Chapter 285

After the car window was closed, the noise inside the car significantly decreased, and even the car body stopped shaking.

Isabella thought that her presence here was becoming too much of a distraction to others. She decided to move to a different spot. Just as she took a step, the car door opened, and Leo stepped out, a faint blush still lingering on his face.

He glanced at Isabella somewhat awkwardly, then looked away and said, "What are you doing here?"

Isabella couldn't really explain, but she thought maybe Leo could help her, so she said, "I want to go inside. Can you help me?"

Leo glanced at her again, seemingly puzzled. "Sebastian refused to bring you here?""

"I don't want to explain," Isabella said, "Just tell me if you'll help or not."

"No," Leo crossed his arms. "Unless you give me a kiss, then I'll consider it."

Isabella was speechless and glanced at the tightly closed car window behind him. "Didn't you just finish making out?"

Leo was speechless.

Isabella continued, "Why is it that every time I run into you, you're doing this kind of thing? You must be really desperate."

Leo shrugged helplessly. "What can I do? I'm a man with normal needs, but you won't let me touch you. Otherwise, I would have quit long ago."

"How is that my problem?" Isabella kept her distance. "This is clearly your own issue. I have nothing to do with you, so don't drag me into it."

Leo said, "I'm serious. Isabella, if you just nod, I can make a change."

Isabella looked at him expressionlessly. "Sorry, I'm not a saint. I don't have a habit of saving people."

She thought Leo was a complete mess.

"Why are you willing to save Sebastian then?" Leo's words sounded bitter even to himself.

Isabella glared at him. "He's not a spoiled brat."

After a pause, she added seriously, "He's different from you!"

Leo sneered, "That's because you don't know him well enough. He might be worse than me."

"I don't want to hear this," Isabella interrupted him, "We've been through so much lately. Sebastian is my fiancé, and I trust him. I won't listen to others' slander, so take back what you want to say. Because I won't believe a word of it."

Leo smiled and said nothing more.

Seeing that Leo didn't seem willing to help her, Isabella decided to find another way. "Then you carry on. I'm leaving."

"Wait," Leo called out to her.

Isabella turned back. "What?"

"Today, outside the Landon family's estate, there are several groups of people guarding it. You won't be able to get in."

Isabella said, "I'll find a way."

Leo's gaze swept over her from head to toe. "Even if you manage to blend in, dressed like this, you'll be recognized immediately."

Isabella looked down at herself. Indeed, she had come straight from the airport and was still wearing a dress. Going in like this would be too conspicuous, with nowhere to hide.

"Come with me," Leo said, turning to leave.

Isabella hesitated for a few seconds, feeling like she was out of options, before quickly stepping inside after Leo.

As Charles' godson, Leo was a familiar face around the Landon family estate. Entering through the back door was a breeze for him, and it was just as easy to bring Isabella along.

They made their way through the back entrance, and Leo led her to a room in the servants' quarters. He pushed open a storage closet and said, "Wait here while I grab something."

With that, he shut the door behind him and left. The click of the lock startled Isabella. She hurried over to the door, tugging at it, only to find it secured from the outside.

Her heart sank. "Leo, you tricked me again!"

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, the door swung open again. Leo stood there, holding a set of clothes and wearing a smirk. "I help you out and you're still cursing me?"

Caught off guard, Isabella felt a pang of shame. "I didn't..."

Leo raised an eyebrow and cut her off, "What, did you really think I was locking you in?"

Though she felt embarrassed, she had indeed feared that was what was happening. But it turned out she was wrong. Despite his flaws, Leo wasn't irredeemably bad. Occasionally, a glimmer of decency showed through.

"Sorry," Isabella said.

Leo chuckled. "No need to apologize. Honestly, I'd love to lock you in. That way, you wouldn't be able to escape."

The fleeting gratitude Isabella had felt vanished like a puff of smoke. She glared at Leo.

"Change into these," Leo said with a grin, handing her the clothes. "I'll wait outside. And remember to lock the door. I might come barging in on a whim, and you wouldn't want me seeing something you'd rather keep hidden."

Isabella decided she had misjudged Leo. Clearly, he was not the good Samaritan she hoped for. With a wary eye on him, she locked the door tightly and quickly changed behind it.

The uniform was clearly from the Landon family's staff, and though Isabella wasn't sure where Leo had procured it, it fit her quite well.

When she emerged dressed in the uniform, Leo was standing under a tree outside, smoking a cigarette. Hearing her, he flicked the cigarette butt away and waved his hand to clear the smoke before approaching her. He looked her over with a touch of pride. "I knew you'd need a size S."

Isabella, annoyed by his irreverence, decided not to engage. "Thanks. I'll be going now."

She turned to leave, but Leo grabbed her wrist. Pulling out a black mask from his pocket, he carefully placed it over her face. "It's crowded today. I'm going to steal Charles' evidence for you. After the party, wait for me here. If all goes well, I'll be here by ten at the latest."

Isabella, surprised and a bit excited, looked up at him. "You're serious? You're actually going to help me steal the evidence?"

Leo met her gaze. "I owe you a favor. I may not be a saint, but I keep my promises. Especially to you. Even if it costs me my life, I'll do it."

Isabella thought his words sounded overly dramatic for what he was doing. "It's just stealing something, it's not life or death. But you'd better not get caught by Charles, or he might really kill you."

Leo smiled, a mix of amusement and something more in his eyes. "Isabella, if I die one day, will you shed a tear for me?"