You Need Me

Chapter 61

Viola was drying Leon's hair when a thought suddenly hit her. "I've been meaning to ask you..."

"What?"

She switched off the hair dryer. It was impossible to talk with the noise. She brushed his hair with her fingers.

Leon watched her putting away the dryer and coming back to sit with him on the bed. "Well?"

"Did you know about me before we met? You said you've visited my mom's grave twice before today." Viola interrogated him.

Leon pushed the few dangling strands of hair to the back of her ear. He then held her hands and stroked her fingers gently. "Where should I start?" He pondered for a while.

Viola's eyes were twinkling. Leon chuckled. "We've never met but I DO know about you before that set-up dinner. You may think that I don't put much thought when I propose to you but rest assured, I am also not the type to just marry anyone." Leon let out a sigh. "So I hired someone to investigate you. Your background, where you live, with whom you are associated with... that sort of stuff."

Viola's eyes widened. "You what??"

"That can't be helped. I don't know anything about you. And I... have no time to get to know you better. My father only told me your father is his best friend and... that's not very helpful, isn't it?"

"I... know... but still..." Viola muttered.

"So I came here, to Mir – to see the place where you grew up, your home and learned about your mother. That was the first time I visited her grave. I did not know her of course but I thought it was the right thing to do. I'm marrying her daughter anyway."

"Wha..."

Leon smiled. "I had decided to marry you even before we met."

"Liar."

"And you married this liar." He laughed. "I still can remember how you just said yes to my sudden proposal. I actually thought you would completely reject it."

Viola grabbed the nearest pillow beside her and threw at him. "Stop it!" She could never forget the embarrassment she felt that night.

Leon laughed again. "My plan was to ask your father to sign the agreement with Uni Infinitus initially."

"You mean guilt tripping him into signing it."

"Whatever you called it." Leon shrugged his shoulders. "In the end you were the one who voluntarily took your father's place."

"So when was the second time?" Viola changed the subject.

Leon's expression changed.

"That... was when I came here to talk to that scandalous governor."

"You met the governor? I mean.. former governor..."

"I..." He stopped. He did not really want to explain further. He cleared his throat. "I asked for his help to... locate Eugene."

"That's ironic. I mean, he was his accomplice. There is no way he would help."

"I guess so." He shifted his eyes away from Viola. She noticed that and eyed him suspiciously.

"Did you hide something from me?"

"What?" His eyes were still avoiding hers.

"So you did." Viola pressed on.

"It's over anyway and they are all boring."

Viola searched through her memories from the time and finally managed to put two and two together.

"You... don't tell me... you threatened him using Nora? That you would send her to jail for kidnapping me... and in exchange..." Viola's voice trailed off.

Leon's expression turned dark.

"Is that true?" Viola asked again.

He was silent for a while. "He hurt you. I couldn't care less about his corruption crime, but his greed hurt you. I was angry you let his daughter off so easily. I just..." He talked softly, almost murmuring.

"Leon..."

"I'm not going to apologize for that. He deserved it. I'm not a saint. I can't just forgive anyone after hurting you like that."

Viola touched his face. He actually looked more hurt than her. She kissed him.

"Thank you."

Leon lifted her up and made her face the other way. He did not want her to see his embarrassing state. Too late, though. For a split second, Viola caught his blushing face. She leaned her back to his chest and giggled.

"By the way, can I still work at the florist after we are back in Bellfield?" Viola asked.

Leon hugged her from behind. He was already thinking about increasing the security around her if she wanted to go back working. "You can do what you want... but why? If it's about money, you know you can..."

"I still have my debt, remember? I'm not going to let you say I married you for money again." Viola acted sad, teasing him.

"I told you I didn't mean it!" Leon turned her face to him. "I was frustrated. I just... needed something to hold you down... by my side..."

Viola laughed out loud. "Ahahaha. I was joking!" She wiped the tear from the corner of her eyes.

Leon was annoyed. "I've burned them."

"What?" Viola asked.

"The documents. Our living agreement, that stupid invoice." Leon replied quietly.

"Oh... but..."

Leon touched her hair and kissed it. "Don't worry. I have transferred half my fortune to you. It is being handled by my lawyer." He paused. "If... one day, you caught me hurting you in any way, you can always run away with it. And I'll probably lose everything else soon too after that." He laughed.

"What... you don't have to do that!" Viola cried.

Leon added. "I don't want you to feel indebted to me or my family forever. I want you to stay with me because you want to."

"Leon..."

He touched her back and buried his face in the nape of her neck. Goose bumps rose all over her skin.

"Now that we are no longer bound by the agreement... We are really husband and wife now, aren't we?" He whispered into her ear.

"Wha..." Viola's heart was beating so fast. Her whole face was red. "Wait..."

His hand gently slid the straps of her dress down while he softly kissed her shoulders.

She slowly turned to him – her face blushing. She looked like a cornered animal.

Her helpless expression made him want to embrace her more. He pushed her down and kissed her.

His lips continued to move from her lips to her neck and trailing along her collarbone, sending shockwave-like sensation throughout her body.

"Leon..." Viola called his name.

Leon looked at her in the eyes. "I'm sorry for scaring you last time." He caressed her cheek. "I won't do anything today if you are not ready..."

Viola shook her head. She put her arms behind his neck and whispered. "I love you, Leon."

Leon bit her ear and whispered. "Then I won't hold back, Mrs. Oliver."

She nodded shyly and they kissed again under the hot summer night in Mir.