The way Leaf looked at him as if she could devour him, made him feel even more elated. As he pondered the term to describe how he saw Leaf, he accidentally said, "Cute."

Leaf opened her mouth in surprise, her entire face and ears painted with a red blush. Despite being an ancient being, she appeared as if she were born yesterday when it came to relationships.

Seeing the woman's open mouth, Zed couldn't resist. He closed the gap between them, attempting to taste those glossy, reddish lips that looked so tempting he wondered what they tasted like.

+++++

Leaf, now moving further away from Zed, retreated until she reached the end of the bed. Observing the movement of his obsession, a hint of anger stirred within Zed. Stiffening, he halted and glanced at his right arm, which gripped the bed sheets tightly.

"So this is what anger feels like," he thought, a grin momentarily flashing across his lips. His expression quickly returned to neutrality, as if the grin had never occurred, and he refocused his attention on the woman before him.

He observed the anger in Leah's eyes and felt remorseful. "I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. He retreated and pulled the chair closer to the bed, positioning himself to face Leaf. He acknowledged his feelings for his new contractor but understood that they might not be reciprocated.

Recognizing his mistake, he seated himself and gazed at Leah with eyes filled with remorse and a plea for forgiveness. It didn't matter if this was his first time seeking forgiveness. He was willing to do anything to have this woman by his side without coercion.

"What were you trying to do?" Leah asked, her uncertainty evident in her tone.

"I was going to fix the cover of your wound," Zed replied softly.

Leah touched her forehead, feeling the gauze covering her wound about to fall off. She removed the gauze cover and discarded it in the garbage before turning back to Zed, her gaze intense. "You were about to kiss me, weren't you?" she wanted to ask him, but uncertainty held her back.

While enhancing her body, she found time to search for this guy using the system’s library of this world. The system was not all-knowing, so it only provided information that had been recorded either physically or digitally and existed in this world.

She knew everything she needed to know about Zed, so she was surprised and confused when she saw emotions in his eyes just now. However, the information provided only went up to one month ago. There was nothing after that.

She turned around and searched for her phone before lying back in bed. She asked her parents to send all her security team's applications and any related information.

Feeling ignored, Zed felt disheartened and lowered his head. He also took out his phone and searched for how to pursue a girl no a woman. Additionally, he added "how to take care of a patient" to the search bar.

The room was quiet, yet the atmosphere was serene, with both occupants engrossed in their own activities. Zed sifted through articles and advice, while Leah reviewed the information received from her parents.

Leah glanced at Zed before addressing him. "Ahem," she attempted to catch Zed's attention. When Zed looked up, Leah asked, "You were diagnosed with ASPD?"

"Yes," Zed replied simply.

Zed gazed at Leah intently, his expression a mix of obsession and a subtle indulgence. "But I believe I need to undergo reassessment," he stated clearly, his words carrying an implicit suggestion.

"Why do you think that?" Leah inquired once more.

"Because from the moment I first laid eyes on you, and every time I'm with you, I find myself experiencing emotions," Zed confessed, maintaining unwavering eye contact with Leah.

Leah's surprise was evident as she gripped her phone tightly and blurted out, "Do you like me?" Inwardly, she chastised herself, thinking, "Who am I kidding? Isn't it obvious?" as she gazed into Zed's obsidian-like eyes, sensing their desire to devour her.

Zed nodded in affirmation. "I do like you," he declared, making it unmistakably clear to Leah that he desired her.

"I think it's just a coincidence," Leah attempted to deny, seeking to rationalize the situation.

"No, it's not," Zed countered firmly, adamantly refuting Leah's assumptions.

"We'll see about that," Leah retorted defiantly. She reclined on the bed, closing her eyes as she began to strategize her next move against her so-called fiancé, his mistress, and his admirers.

"After using me to advance your company’s standing and protect your mistress, you had the audacity to throw an ashtray at me," Leah mused with a grin, her thoughts consumed by deep contemplation.

After being ignored for the second time, Zed felt not offended but rather relieved that Leah didn't get angry and calmly accepted his confession. In his mind, he began referring to Leah as his wife, a term he had picked up from his online readings. Returning to his online reading, he resumed his activity with a sense of contentment.

A few seconds later, Leah grumbled inwardly, "Sh*t, I can't concentrate." Her mind felt cluttered, making it difficult for her to think properly. "I need to figure out how I feel about this guy before I move forward," she thought, determined to sort through her emotions before making any plans against Wang Haoran.

She also couldn't understand why her soul reacted so strongly whenever Zed paid attention to her. Mulling over it for a moment, she suddenly realized, "F*ck, I think I fell in love at first sight." Leah had always been straightforward, but past experiences taught her the value of taking things slow and carefully considering her feelings before making any decisions.

Just like Zed, this was the first time she had ever fallen so hard for someone. Despite her long existence thus far, this was the only instance she felt such intense interest. "No, love," Leah corrected herself. Just like Zed, this newfound experience was precious to her. "I have time, yes, I have time," Leah reassured herself once more.

While Leah was deep in thought, contemplating her emotions and forming a plan, Zed seethed with anger and jealousy by her bedside. He began fervently gathering information about Leah online, eager to get to know her better. He sought to understand her likes, hobbies, dislikes, and everything in between.

During his research, Zed stumbled upon how Leah had fallen in love with Wang Haoran and how she had devoted herself to him since the day they got engaged. Gripping the phone so tightly that the screen cracked, he felt a surge of anger rising within him.

Crack.

Struggling to contain his emotions, Zed took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly to prevent his killing intent from leaking. He fought to maintain control over his rising rage.

"I will dissolve the engagement between me and Wang Haoran." 

Zed remembered Leah's earlier announcement. This realization brought him a sense of calm. "Yes, their relationship is over. From the moment he hurt Leah, Wang Haoran became a stranger to her," Zed thought, a smile forming on his lips.

Meanwhile, in Leah's sea of consciousness, she and Zero were engaged in a discussion. Zero, who hadn't made an appearance since Leah had called up her status window, was now confined within a birdcage-like metal container atop a tall white pillar. Positioned at a height where Leah could maintain eye contact with the five-inch-tall Zero.

Their conversation revolved around the recent system announcement.

[ System announcement: 1st quest!

Ask forgiveness from the male lead

Status: Completed! Congratulations Master!

Reward: 10 Pbucks ]

[ System announcement: 2nd quest!

Ask Liu Leah’s father to stop putting pressure on the male lead’s company

Status: Completed! Congratulations Master!

Reward: 10 Pbucks ]