Veronica's POV
Did they honestly believe I was some helpless target they could push around?
When I made the decision to come to The Nelson Family and honor my commitment as their "fortune-bringing bride," I'd already done my research. Every dirty secret, every skeleton rattling in their family closet—including Hanna's sordid history—I knew it all.
Hanna had used her looks to seduce Leonardo's father Clark, but nobody suspected the darkness lurking beneath her polished exterior.
I wasn't planning to expose Hanna's dirty secrets—not yet, anyway. We'd be seeing each other every day, after all.
But if she pushed me again, I couldn't promise I wouldn't strike back.
My words hit Hanna like a slap. She clearly hadn't expected me to fight back with such bite. The longer she stewed on it, the more rattled she became. I obviously wasn't the doormat she'd assumed.
Had Ruth shared something with me before she died?
Did I know about her buried past?
If I did, exactly how much?
I could tell she was thinking that if I really knew too much, she would need to find a permanent solution to silence me.
"Fine, you sharp-tongued little witch! Ashley, we're leaving!" Hanna snarled, storming from the mansion.
Ashley shot me one final poisonous look before trailing after her aunt.
Bonita, who'd witnessed the whole showdown, looked oddly pleased. Finally, someone had managed to put those wolves in sheep's clothing in their place!
With the unwanted visitors gone, I lifted Joseph into my arms and climbed the stairs. "Joseph, tonight you get to sleep with Mommy. Sound good?"
Joseph bobbed his head eagerly.
"Perfect, but you'll need to entertain yourself for a bit. Mommy has to help your daddy with his bath first. Once I finish, I'll be right there. Deal?"
The little boy nodded again. The prospect of sharing a bed with Mommy tonight made his eyes sparkle—this was a first for him!
After tucking Joseph back in his room, I returned to the master bedroom. Hearing my footsteps, Leonardo called out, "Did they leave?"
"They're gone," I confirmed. "Even your darling Ashley took off. Want me to call her back so you two can have some quality time?" I couldn't resist the jab.
"Don't you dare! Stop pretending you understand anything!"
Leonardo's irritation was obvious. He didn't even care for Ashley—her crush on him was completely one-sided.
"Whatever you say." I shrugged and headed for the door.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Leonardo demanded.
"Why do you give a damn where I'm going?" I threw back, my voice dripping with attitude.
His jaw tightened in frustration, and his expression made it clear he found me maddening, as if I existed purely to drive him insane.
Before he could spiral further, I returned with a basin of warm water and a fresh towel.
Hearing the water sloshing, Leonardo asked warily, "What are you up to?"
Without warning, I pressed the damp towel against his face.
"What the hell—!"
I started wiping his face, but my touch was far from tender. It felt more like I was scrubbing grime off a dirty surface—with a healthy dose of suppressed irritation thrown in.
"Can't you use my actual name?" I snapped, dunking the towel back in the basin.
"Veronica! Are you here to help me or torture me?" Leonardo protested.
"What do you think? Your life's in my hands now, so you better watch yourself!" I warned, moving to clean his arms.
Leonardo was completely fed up. This woman had the nerve to steal his favorite threat! Still, he decided to drop it. "What were you discussing with them downstairs?" he asked, switching topics.
"Your precious Ashley wants to move in and play nurse. Hanna thinks I should pack up and leave tomorrow."
Leonardo's chest constricted. He found himself asking, "And what did you tell them?"
"I said yes!" I replied, deliberately baiting him. "You obviously can't stand me, so I figured it'd be better if I left tomorrow. Ashley seems sweeter and more caring. She won't 'abuse' you like I do."
Leonardo's temper exploded instantly, his gorgeous face twisting with rage.
"I don't want her anywhere near me! Veronica, you signed that contract—if I'm not healed, you can't leave!"
Seeing his meltdown, I smirked. "You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't you? Fine. I signed the deal, and I'll honor it. As long as you're not completely recovered, I'm not going anywhere. And nobody can make me!"
Then, with a wicked grin, I added, "But aren't you worried I might actually hurt you?"
"Try it," Leonardo snarled dangerously. "See what happens."
The atmosphere crackled with tension as I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "How could I possibly hurt you, Mr. Nelson?"
With that, I gave his face another light tap.
Leonardo's expression grew even darker, his chest rising and falling with indignation. This infuriating woman—did she have a death wish?
In one fluid movement, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him. I stumbled, almost collapsing onto his chest. Our faces were inches apart, our lips nearly brushing. My eyes went wide with shock as Leonardo growled, "Touch my face again, and you'll be sorry!"
"Understood!" I replied casually, though my pulse hammered from our sudden closeness. I pulled free from his grip and continued cleaning him.
I drew back the blanket and reached for his shirt buttons. Before I could unfasten them, Leonardo caught my hand, panicked.
"What are you doing now?" he demanded.
"Removing your shirt so I can clean your body," I stated plainly.
"Don't touch me!" he barked.
"How else am I supposed to clean you? Haven't you noticed how rank you smell? If you don't get washed soon, you'll develop bedsores."
Leonardo went quiet for a moment, then reluctantly sat up and started unbuttoning his shirt himself.
"I'll handle it," he muttered. He despised the idea of anyone touching him, even for something this basic.
I turned away to rinse the towel, and when I looked back, I froze.
Leonardo's upper body was now bare, showcasing his sculpted chest and perfectly cut abs.
His physique was absolutely stunning, clearly the result of years of dedicated training.
I couldn't help but stare, my mind involuntarily drifting back to those nights we'd shared in the past. My heart raced, and warmth crept up my neck.
"Seen enough? Or is this your first time seeing a man's body?" Leonardo's voice was thick with mockery, jolting me back to reality.
I quickly looked away, taking a steadying breath. I knelt beside him and began cleaning, trying to focus on the job.
As my gentle hands moved across his skin, Leonardo tensed. He gritted his teeth and endured my touch, and from his rigid posture I could tell he was uncomfortable with the intimate contact.
After thoroughly washing his chest and back, I helped him into clean clothes. As I pulled the blanket up, my hand grazed his waistband.
Leonardo immediately tensed, grabbing my wrist again. "What are you doing now?"
"I still need to clean down there," I said matter-of-factly.
"You..." His voice caught, heat rising in his face despite himself.