Chapter 143 The Most Tempting Allure

• Stefano had been coming home late and leaving before sunrise, all so he wouldn’t have to face Leah. He told himself that putting distance between them would help—maybe if he avoided her long enough, the feelings would eventually disappear. So when she called his office, he didn’t pick up. He either passed the phone to his assistant or let it ring until it stopped, hoping she'd get tired of trying.
• But she didn’t. And worse, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
• No matter how much he tried to push her out of his mind, she was always there—haunting his thoughts, creeping into his head at the worst times. He hated how powerless he felt. In the middle of meetings, he'd catch himself glancing at the security feed on his phone, just to catch a glimpse of her walking through the garden or curled up on the couch. At night, when he finally came home and crept into the dark mansion, the first thing he did was stare at her in the darkness as she slept peacefully in his bed. Even when he lay on the couch to maintain his distance, he couldn’t help but watch her face until sleep finally claimed him.