. You really put thought into it!"

"But after all that fuss, Brogan’s actually pretty annoyed. One tie might not be enough to smooth things over…"

Amid the chatter, Brogan let out a low scoff. "Who said I need a tie? But if you apologize properly, I can give you a way out."

His voice made my stomach turn.

I didn’t even look at him. "I’ve already resigned. I'm Ava Bennett, not your assistant. And this isn’t for Brogan. Can you stop making everything about yourselves?"

As soon as I said that, the smug smiles on their faces slowly faded.

Brogan’s expression darkened, too. He stared at me for a long moment. "You’re still not done with this act? That’s enough, Ava. I don’t have that much patience."

Then he glanced at the neatly wrapped tie in the clerk’s hands, a mocking edge in his tone as he remarked, "A man’s tie… Who else could you possibly be giving it to?"

I paid, took the gift, and turned to leave. "For my blind date. Got a problem with that?"

Brogan’s eyes narrowed. "Didn’t you say you weren’t going?"

I kept walking, the gift bag in hand. "I changed my mind."

His voice dropped instantly. "Who is it?"

I paused for a second, then chose to tell the truth.

"Leon Williamson."

The moment that name, which was so well-known in our circle, left my mouth, the group fell into a noticeable silence.