Tina didn't mean to be rude by declining Leon's kind gesture, but dragging him into her and her sister's mess was the last thing she wanted to happen.

"It's okay, Mr. Darving. My sister and I can handle this matter by ourselves. For now, why don't you go inside with Mr. Lewis and have tea while Tanya and I are talking? I'll join you shortly," Tina graciously said.

Leon didn't want to be impolite, so he shook his head, smiled reassuringly, and suggested, "I'll wait here. Why don't you two go inside instead and take your time?"

But then, Tanya and Tina responded "No" in unison.

"You really are twins," Leon said, smiling in amusement.

Tanya wasn't in the mood to joke around or prolong their conversation. Thus, she quickly handed her bank card to Tina, saying, "Here. I'll forever be grateful for your help, Tina."

Being the good sister that she was, Tina shook her head and replied, "It's not a big deal, Tanya."

Tina's determination to make Tanya return to their family hadn't wavered a bit. The former promised to give the latter the money if she attended the party, so she wanted to get that over with first.

Tina opened her mobile bank app and immediately transferred the money to Tanya. After that, she turned to Leon and said, "This is my twin sister, Tanya Yates, Mr. Darving. We had looked for her for twenty years after she got lost when she was two years old. We met last month, but she had no plans of returning to our family because she got too attached to her adoptive mother. Anyway, Mrs. Hart is going to have an operation this afternoon, so Tanya came here to ask for help. I'm her sister, so as much as I envy the attention she was giving to a stranger, I could only help."

Leon couldn't help but pity Tanya's situation, but he was also a bit confused because of the kiss mark on the back of her ear. He could tell that it was a new mark, judging from the looks of it, so he thought, 'If she's this concerned about her adoptive mother's surgery, how could she still have time to engage in sex?'

But then, Leon knew he didn't have any right to judge anyone.

"Tanya," he suddenly called in his deep, majestic voice, which inevitably sent shivers down Tanya's spine.

"I have some connections with Aide Hospital. If you need anything, just tell me," Leon offered.

Aide Hospital was the premier aristocratic private hospital in Lingerfield. Their entire staff consisted of internationally renowned medical specialists who provided only the finest services and interventions. Since it was on top of the list, the cost of their consultations alone was unimaginable. Because of that, people of lower socioeconomic status would not visit this place, even if they were in desperate need.

Tanya was at a loss for words because of Leon's generosity. She had avoided his gaze since earlier, but something suddenly urged her to look at him.

The sun shone brightly behind him, so it took a few seconds before Tanya's eyes adjusted and gained clearer vision.

'I wonder how a man could look so much like a male protagonist from a book. He's irrefutably charming,' Tanya inwardly remarked.

Leon's charm remained unmistakable even though he only wore a gray and white long-sleeved shirt, dark blue vest, and dark blue suit pants of the same style.

When his blue eyes fell on her, she felt as though he would be able to pierce through her thoughts.

Tanya didn't know how long she had been staring at Leon. She got too preoccupied appreciating his looks and only snapped back to her senses when Tina tapped her shoulder. Tina said, "Tanya, Mr. Darving is talking to you. Did you hear what he said?"

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Darving. I appreciate your kindness," Tanya replied, thinking he might indeed become her brother-in-law soon.

As for what happened between them last night, no one knew about it aside from her anyway.

Leon took a business card from his inner pocket and handed it to Tanya. "You're welcome. You're Tina's sister, so if you need anything, contact me. You're no longer an outsider to me," he said.

With that, Tanya nodded and reached for Leon's business card. After that, she looked at her sister and said, "Thank you for both of your help. I don't want to bother you anymore, so I'll leave first."

Tanya didn't wait for the two to respond and left in a hurry. She walked so fast that she forgot about her badly injured ankle, causing her to trip again.

Fortunately, Leon caught her in time. If he had responded a second late, Tanya would have been kissing the ground right now.

Concerned, Tina walked toward them and asked, "What happened to your ankles?"

"I uh— I accidentally twisted it last night, but it's better now," Tanya replied as she retracted her body from Leon and fixed herself.

The latter only held her briefly, but she could feel her heartbeat accelerating significantly.

Tina was also in a hurry, so she looked at Leon and called, "Mr. Darving."

"Call me Leon," he corrected.

"Okay, Leon. Why did you come here, by the way?" Tina asked out of curiosity.

Forgetting about Tanya's presence, Leon smiled mischievously at Tina and said, "If I tell you that I missed you already, will you believe me?"

Tina, of course, didn't know what to respond, but she blushed.

