The Bonds We Forge III

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I might heavily edit this in the future. If I do so, I'll add a [edited] next to the title. 

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On with the chapter!

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The next morning. 

A black sedan pulled in front of the apartment complex. The polished body of the car gleamed under the sun. Leandro was just returning from his routine morning jog when the vehicle began tailing him. 

He approached the idling car with a casual stride. The backseat window rolled down. 

Yuhee, clad in a pearl-colored cashmere coat greeted him with a seductive smirk. She made a show to unclip her seatbelt, giving Leandro a decent look of her cleavage. 

"Yuhee Noona." 

She flashed a faux innocent look. 

Leandro raised a brow in skepticism. 

"Leandro, what a coincidence." 

"Coincidence?" He stared at her languidly. "Sure. Let's go with that." 

Her bright laugh pierced the early morning tranquility. Leandro waited for the sedan driver to come down and open the door, which he was quick enough to do. 

Yuhee shifted towards the other side and patted on the leather seats with her manicured hand. 

Leandro inwardly scoffed and entered nonetheless. 

He ignored the invitation she gave in the form of spreading her legs slightly and scooting towards him. Her scent invaded his nostrils. 

Yuhee had dressed up as provocatively as possible—which Leandro was completely unaffected by. Then again, with how long he's lived, he was desensitized by such sights. 

She snapped her fingers, and the sedan began to drive off. 

Leandro turned to look out of the window. 

"What do you want?" 

Yuhee rolled her eyes. "So cold~" She crossed her arms, right under her bust. "Can't I come check up on you?" 

"It's seven in the morning, Yuhee Noona." Leandro deadpanned. 

Yuhee played with a lock of her hair and sighed. "A girl can't miss her favorite man?" 

"Don't you have places to be?" 

"I do! And I'm right where I need to be." 

Leandro sighed. "Where are you even taking me?" 

Yuhee stared at her nails, making sure they were sharp and deadly. "To my company, of course." 

"Is there a particular reason or you just felt like stalking me?" 

She pretended to think about it. "Both?" 

He shot her a glare. Yuhee just smiled back, her lips glossed-up and smoldering hot. 

She lazily extended a hand and rubbed his leg, squeezing her way deeper into his— 

Leandro calmly seized her wandering hand and squeezed. Lightly, not too strong. She winced slightly. He tilted his head, the shadow of a smile on his face. "Careful, Noona. My tolerance levels aren't exactly the highest in the morning." He said, loosening his grip on her wrist. 

Yuhee shook off the cold treatment and pulled her hand back, though it hardly put a dent on her impeccable exterior. She wasn't discouraged by hardships. After all, Leandro was certainly the biggest challenge she had encountered to date. 

Other men buckled down almost immediately and that was precisely why her eyes zeroed on Leandro all these years ago. The way he carried himself, the unbendable and infallible presence he emitted was so out of the world.

Yuhee wanted that—she desired that. She didn't like how he made her all giddy whenever he was near, but there was really nothing she could do. 

She absolutely loathed how she had never felt such raw attraction for any other man before Leandro. It was not simply his looks; she was not that shallow. It was an amalgamation of traits that came in a perfect-looking bundle. 

Yuhee sent a small glance his way. Her heart picked-up a few paces the second she saw the sharpness in his green eyes. 

The alluring calmness of it also melted her to her core. 

'To be the first one that ensnares you... the first woman you look at with passion...' 

Yuhee giggled softly to herself. 

He eyed her warily. 

"What?" 

"Nothing~"

"..."

He just kept quiet. Yuhee took it upon herself to entertain herself during the short-lived trip to her company premises. 

She propped her elbow against the glass window and supported her head with a hand, scrutinizing Leandro like he was a delectable meal to devour. 

Which, honestly, wasn't far from the truth. 

Yuhee undressed him with her eyes. 

