Chapter 231

Leo bent down, hugging the human-shaped figure through the blanket, his voice hoarse. "Sorry, Bella, there was something in that pool."

Something that stirs emotions!

The woman under the blanket squirmed even more, making muffled sounds.

Leo said, "Bella, tonight you are mine, and Sebastian is with Emily. Charles said that as long as tonight goes well, the wedding the day after tomorrow will go smoothly. He has promised me that once we are married, he will send the child back.

"Bella, for the sake of the child, you are willing, right?"

"Mmm-mmm." The muffled figure under the blanket seemed to respond in some way.

Leo's eyes flickered with a hint of reluctance. He didn't want to resort to these methods, but his earlier attempt in the hot springs had failed. Perhaps using this approach to keep Isabella with him wasn't such a bad idea.

At least after tonight, Isabella would truly belong to him!

Then Leo reached out to pull down the blanket directly.

Just as Leo was about to lean in for a kiss, he froze when he saw the woman's face clearly.

He turned on the room's main light.

The light illuminated everything in the room.

The woman under the blanket, with her hands and feet tied and her mouth taped shut, was actually Emily!

Emily's eyes widened as she struggled, desperately trying to say something.

Leo tore the tape off her mouth. "What are you doing here?"

"Hurry, go find Sebastian and Isabella, hurry!" Emily shouted urgently!

Leo was jolted, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation.

Emily had been sent to his bed, so it was obvious who Isabella was with now!

Leo grabbed a bathrobe and put it on as he walked to the door. As soon as he opened it, a crowd of people rushed in.

Before he could see who they were, he heard the sound of cameras clicking.

"What's going on?" Emily poked her head out from the bed.

In an instant, all the cameras turned towards her, snapping away in a frenzy.

Emily stood there in stunned silence before letting out a scream.

Her disheveled state was captured in full, with her tied up, it all looked like some scandalous affair.

A couple on the verge of marriage caught up in a steamy rendezvous during a hot springs trip.

This would make headlines for weeks!

"Stop taking pictures!" No matter how much Emily shouted, no one listened to her. The camera flashes were almost blinding her.

"Leo!" Emily couldn't take it anymore. She was completely at their mercy with her hands and feet tied. What infuriated her more was that Leo was just standing there, doing nothing!

"Stop them!" Emily shouted.

After a moment, Leo finally spoke, "Have you taken enough pictures?"

The media's cameras gradually quieted down.

Leo's gaze swept over everyone, his face angry. "This is a misunderstanding. None of the photos taken today are allowed to be released!"

The paparazzi exchanged glances, clearly taken aback.

"Mr. Anderson, we received a tip from Mr. Landon that there would be explosive news tonight. So we were waiting here, and Mr. Landon didn't lie. This is indeed big news. Now that we've taken the photos, you say we can't release them? Mr. Anderson, you should at least respect our profession!"

"Exactly! You did something scandalous, but now you won't let us report it?"

"No!" Emily shouted, "It's not what it looks like. Can't you see my hands and feet are tied? We were set up."

Someone laughed. "Miss Lopez, if Sebastian knew you were into this kind of thing, would he still want you?"

Emily was stunned.

"Yeah," someone echoed, "Even if we believe in your innocence, will Sebastian believe you when he finds out?"

Emily's face drained of color, her nails digging painfully into her palms. She knew that, at this point, the damage was likely irreparable.

Leo rubbed his temples and said, "Name your price. How much to delete the photos?"

The paparazzi looked at each other but said nothing.

Leo said, "I know how much you can make from a photo or a news story. You're just working for your company. How about this? Name a price, and I'll buy the photos. You'll make a quick buck, much faster than your salary."

Emily, hearing this, regained some hope. "Yes, pay them!"

As long as they bought the photos, the news wouldn't spread.

The paparazzi thought for a moment, possibly thinking it was a good deal, and asked, "How much are you offering, Mr. Anderson?"

Leo glanced around, roughly estimating there were about a dozen of them. He frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "One million dollars each. That's my best offer."

Emily breathed a sigh of relief.

One million dollars was a lot for a paparazzo.

She thought no paparazzo here would refuse that amount!

To her surprise, the paparazzi were stunned and then laughed.

"One million dollars? Mr. Anderson, these photos of you and Miss Lopez are worth far more than that!"

"Seriously? We thought Mr. Anderson was actually serious about this. But a million bucks? That's what you'd give a homeless person!"

Emily was stunned again, thinking, 'Have the paparazzi become so avaricious nowadays?

'One million dollars isn't enough?'

She looked at Leo.

Leo frowned, clearly displeased. "How much do you want?"

The laughter gradually stopped.

"Mr. Anderson, considering you just took over the Anderson Group, we're talking at least a hundred million dollars each," one of them declared.

"Yeah, one hundred million dollars each."

Leo snorted in disbelief. "Am I crazy, or are you guys off your rocker?"

One hundred million dollars each? They really dared to ask!

The paparazzi, however, were dead serious. "We're not joking. Besides, other bidders are offering us much more. Just think-if we hold out for a better offer, we not only get a huge payday but also get to break the story. It's a win-win!"

Leo's expression turned cold. "Is it Sebastian or Zaire?"

He couldn't believe that either of them would be foolish enough to offer more than a million dollars.

"It's me!"

A voice came from the crowd.

Emily's body trembled uncontrollably when she heard the voice.

She slowly lifted her gaze to the figure standing at the doorway, instantly feeling a heavy, dark shadow loom over her. Her mind raced, flashing through scenes like a movie reel.

Leo looked at the newcomer, a mocking smile on his face. "Kevin?"

Yes, it was Kevin, the eldest son of the Anderson family.

Without a word, Kevin walked up and kicked Leo.

Kevin, wearing leather shoes, delivered a fierce kick to Leo's abdomen, causing excruciating pain.