Who wouldn't, though? The man who told her he missed her wasn't any random man but the unparalleled Leon Darving.

But then, even if the Darving family's heir was standing before her telling her he missed her, Tina had already planned her day.

Apologetic, she smiled embarrassedly at Leon and said, "That's so sweet of you, Leon, but I'm afraid I can't spend time with you today. Unfortunately, you're a few minutes late. An old classmate of mine had just asked me to go to Royal island to catch up. We'll spend a few days there, and our boat will leave at noon. They should be here anytime soon to pick me up."

While speaking, Tina saw Tanya sneakily walking away, so she immediately grabbed her arm, turned to Leon, and said, "But can I ask you for a favor?"

Leon only nodded and waited for Tina's response, so the latter continued, saying, "Could you please give Tanya a ride? It's a bit late, so she needs to get to the hospital soon."

Hearing what her sister said, Tanya broke free from Tina's grip, shook her hands in front of the two, and exclaimed, "No, please! I don't want to bother Mr. Darving. I can take the taxi, sis."

She refused so openly that she sounded somehow wary of Leon. Because of that, the latter, who originally had no plans of giving her a ride, suddenly got curious about her odd reaction.

"Sure. I don't have much on my plate anyway," Leon said before facing Tina and added, "I'll take you to the pier too."

Tanya stood stiffly upon hearing what he said. Tina, on the contrary, smiled after a moment of hesitation.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Seeing Leon nod, Tina smiled and replied, "Alright, I'll take your ride too. I'll just message my classmates later."

After that, Tina gestured something to Mark, and the latter, who had been carrying her luggage for a long time, nodded and put everything in the trunk of Leon's car.

Then, Mark stood at the side and patiently waited to see if Tina still had other instructions.

Leon, on the other hand, wrapped his arm on the latter's shoulders and looked at the Yates family's mansion. "Shouldn't I at least go inside and greet your father?" he asked, thinking it would be rude not to greet Tim even though he was already around.

Tina couldn't help but praise Leon's initiative and politeness inwardly. Even so, she only smiled at him and said, "That's so nice of you, but Dad is still asleep, Leon. I don't think disturbing him will be a good idea."

Mark, who had been listening to their conversation the entire time, mirrored Tina's words and interjected, "Miss Tina's right, Mr. Darving. Mr. Yates drank so much at the party last night that he still hasn't gotten up. But then, thank you for giving Miss Tanya and Tina a ride."

After saying that to Leon, Mark looked at Tanya and said, "Miss Tanya, if you change your mind and suddenly want to return home, you can reach out to me. I'll get everything ready for you."

Other housekeepers wouldn't mind whether Tanya would return to the Yates family or not. However, Mark was not just any other housekeeper. He had worked for the Yates family for nearly thirty years and was now like a family member.

Tina knew her father well, so she walked near Mark and whispered, "Mr. Lewis, please don't let my dad know that Tanya came here to ask for money for her adoptive mother's surgery."

Knowing where Tina's concern was coming from, Mark nodded reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, Miss Tina. I won't let Mr. Yates know."

Tanya, who could hear everything, looked elsewhere and didn't say anything.

After the three got into the car, Leon drove his black Bentley away from the villa. Tina sat in the passenger seat while Tanya sat in the back seat, looking at the window absentmindedly.

The weather was perfect. The sun was shining brightly, causing the River Road's surroundings to appear extra lovely. Even the river itself sparkled as the sun rays glistened on it.

An awkward atmosphere, on the contrary, permeated inside Leon's car. Tanya remained silent throughout the entire ride, not knowing what to say. Nancy's doctor called her earlier, and she became quieter after that.

Leon, on the other hand, was cold, to begin with, so he only concentrated on driving and didn't utter a single word.

And lastly, Tina hadn't been off her phone since they left the mansion. Then, she only closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat when she finished texting.

While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, Leon turned his head and looked at Tina.

"What's the matter, pretty? You're going on a trip, but you don't look so happy," he asked concernedly.

"I'm excited, but I'm still tired from last night. I even thought of canceling this trip, but everything has already been set," Tina replied weakly.

Leon felt a little guilty upon hearing what the latter said. He thought it was Tina's first time getting intimate last night, yet he had been rough with her. Because of that, Leon looked at her apologetically and said, "I'm sorry. I'm not considerate enough. Let me make it up to you next time."

'I'll give you a pleasant yet unforgettable experience next time,' he thought.

Leon also thought of surprising Tina with the golden rose his grandfather prepared when the time was right.