"Say, Leandro." She started, leaning slightly forward. She hoped to catch his eyes making a quick trip for her cleavage, but nothing. His eyes were firmly on hers. "You're not seeing anyone at the moment. Correct?" 

He tilted his head. Yuhee fidgeted slightly; she loved it when Leandro was acting like this. Calm and aloof, but somehow so irresistibly sexy.

She blamed her family upbringing for why Yuhee kept chasing after the idea that women should dominate over men—in bed and everywhere else, honestly. 

A part of her wanted to control Leandro, to get a taste of his world-shattering self-control coming undone because of her. 

"Romance isn't exactly on my to-do list." He said, leveling a casual yet wary look her way. 

Yuhee took his words as the green flag she was searching for. It meant he wasn't likely to be stolen by someone else. 

'Perfect. Absolutely perfect~' 

"Wouldn't you allow me to change that, Leandro~?" Yuhee batted her eyelashes. She traced a finger on Leandro's chest before moving her hand down to his pelvis. 

His large hand halted her quest right before it went into the danger-zone. 

"You are awfully persistent." 

"I really love stubborn things, especially men~" Yuhee flashed him a sultry smile. "... Leandro..." She breathed out his name almost seductively, dragging the end-syllable just a little bit more. 

Leandro looked away, opting to watch the streets through the window once again. 

Yuhee licked her bottom lips at the defiant gaze he had. 

Oh, he would come around soon enough. In fact— 

With a casual ease, Yuhee managed to shift and prop herself on Leandro's lap. 

One leg crossed over the other side while Yuhee sat as daintily as possible on him. 

The little slit of her skirt revealed her creamy legs, clad in stockings.

She watched the slight shock coloring Leandro's irises in glee. Yuhee pressed her generous and scantily clothed breasts over his chest. 

"Do you really want me that bad, Yuhee? To the point where you're simply throwing yourself at me."

There was a hint of skepticism in his words. 

"What made you so guarded, Leandro?" She cocked her head, gently brushing a stray, brown lock off of his eyes. "Who hurt you?" 

"..." 

Leandro closed his eyes, briefly. At least, this time, he didn't swat her hand away. 

"Guarded?" He repeated, softly. "I'm not guarded, Noona. Guarded means not letting people like you close to me... yet here you are, on my lap, as fake as an inflated doll, and just as hollow."

His scathing words made her pause for a moment.

"I'm not like that!"

Her sharp fingers sunk into his shoulder. His face didn't even twitch.

"I'm not one to judge." He shrugged, smiling so lightly it could have been an illusion. "Don't misunderstand, Noona. There's no hate; you're just the type to leave scars. I don't want any of that."

Yuhee hesitated, her hand still hovering in the air, her playful demeanor losing some of its sparkle.

She'd seen him aloof, seen him indifferent, but never quite this... detached. 

She bit her lip and tried to draw him back in. "But maybe those scars are worth it, Leandro. What's a little pain if it means finding something real?" 

"Real is when someone sticks around because they care, not because they want to play with you." 

'Isn't that what you're doing right now?' His eyes seemed to say. 

"Hmm... and what makes you think that's not what I want?" 

"Noona. You're used to playing games. You like the chase, the thrill, the control. I've seen women like you before. The care, the affection, is all superficial. Once you get what you're after, you're just going to get bored." 

"I don't think I will~" Yuhee intoned. "Not everyone is out to get you, Leandro. Well, actually, I am. But you know what I want. I won't leave scars. I won't hurt you. Just let yourself go... let me replace those bad memories with good ones. Leandro... Leandro... Lee-an-dro..."

She sent a heated look his way. 

Her body felt all warm and giddy under Leandro's unyielding green eyes. She snaked her arms around his neck, swaying side-by-side playfully while still seated comfortably in his lap. 

Yuhee loved how large his lap was.

It was truly the perfect throne for her. 

She slithered one of her hands across his thigh, inching dangerously close to her prize. 

