"Have you decided?" Leon asked, his voice even as he carefully wiped Addison's face with a towel. He didn't look up, his tone suggesting he was certain Lance would agree. After all, Lance had already accepted the deal to pay 20 times the cost of Addison's hospital stay and surgery to settle a favor. If he could agree to that, the next request—using money to buy Angel's freedom—shouldn't be much different. Lance, being a businessman, would surely see it as a good trade. What caught Leon off guard, though, was the silence. The room, usually filled with noise, now seemed to hold its breath, save for the quiet beeping of medical equipment. Leon frowned. Something felt wrong. He glanced up at Lance and saw a man as still as a pond at night—quiet and deep, yet unsettling. He slowed his motions, raising an eyebrow. "Mr. Johnston, what's with the silence?"Was the offer not tempting enough? "Mr. Johnston, if you find our terms unsatisfactory, you can name your own price. I've already said it. As long as it's reasonable, we will meet it," Leon pressed, unfazed by Lance's sharp expression. He kept his calm, pretending to act reluctantly, even though he knew deep down that Lance would want this. After all, everyone had desires. And money makes the world go round. "Mr. Johnston, have you made your choice?" Leon asked, his voice drawing out the words. "If you accept our offer, Johnston Enterprises will reach new heights. With your current resources, it might take you five years to get there." He paused, letting the words settle in. "You're not going to let this chance slip by, are you?" Leon's voice was smooth, coaxing, like someone reeling in a fish. But Lance? He wasn't that easy to catch.Lance was the fish, but he wasn't naive enough to bite. Standing across from Leon, Lance narrowed his eyes. His pupils were slits, and the coldness in his gaze felt almost like a warning. "I won't accept it. Don't waste your time," Lance said, his tone firm. Leon immediately noticed the shift. Lance had dropped the formal tone. What a lack of respect. "My patience has its limits. Stop pushing me," Lance said, his voice low and threatening. He wasn't playing anymore. "You've got two choices," he said, each word cutting through the thick silence. "Leave, or keep quiet." Lance tried hard to hold himself together. If he lost control now, he was sure he'd do something he'd regret, like hitting this rude old man.But he had principles, even when it came to fighting. This man wasn't tough—if Lance struck him, it would just look like bullying someone weaker. It wouldn't satisfy him at all. Yet, if Lance did nothing, this man would keep pushing, getting closer to Lance's breaking point with every word. It was maddening. A difficult decision, to say the least. Lance's gaze remained fixed on Leon as he spoke, his eyes narrowing into a fierce, burning stare. For a brief moment, Leon felt a flicker of fear, as if Lance's eyes could pierce him. But it was gone almost immediately. Leon shook off the feeling. Lance was just a kid. He'd been through worse. What can he even do to me? He ignored the silence that followed and pressed on. "Mr. Johnston, are you sure you're not thinking this through again?" This was Angel's shot at freedom, and Leon needed her to take it.Anyone with eyes could see that she was trapped in a controlling marriage. Lance held all the power, and that made their relationship toxic. Angel was young and naive, but Leon wasn't blind to what was going on. He had to make sure she got out, for her own sake. When Lance remained silent, Leon changed his approach. "What if I give you a few more days to think it over?" he said smoothly. "This is a rare opportunity, Mr. Johnston. I wouldn't want you to miss it." Silence. Again. Leon couldn't fathom it. A divorce agreement for a chance to rise in the world? How could anyone turn that down? Why couldn't Lance see it? He pushed harder, raising the stakes. "Even if you want us to buy everything in Preigh for you and your family, that's fine. We'll do it."Leon figured Lance was playing a negotiation game, pretending to be uninterested in order to drive up the price. Fine. If that was what Lance wanted, Leon would give it to him. The more Leon raised the price, the more determined he became. Because if it was for Angel, it was all worth it. But the higher Leon went, the darker Lance's expression grew. Lance wasn't the type to be bought. And this was beginning to feel like an insult. Lance's teeth ground together, threatening to snap. His frustration built, but he managed to hold it back, forcing himself to speak. "I gave you a chance, but you pushed it too far. "I'm not exactly a good guy," he added, his words clipped. Leon glanced up. "If you keep talking, what happens next might be out of anyone's hands." Leon frowned, uncertainty crossing his face. "What do you mean?" Lance didn't answer. He took slow, purposeful steps toward Leon, each one more deliberate than the last. As he walked, his fists tightened. The tension in the room thickened. Leon noticed the tightening fists and began to feel a gnawing sense of dread. "You're going to escalate this to violence?" All Leon had done was offer a suggestion. What had set Lance off so badly? Could he really be that hot-headed? Suddenly, an uncomfortable thought crossed Leon's mind—had Angel ever been the target of Lance's temper? If Lance didn't get his way, did he lash out like this? The thought sent a chill down Leon's spine. But with Lance's clenched fists in full view, Leon couldn't ignore the possibility.... Lance stopped directly in front of him, his hand halfway raised. Instinctively, Leon shut his eyes tight. At that moment, the sound of a phone ringing sliced through the tension. It came at just the right time. Lance froze, his hand pausing mid-air. With a frustrated sigh, he grabbed the phone, not bothering to check the caller. He simply hit the answer button. "Lance, where are you? The conference ended, but you left me here alone. I don't know what to do. "I'm really scared," came the small, trembling voice. Lance's expression shifted immediately. His features stiffened as he stared at the phone, glancing at Leon as if making a quick decision. Without another word, he turned and walked away, phone pressed to his ear. "Stay there. I'll be back to get you," he said, his voice cold.