Tina, on the other hand, suddenly felt that something was strange about Leon's words. Even so, she only smiled at him, not wanting to stress herself about it.

"I've heard countless rumors saying you are a cold and heartless man, but I think they're exaggerating," Tina said, chuckling.

"Pretty, I couldn't care any less about other people's opinion of me," Leon said as he reached for Tina's hand. He looked at her warmly, kissed the back of her hand gently, and added, "The only thing that matters is how you view me. They can call me heartless, snob, or anything they want, but I'll keep being sweet to you and you alone."

Leon spoke as bold as a lion. Since he had already decided to marry Tina, he no longer wanted to let even a single day go by without making an effort to build their relationship.

He even thought of having a child with her if things went well since it was what his grandfather wanted the most. Aside from that, his position as the Darving Group's successor would also be stable if he managed to do that.

Tanya, who couldn't help but overhear the two's conversation, bit her lower lip because of Leon's words. She suddenly recalled how his hugeness ripped her core last night.

Coincidentally, Leon suddenly glanced at the rearview mirror, causing their eyes to meet. He caught traces of panic in her expression, so he could not help but knit his brows in suspicion.

Tanya, of course, hurriedly shifted her gaze outside the car as if nothing had happened.

Even though Leon hadn't told her anything directly, she could tell that he was genuinely interested in her sister.

However, Tanya wasn't sure if Tina was on the same page as him.

When they were in the VIP lounge last night, Tina received a call before she left in a hurry. Tanya was sure that it was a man who called, and she even noticed that her sister's tone sounded soft and delicate.

Because of that, Tanya couldn't help but think, 'Has Tina fallen in love with another man? If so, why was she still clinging to Mr. Darving? It even looks like she wants a serious relationship with him.'

The more Tanya thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Not wanting to stress over something that didn't specifically concern her, Tanya closed her eyes and cleared her mind.

She reminded herself to forget what happened last night and never get involved in such a complicated relationship.

Leon continued driving until they arrived at the hospital shortly after. Tina got out of the car first and opened the door for Tanya like a caring sister.

The latter, however, couldn't stand to hide her worry anymore. She pulled Tina to the side and whispered, "Tina, are you seeing a different man? If so, you know Mr. Darving is not someone you can easily fool, right?"

"I know," Tina briefly replied, surprised by her sister's question.

Tanya remained doubtful, so she asked again, saying, "If you are aware of that, why are you..."

However, Tina immediately cut her off. "Can you please shut up? It's not your business, Tanya," she snapped, deliberately pulling her away so Leon wouldn't hear them.

All sorts of rumors about what kind of person Leon was were all over the business field, so how could Tina not know what situation she was getting herself into?

Leon was famous among the people in the upper class. Some admired him, while others feared his competitiveness after hearing that he showed no mercy toward his brother and cousins to be the Darving Group's successor.

Even Tina's father, who had been in the business field for a long time, almost jumped in delight upon securing a fixed marriage between his daughter and Darving Groups' current president, Leon.

Even so, Tim mentioned more than once not to underestimate Leon no matter how young he was. After all, the latter won his grandfather's approval among his elder cousins, which was not an easy task.

But then, Leon remained every girl's ideal man despite all the nasty rumors about him.

He was impressively tall and charming, with a distinct manliness that resulted from his noble bearing and collected demeanor. And exaggerated as it might sound, his charm was like a raging fire in the darkness that could attract women to jump in his burning light.

Because of that, Tina couldn't deny that Leon's interest in her had given her a great sense of pride and vanity. She also knew that marrying him would significantly benefit the Yates Group.

However, it seemed like fate was playing a game with her. Since she was involved with another man, she did not dare to either accept or reject Leon's interest in her.

Seeing Tina's reaction, Tanya shrugged her shoulders and didn't dare infuriate her more.

"I'm going in. Thank you again for this money. I'll pay you back once I find a job and earn enough," Tanya said and left.

Leon, on the other hand, watched Tanya through the car window as she limped away in panic.

When Tina returned to the car, he smiled faintly at her and asked, "Why does your sister look extra timid?"

Tina wasn't sure why Leon asked, but she answered him anyway.

"A con man abducted Tanya when she was two years old, so she got traumatized. Her adoptive parents rescued her, took her in, and raised her in a small fishing village in the east. So, please understand if she gets nervous in front of an imposing man like you. She has been living away from too many people for so many years, so let her adjust," she said.

"Is that so? You sound like you know her well, but do you really know her?" Leon randomly asked.

Confused, Tina looked at him, saying, "Are you trying to imply something?"