Lance didn't waste any time. His lips pressed together in a hard line as he walked toward Leon. With every step, his pace quickened. He was ready to push Leon out, no matter what. He was almost behind the man, about to grab him and drag him away, when his phone suddenly rang. The sharp sound of the ringtone broke his focus. Leon heard it too. He turned and saw Lance standing close behind him. Startled, Leon stepped back, instinctively creating some space between them. Man, he walks like a cat. It felt almost sneaky. Leon placed his hand over his chest, a nervous glance flicking over to Lance. Their eyes met. Lance frowned, irritation creeping into his mind. Who was calling him now? He thought he had already finished everything with the company. But the ringtone became more urgent, and he had no choice but to answer. He dropped his hand and reached for his phone. "Angel's settled. Aren't you leaving?" Leon asked, glancing at Lance. Lance froze, his hand halfway to his phone. He stared at Leon, disbelief written across his face. "Are you talking to me?" he asked, pointing at himself in confusion. "Me, leave?" Leon didn't seem bothered. He nodded, matter-of-factly. "Yeah. Do you see anyone else here? I don't." If anyone's leaving, it's him. Not me. Addison was alone in the hospital bed. He couldn't just leave her. And with Matthew waiting at the event, he had even more reason to stay. He couldn't leave now—not without dealing with what his father might say. In his father's eyes, he was far less important than Angel. He had to make sure she was okay. Lance's lips curled in a smirk. This was getting ridiculous. This doctor barely knew him, yet he was telling him to leave? He was Addison's husband. Why should he leave? He hadn't even asked Leon to go yet, and now this guy was telling him to walk away? Lance let out a bitter laugh. "Why should I leave? "If anyone should leave, it's you," he said, his voice calm and firm. Where did Addison even meet this guy? He'd have to have a serious talk with her about picking better friends. She shouldn't trust just anyone. And just because someone worked for the Daves didn't mean they deserved special treatment. To Lance, this guy was nothing but a brazen pervert. Lance had encountered men like Leon before—the type who had no sense of boundaries, particularly with women. Men like him, older, using their age as an excuse to behave however they pleased, with no regard for how they were perceived. No one would let that slide, least of all when Addison was his wife. In the past, Lance might have been more patient with Leon's position, perhaps a little more understanding. But today, something about Leon's actions made Lance's patience snap. He couldn't stand it, not for even a second. All he wanted was for Leon to leave, to disappear from Addison's life altogether. Leon, confused by Lance's sudden laughter, scratched his head. "I'm not leaving. I need to stay here and look after Angel. "If I leave, who will take care of her?" Leon said matter-of-factly. "There's no one else." Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "You arranged this hospital, and you saved Angel's life today ... " He paused for a moment. "I owe you thanks for that. "When Angel's situation stabilizes, I'll handle her transfer."Leon didn't want to be in anyone's debt. And he certainly didn't want Angel to feel like she owed Lance anything. If Lance thought he could hold this life-saving favor over Angel's head to keep her around, Leon wasn't about to make that easy. The phone kept ringing, louder each time, as if it wouldn't stop until Lance answered it. It went on, call after call. Lance's frustration grew, but he raised an eyebrow. "A transfer?" "Yeah. Angel needs a better environment," Leon replied without hesitation. Lance blinked, puzzled. A better environment? He looked around the room. This place was top-notch. What more could Leon possibly want? Lance scoffed under his breath. It was a thin excuse. Preigh's Central Hospital was a private institution with some of the best facilities in the country. This was a VIP room, after all. Lance couldn't fathom what Leon thought could possibly be better than this. The notion of a better environment seemed nothing more than a flimsy excuse. "Send me the bill for the surgery and hospital stay. The Daves will pay you ten times the amount," Leon said without missing a beat. "Think of it as paying back the favor." Lance repeated the figure. "Ten times?" Leon smiled, unfazed. "What, are you not happy with that? "If that's not enough, I can make it 20 times." The Daves didn't lack money. And they certainly didn't lack herbs. This was nothing for Leon to cover. Lance's eyebrow arched as he listened to Leon's words. Was Leon really trying to buy him off? For as long as he could remember, it had always been Lance who used money to get what he wanted. Now, for the first time, someone was attempting to use money against him. It was almost laughable. When Leon saw Lance's lack of reaction, he assumed the deal was done. "Alright, 20 times the amount. We're square," Leon said with a satisfied grin. If Lance was willing to accept the money, that meant it mattered to him. After all, Lance was a businessman, and businessmen always took the path that benefited them most. Then, Leon's expression shifted as another thought crossed his mind. He cleared his throat and spoke again. "There's one more thing I need to discuss. "The Daves can make you another offer. On one condition. You leave Angel." Lance's face froze, a flicker of disbelief crossing his features. "What did you say?" he asked, his voice sharp with surprise.Does this mean what I think it means? Leon repeated himself, this time enunciating every word clearly. "Name your price. A price high enough to make you divorce Angel. "If you don't want money, anything else is fine—as long as it's reasonable. The Daves will make it happen." Lance's mind raced. He heard every word, but the shock didn't wear off immediately. Humiliation followed quickly after. To a man like him, this was an insult beyond measure. His pride was under attack. He gritted his teeth, anger building. "Do you think I need your money?" He never thought something like this would happen to him. It felt like something from a cheesy soap opera, where the evil mother-in-law drives out the daughter-in-law. How could it be happening to him? It was ridiculous. Completely ridiculous. He was the CEO of Johnston Enterprises. There was no way he could be treated this way. But Leon seemed unfazed. "Name your price. The Daves will meet it," he said, his tone almost indifferent. Leon knew full well how Lance had treated Angel. He knew Lance didn't love her—not even close. If Lance didn't love her, what did it matter if they stayed together? To Leon, the only reason Lance had rejected the offer was that the price wasn't high enough. Once the bait was big enough, there wouldn't be a fish that wouldn't bite. And Lance, being the calculating businessman that he was, would take whatever option worked best for him. A divorce and a hefty payout? A sure thing. Lance felt his face flush with anger. His teeth were so tightly clenched he thought they might crack. He was about to lose it.Was Leon out of his mind? Or was it him who was losing his grip? How could anyone say something so outrageous to him?