"Are you going to keep pushing me away? 'Cause that ain't stopping me. What I want, I get." 

"Hah. A spoiled brat." 

She hovered her lips next to his ear. "Do spoiled brats get what they want?" Yuhee bit her lower-lip. She felt his bulging stiffness pressing against her inner thighs. Her hands traveled to his shoulders, clawing and fondling all over, savoring the warmth emanating from Leandro's large body. 

"If they behave… they might get a sweet treat." 

He scooped one hand under her, while the other wrapped around her arm. And with perfect ease, he picked her up as if she weighed nothing, and gently lowered her next to him. 

Yuhee made a small dissatisfied whine. 

"Stop playing around, Yuhee Noona."

"What?" Yuhee rolled her eyes in a pompous manner. "Would you prefer it if my mouth played instead? I happen to be great at that." 

Leandro shot back with an amused glint in his jade-colored eyes. "I've had much better, so don't hold your breath. I'm sure that mouth of yours also works like how any other would." 

Yuhee clicked her tongue, a childish look formed on her perfect facial features—although her eyes still simmered with a lustful light. 

'If Leandro can react like this… he wouldn't mind sleeping with me one or two times.' 

She grinned inwardly. 

"I can hear your thoughts from a mile away, Yuhee Noona." Leandro suddenly said as he turned to look out of the window, unfazed. She clicked her tongue at the sight.

"..." 

She shot him an annoyed stare, scooting slightly towards the other side of the backseat. 

"Fine. Whatever... Be an annoying cold piece of crap then! We'll see how long you can stay frigid with me." Yuhee turned to her side, a challenging smile on her lips. 

Leandro could feel the scorching hot daggers thrown at him from the corner of the eye. 

'What a troublesome woman.' 

He smiled. 

… 

Whenever Yuhee passed, a line of employees would bow down and greet her.

"Good morning, CEO-nim!"

Their voices echoed off, perfectly in sync. 

Yuhee either flashed a small smirk or nodded towards her employees, continuing on her way without minding their existence one bit. She flipped her hair, nose turned up, much to the admiring, sparkling eyes of many employees. 

Leandro followed behind like a quiet but overprotective shadow, scanning his surroundings and anything that caught his attention. 

Yuhee wasn't complaining though. Every time she looked over her shoulder, Leandro would return her gaze, melting her to the point of putting her in an incapacitated state. 

She cleared her throat, discreetly licking her lips. 

"You're currently unemployed, is that right, Leandro?" 

Leandro followed Yuhee closely as she entered her office. The sleek floor gleamed with a spotless sheen that was probably buffed an hour ago—the same applied towards the furniture and the other bits and pieces decorating the CEO office. 

It gave off an austere atmosphere. 

Leandro quietly sat down on Yuhee's office couch while she hung her expensive coat on the rack. 

Her naked shoulder was perfectly in sight for his jade-green eyes to rake all over. 

Despite his resistance towards beauty, Leandro couldn't really deny that Yuhee was another perfect example of peak human beauty. She had elvish traits. Delicate. Porcelain skin. And perfect body proportions. 

"I figured that waiting a bit more wouldn't hurt. I feel like I will soon find my calling in life." He sent Yuhee a lazy look while she sat down on her large leather executive chair. She sighed, seemingly enjoying the velvety softness of it.

Yuhee watched Leandro throw one leg over another and lean back on the couch. 

She had always known there was something inherently 'peculiar' about Leandro. 

She noticed it when he was a kid. Now that he was a man, it was more pronounced. 

"Is that so?" 

Leandro intrigued Yuhee beyond reason. He was like the forbidden fruit; hard to obtain and absolutely delectable after being plucked and savored. 

She smiled ever so sweetly. Her hand traveled to her telephone on the large mahogany office table, picking up the black wireless receiver. Yuhee punched in a small set of numbers before waiting for her intermediary to pick up the phone. 

