Chapter 40 Marry Me

Chapter 40 Marry Me
She turned, already taking a step toward her room to grab her phone—
“Olive.”
Her name.
Spoken softly, but clearly.
Olive froze.
Slowly, she turned toward the gate.
Leo was standing there.
He hadn’t stepped inside yet—just stood at the entrance, rain misting the air around him, droplets clinging to his hair and shoulders. His eyes moved slowly, taking everything in—the men carrying furniture, the soaked boxes, the rain pouring down mercilessly.
Then his gaze landed on Celeste’s tear-streaked face.
And finally, on Olive.
Confusion crossed his features.
Then concern.
He walked in quickly, long strides closing the distance in seconds.
Chris heard his voice and rushed over, panic spilling out of him. “Sir—Leo—please,” he said breathlessly. “The bank… they’re taking the house. Please help us.”
Leo didn’t hesitate. He placed a firm hand on Chris’s shoulder, grounding him. “Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “I got you.”
Then his eyes went back to Olive.
She was trying so hard not to cry—her lips pressed tight, her hands clenched at her sides—but the moment Leo stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, everything collapsed.
Olive broke.
She clutched his shirt, sobbing against his chest, her body shaking uncontrollably. “They’re taking it,” she whispered, voice cracking. “Our things—everything’s getting soaked. They’re taking our house.”
Leo held her tightly, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other pressing her close, shielding her as if the chaos around them didn’t exist.
“Hey,” he murmured low, steady. “I’ve got you. You’re not losing anything.”
When he finally let go, his face had changed.
The gentleness was gone.
Leo turned toward the woman in formal attire, who was already snapping orders at the men.
“Keep moving,” she said sharply. “I said keep—”
“Stop.”
Leo’s voice cut through the rain.
The men froze mid-motion.
The woman turned, irritation flashing across her face. “Who are you?” she demanded. “This doesn’t concern you. Don’t interfere if it’s none of your business.”
Leo stepped forward.
His presence alone shifted the air.
His voice dropped—cold, sharp, intimidating. “How much does it need to be paid?”
She scoffed. “Excuse me?”
“Tell me the amount,” he repeated evenly. “Because I can buy the debt. I can buy the house. And if I feel like it,”—his eyes locked onto hers—“I can buy you too.”
The woman blinked.
Once. Twice.
Clearly not expecting that.
She lifted her chin defensively. “If they want to settle, do it at the bank. Within today.”
As she spoke, her gaze shifted outside—
And then she saw it.
Parked just beyond the gate.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Her expression faltered.
Color drained from her face as realization hit—this man wasn’t bluffing. Not even close.
She cleared her throat quickly and turned to the men. “Stop,” she ordered. “Enough for today.”
Immediately, the men obeyed—chairs lowered, boxes set aside, movements suddenly careful and restrained. The rain kept falling, but the chaos slowed, then stopped.Before leaving, the woman shot Olive and Celeste a sharp, resentful look—one full of anger and humiliation. “If you cannot settle it within this day, tomorrow, we are expecting you are not here anymore,” she said, then turned and walked away without another word.
Upon stepping outside, they closed the gate behind them.
Then, silence followed.
Only the sound of rain remained.
Leo turned back to Olive.
“Go inside,” he said gently. “Both of you. I’ll handle the rest.”
Olive stayed beside her mother until Celeste’s breathing finally evened out and her trembling hands relaxed against the blanket. Only when she was sure her mother had fallen asleep did Olive quietly step out of the room, closing the door with care.
The house felt strangely quiet afterward—too quiet, like it was holding its breath.
As she walked down the short hallway, she heard low voices coming from the kitchen. She slowed, then stopped at the doorway.
Leo was standing near the counter.
Chris stood in front of him.
Chris’s shoulders were shaking.
He was crying.
It wasn’t loud. No sobbing. Just silent, broken breaths that came from someone who had been holding everything in for too long. Leo wasn’t saying much. He didn’t need to. One hand rested firmly on Chris’s back—steady, grounding—letting him fall apart without shame.
When Chris noticed Olive standing there, he stiffened. He wiped his face quickly with his sleeve and turned away, embarrassed.
Olive swallowed and stepped closer.
“Leo,” she said softly. “Can we… talk?”
Chris immediately understood. He nodded once, murmured a quiet excuse, and slipped past them, leaving the two of them alone in the kitchen.
The silence settled heavily between them.
Olive leaned back against the sink, crossing her arms over herself like she needed something solid to hold her together. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Leo.
“Thank you,” she said finally. Her voice was low, but steady. “For saving my family. Again. For stopping the bank… for saving this house.”
Leo watched her quietly. “You don’t need to worry about it anymore,” he replied. “I already instructed my secretary to handle everything with the bank. It’s settled.”
That word—settled—hit her harder than she expected.
Olive let out a slow breath, the kind that trembled on the way out. She realized then just how wide Leo’s reach really was. One call. One instruction. A problem that had crushed her for months simply… disappeared.
He spoke again, almost casually. “Some of your things might not be usable anymore. They got soaked.”
She shook her head. “That doesn’t matter.”
What mattered was the weight pressing down on her chest.
Her debt.
To him.
Olive finally looked up and met his eyes. “How long?” she asked. “How many months do I need to pay you back? Just… give me a deadline.”
Leo frowned slightly. “There’s no need for that.”
Her jaw tightened. “There is,” she insisted. “Leo, my pride—my ego—it can’t take this anymore. I don’t even know what face I should show you now. I need to know. I need something concrete. I can’t just—”
“Marry me.”