Anika shivered from the cold the moment she stepped in. After a while, unable to bear it, she edged closer to Leonel, hoping for some warmth.

Leonel caught her movement and glanced her way.

His stare was intense and devoid of any emotion. Spooked by his gaze, Anika froze, not daring to make another move.

Half an hour later, the car pulled up at the gate of Anika's apartment complex. The driver's voice sounded somber. "Here we are."

Inside the car, tension hung thick in the air.

Being smart, Anika knew her appeal mostly lay in her youth and looks.

Gathering her courage, she softly asked, "Would you care for a cup of coffee upstairs, Mr. Douglas?"

Throughout, Leonel maintained his gentlemanly demeanor.

If he had no intentions, he wouldn't bother escorting a young, attractive woman home personally. To her surprise, Leonel brushed some imaginary dust off his pants, and then casually replied, "No, thanks!"

Anika couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

She figured Leonel wasn't finding solace with his wife, and today, his demeanor softened out of the blue. So naturally, she assumed he wanted something more intimate with her. It was actually pretty common for powerful dudes like him to stray, right?

Just as Anika started to feel a tad awkward, Leonel piped up again.

Turning to her, he asked, “Can you speak French?"

"Yes, I can handle French, but just the basics," Anika hurriedly replied.

Leonel gave her a silent once-over for a few beats. Then, he nodded, lighting up another cigarette. The car filled up with smoke but nobody dared to say a word, not wanting to irk the boss.

After puffing halfway through, Leonel continued nonchalantly, "Got a dinner tomorrow with a client from France. Get ready for it. You're coming with me!"

Then, he turned to Noreen.

“Noreen, sort out a dress and some jewelry for Miss Cohen."

"Thanks a bunch, Mr. Douglas, for this chance!" Anika gushed with excitement.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Noreen was taken aback by what she heard. She'd been working for Leonel for ages and knew him inside out...