Leon was about to step forward and give the kid a piece of his mind when he looked up and noticed Lance was nowhere to be seen. What? He had just been standing there—how could he have disappeared so fast? Leon scanned the area, but Lance was gone. He frowned, confusion settling in, and looked away. Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen. It was Matthew calling. His heart gave a sudden jolt. In the rush to get Angel to the hospital, he had nearly forgotten to let Matthew know she was alright. No, wait ... maybe she wasn't alright. The thought made Leon's brow furrow, and his eyes moved instinctively to the surgery room. He silently hoped that Angel would be okay. He hesitated, then answered the phone. Matthew's voice crackled through immediately. "How's Angel? Did you find her?"I told you I'd help look for her, but you stopped me. Now look at the mess we're in. "Angel's such a sweet kid. How did something like this happen to her ... " Matthew's words rushed out, his worry deepening with every syllable, as if he couldn't stop himself from drowning in the panic over his missing granddaughter. Leon sighed. "You've got to calm down. You're not a kid anymore. Take a deep breath. Slow down." Matthew's voice grew sharper. "How can I stay calm? My granddaughter's gone! "If you can just sit back and do nothing while your granddaughter's missing, are you even human?" Leon tried to lighten the mood, forcing a smile into his voice. He brought up a bit of the past in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Remember when you said you didn't care about Angel? You even said, 'It'd be better if she never came home,' and that 'the Daves don't need a granddaughter like her'?" His tone carried a playful edge as he spoke, a jab at the old man's sudden change of heart. "So what's with all the concern now? Changed your mind?" For a moment, Matthew fell silent. The air was heavy between them. Leon held the phone, waiting, but there was only stillness. He glanced at the screen again. The call was still connected. So why wasn't he hearing anything? Had what he said upset his father? Just as Leon was about to give up on getting an answer, Matthew's voice came through, colder than before. "Someone thinks he's a stand-up comedian, I see. "If you've got time to talk, why don't you get moving and find Angel? "If you don't find her today, don't even bother coming back. The family will disown you ... You're not my son." The bitterness in Matthew's voice stung. It was a harsh blow.Man. Leon shook his head, unable to ignore the feeling that, to his father, he was worth less than his granddaughter—barely a fraction of her importance. He stopped trying to make light of the situation, pushed his sarcasm aside, and looked toward the surgery room. "Don't worry. Angel's been found." His tone was serious now. "You should go ahead with your meeting. There are so many guests causing chaos in the hall. The organizers are struggling to hold the fort. If you show up, it might calm things down." "So you found her? Really?" Matthew's voice shot up. He ignored everything else Leon had said. "Have you also found the people who hurt her?" He sounded suspicious. He had a feeling there was more to Angel's disappearance. Before Leon could respond, Matthew fired more questions. "Where did you find her?"Where is she now? Is she okay? "Even if she isn't hurt, she needs to get checked." Questions came fast, one after the other, and Leon barely had time to answer. Matthew kept rattling off concerns. Leon could only sigh, holding the phone to his ear. Normally, Matthew was strict, a man who ran the Daves with authority. But when it came to Angel, he became like any worried grandfather—nagging, asking a thousand questions, acting like nothing else mattered. Since Angel's marriage to the Johnstons and the fallout with the Daves, Leon hadn't seen his father act like this. All these questions suddenly brought him back to the way he used to be. "Just focus on your lecture. I've got Angel covered. Don't worry so much." Leon tried to downplay it. "Just tell me one thing. She's alright, isn't she?" Matthew wasn't letting it go. Just then, Lance's figure passed by Leon and stopped in front of the surgery room. Leon glanced up, still holding the phone. What was Lance doing here? Was that a cigarette in his hand? Leon squinted, trying to make sense of it. "Are you still listening? "Are you ignoring me now?" Before Leon could process what was happening, Matthew's voice came through loud and urgent. He jumped, pulling the phone away from his ear. The sound was so loud that even Lance heard it. He frowned and turned to look at Leon. For a brief moment, the air hung awkwardly between them. Leon's hand, still holding the phone, froze. He didn't know how to respond. His image as a responsible adult had been shattered by his father's loud reprimand. His dignity as the elder was everything.It was this very dignity that allowed him to stand by Angel's side as her supporter. Leon and Lance exchanged a brief, silent glance. For some reason, Leon's mind flashed back to Lance's earlier actions and words. The man had brushed his fingers against his lips, his tone teasing. "Addison's in surgery. Keep the noise down." Okay, feels more embarrassing now. Leon fought the awkwardness, forcing himself to stay calm. He replied with a stiff voice, "I'm listening. "There's a situation here. I'm hanging up now." Before Matthew could speak again, Leon ended the call. He didn't mention Angel still being in surgery, her outcome uncertain. And he didn't want to. He didn't want Matthew to endure such a stressful ordeal, especially at his age. Lance sat up straight, his gaze following Leon's as he hung up. With a subtle shift, Lance withdrew his questioning look.... The two of them sat on the bench—Leon on the left, Lance on the right, the space between them a quiet barrier. "You smoke?" The question came out of nowhere. Leon's eyes lingered on the cigarette Lance held between his fingers, his voice edged with disapproval. "Angel doesn't like smokers." Lance raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly, acknowledging the point. "If you know Angel doesn't like it, why do you smoke?" Leon's irritation grew. Lance, still not understanding the source of Leon's anger, waved the cigarette gently in front of him. "I don't smoke. "I just have the habit of holding a cigarette." When Lance was stressed, his fingers would absentmindedly reach for a cigarette.He'd watch it between his fingers, seeing it burn down to ash, each flicker of the flame easing his frustration. This habit, though ... it had to do with someone. Leon, hearing the explanation, gave Lance a skeptical glance. He wasn't sure he fully believed him. But he didn't push it further. The hours passed quickly. The sky outside was completely dark now. The lights in the surgery room had been on for what seemed like an eternity. Lance and Leon had sat on that bench the entire time. Leon hadn't dared leave for even a moment, afraid that as soon as he did, Angel would be moved out of the operating room. She'd be weak after surgery. He needed to be there when she woke up. As for Lance ... Why was he still there, waiting by the door, refusing to leave?Lance's long lashes fluttered, catching the light. He wasn't sure why he stayed either. But, like Leon, something kept him there. He couldn't walk away from the door.