Yuhee raised a leg and placed it on the edge of her desk—it offered Leandro a clear sight of her thighs clad in see-through stockings. She pretended to act clueless to Leandro's heated up gaze as he directed all his attention towards her. 

He was quick to compose himself and wrench his gaze off of her. 

He might reject any of her invitations and pro-offers of something a bit more salacious… 

But Leandro was still just a man—Yuhee grinned to herself—the best kind of man possible, in fact. 

"Excuse me, Ji-Yeon. Would you mind bringing a couple of drinks and snacks to my office? Thank you." 

She ended the conversation swiftly before turning to throw Leandro a smug look. She played with the pencil holster and swiveled around on her large chair. 

Leandro still had his jade-green eyes locked onto her person. 

Yuhee liked it. She loved the attention, the all-consuming attention Leandro directed onto her.

"A man such as yourself deserves better. My company could always use an ace player such as you. With your skills, Leandro, you would make a small corporation like mine bloom into a colossal tycoon~" 

Leandro frowned in a nonchalant manner. He looked like it was simply out of boredom rather than an actual upset emotion. 

"You don't even know whether I'm fit for the job or not. At this point, you just want me next to you." 

"Oh my~ You caught me!" 

She grinned mischievously. 

He stared at her, emotionlessly. "Humor me. Why are you going to such lengths? You could literally have any men at your beck and call." 

Yuhee shifted her crossed-legs. 

"Hm-hm. You really want to know why?" 

The fabric of her skirt ran up—it was also a smooth motion she made, so it wasn't any obvious that she had teased Leandro again on purpose. 

Leandro moved his eyes up towards her lips. Yuhee sucked a harsh breath. 

She wanted him... all of him. 

From the top of his brown hair to the tip of his toes. And everything that came in between was what she longed for as well. 

She laughed breathily when she felt her secretary knock on the door and, upon her acknowledgment, entered. Leandro retracted his gaze instantly. 

Ji-Yeon wasn't discreet with her prolonged glance at Leandro. 

"CEO-nim, I've brought some refreshments."

Yuhee nodded curtly. "You can leave it here." 

Ji-Yeon bowed down slightly. 

She sneaked one last glimpse at him. 

Yuhee cleared her throat, and the poor secretary scurried off. 

"See what you do to women?" 

Leandro shook his head and sighed. "I'm pretty sure it was you who did something wrong to her, not me." He sent Yuhee a shrug, so obviously disinterested. 

Yuhee folded her legs. 

"Anyway~ Where were we? Ah... You asked why I desire you." 

She stood up, a foxy, cunning smile on her face. She popped a bottle of what Leandro assumed was a very expensive champagne and poured it into two flutes. 

Yuhee made her way over to Leandro and sat next to him, crossing her legs daintily again. The way she leaned against him felt like she was planning something. 

Which she totally was. 

'Being a little bit clingy to a man who doesn't want me is perfect~ He will crack sooner or later!' Yuhee hummed inwardly, taking a sip from her champagne. She also passed the other glass to him. 

Leandro shot Yuhee a curious look and took it. 

"It's simple, Leandro..."

Yuhee scooted a bit closer, shamelessly placing a leg over his left thigh.

Her playful and crafty eyes examined every single detail of him as if he was something so irresistibly appealing. "You're different." She said, her voice low and silky. "You don't bend, you don't break, and that drives me crazy. I want to be the woman you can't say no to. The one you can't ignore. I want to be the one who gets inside your head, who finds the cracks in that armor." She smirked, sipping her champagne.

'Because once I'm in, you'll never want me out.'

Yet, even then, Leandro merely offered a tilt of his head, a nostalgic smile on his face, as if he had already heard those words before. 

"You're so sure of yourself." 

Yuhee stretched out a hand, a coy smile formed on her perfect lip-glossed mouth. 

"I'm beautiful. I'm an entrepreneur. And I'm damn good at making a man feel like a man. What is there not to like, Leandro?"