Chapter 162: He's After It

Leonard thought for a moment. "There's no time like the present. If you're going to treat me, let's do it today. I'm afraid you'll break your word."

Lia fought the urge to snap back, trying to stay calm. "Bella is still with you, right? If we're having a meal, she has to join us."

Leonard shrugged, opting for a compromise. "How about you come over to my place, and we'll all eat together? That way, everyone's happy."

Lia hesitated before getting into his car. "Fine. I'll check in on her, too. She must be pretty shaken. If we're eating at your place, that doesn't count as me treating you. You'll have to wait until next time."

The smoke from earlier had mostly cleared from the car, though Leonard left the window open as he drove. "Alright. Next time, then."

Lia scoffed. "Didn't you just say you were afraid I'd break my word? You're not worried anymore?"

Leonard chuckled but didn't respond. It was just a joke. He would never let a woman pay for anything, anyway.

When they arrived at the villa, Lia wasted no time heading inside. Bella looked startled to see her, then glanced at Leonard, confused. In a situation like this, it would have made more sense for Leonard to stay away from Lia, yet here he was, bringing her back. Leonard shrugged, offering no explanation. After all, he didn't know what she meant.

Lia, known for her bluntness, unleashed a tirade of insults at the Yates family as soon as she sat down, throwing in every curse word she'd learned in the past twenty years.

Leonard was stunned, completely caught off guard. If it came down to an argument between them, he knew he couldn't win.

At the end of her rant, Lia grumbled, "Can you believe it? Dominic, a grown man, is being forced into an arranged marriage! What a joke!"

"Luckily, he had the decency to give you a heads-up. Otherwise, you would have been in real trouble. Who knows what the Yates family is capable of?"

Leonard defended his friend: "It's not that simple. You wouldn't understand. Just wash up, and let's eat."

Lia was about to argue when Bella interjected, "Enough, Lia. This situation is more complicated than you think. Some people will do anything for personal gain. Let's have dinner first."

At the dining table, Bella seemed lost in thought as she picked at her food. "Leonard, have you heard from Dominic? Has he contacted you?"

Leonard shook his head. "No, but don't worry too much. He's still keeping tabs on the Yates family and what's happening on your end. That means he's not completely cut off. He just can't come back yet. The Yates family won't push things too far. He'll figure out a way, though it might get messy this time."

Bella fell silent before asking, "Why did Dominic get involved with Amber in the first place?"

Leonard put down his cutlery. "It was right after his dad passed away. Dominic is managing the entire Miller family business now, and Richard cared a lot about the company. It's essentially the second-largest company under Miller Group. The company was at a critical stage then, and there was no way Dominic could return in just three years. But to return sooner"

He paused, thinking Bella would have pieced things together. However, Lia and Bella were staring at him, waiting.

Leonard coughed lightly. "Not long after he went abroad, he met Amber by chance. She fell for him at first sight and chased him for over four months before he finally agreed. From the beginning, their relationship was a business arrangement. The Yates family invested in that overseas company, and Dominic dated Amber for over two years. They had an agreement: if he hadn't fallen for her by the time he returned, their relationship would end. However, Amber isn't ready to let go. She followed him here, determined to hold onto him. Actually, it's more accurate to say that her father is after Miller Group."

The extraneous website promotion has been removed. The numbering ("20100") was also removed as it seems out of place. The duplicated chapter title at the end has also been removed. The overall text has been cleaned up for grammar, punctuation, and flow.