After a brief hesitation, Daisy handed him her phone and let him type it in. "Thank you," he said with a faint smile.
She excused herself and hurried into the restroom. As soon as she closed the door, Daisy leaned against the wall and let out a long breath. Her heart was still racing.
Daisy stared at her reflection in the mirror, her cheeks still tinted pink.
"What just happened?" she whispered to herself, her heart refusing to calm down.
She splashed some cool water on her face, trying to steady her breathing. It wasn't like her to get nervous — she had acted with top celebrities, walked red carpets, faced flashing cameras. But something about Leo made her feel small and unguarded, like the shy girl she used to be in high school.
A knock came at the restroom door.
"Miss Daisy, are you alright?" her bodyguard's voice called.
"Yes," she answered quickly. "I'll be right out."
She looked at her reflection once more, gave herself a small, reassuring smile, and left the restroom.
When she returned to the hall, the reunion was winding down. Some people were dancing, others chatting over drinks. Leo stood near the corner, drink in hand, talking to Adrian who had apparently returned. Their eyes met for a second — and just like that, her chest tightened again. She quickly looked away and started heading toward the exit.
Leo noticed. He excused himself from Adrian and followed her.
"Daisy," he called softly.
She froze. Slowly, she turned to face him.
"Yes?" she asked.
"You're leaving already?"
"I have an early shoot tomorrow," she said politely. "It was nice seeing everyone again.
"Leo!"
The sharp, familiar voice broke the quiet tension between them.
Leo turned. It was Ivy, walking quickly toward him in her elegant red dress, a forced smile on her lips and Kiara right behind her.
Daisy straightened, instinctively taking a small step back.
"Leaving already?" Ivy asked with fake sweetness.
"Yes," Daisy replied softly, her tone polite but distant. "I have an early schedule tomorrow."
"Oh, of course," Ivy said, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeve. "It must be exhausting being such a big star. You probably don't have time for yourself
Daisy blinked but didn't reply. She'd learned long ago not to respond to subtle jabs — silence spoke louder.
"Ivy, that's enough," Leo said firmly. His tone made her stop mid-sentence.
She turned to him, hurt flickering in her eyes. "I was just talking—"
"Don't," Leo interrupted quietly but coldly.
For a moment, nobody said a word.
Then Leo's expression softened slightly as he turned back to Daisy. "I'll call you later."
Ivy's jaw nearly dropped. Call her?
Daisy's heart skipped. She managed a small nod. "Okay."
Just then, a tall man in a black suit appeared — Daisy's bodyguard. "Miss Daisy," he said in a calm but protective voice.
"I'm ready," she replied, relief flashing across her face.
The bodyguard gently held her hand and guided her through the crowd toward the exit. People turned as they passed — some whispering, others snapping quick photos. The world always seemed to watch Daisy, even when she wanted to disappear.
Leo's eyes followed her silently. Something inside him tightened as he watched her small figure move away, the bodyguard opening the door to her sleek black car.
Before getting in, Daisy glanced back — just once. Her gaze met Leo's across the room. For a second, the noise around them faded.
Then she looked away, stepped into the car, and the door closed softly behind her.
Ivy crossed her arms. "Unbelievable," she muttered. "You actually like her."
Leo didn't answer. He just kept staring at the door she'd walked through.
Kiara sighed and whispered to Ivy, "You can't compete with someone like her. Let it go."
But Ivy's voice turned cold. "We'll see about that."
Outside, Daisy leaned back in her seat as the car started moving. Her hand rested where Leo had gently touched her earlier when he helped her up. She could still feel the warmth there, even through her skin.
She exhaled deeply and whispered to herself, "Why does he still have this effect on me?"