The Manipulated Villainess

"What brings you here?" Nicole asked Leon as she returned to her seat and calmly started working again. Her fiance had gotten used to visiting her unannounced. Come to think of it, they met each other very often these days and it never happened before.

During the past two years, they met up thrice at most in a whole month! But these days, they met each other almost... every day? There might be a day gap or... whatever. She doesn't care.

"I happen to be at the area and decided to stop by," Leon replied as he returned to the couch for the visitors.

Nicole closed the files and gave Leon a doubtful look. "Do you expect me to buy that?" She asked as she observed him.

"Whatever my reason is, don't you think it's a great timing? I save you from another awkward dinner." Leon tilted his head to her and a proud smile was formed in his lips.

He was right. But Nicole was a little confused. What does he mean by 'awkward dinner'? He talked as if he knows the relationship between her and the step-mother.

Noticing her puzzled face, Leon clarified, "If you have that great and lovely relationship with your step-mother, you won't be forced to marry me. Am I right?"

"We are not much different, Nicole. Your life is controlled by your mother and my life is in my father's hands." Leon calmly added as if it was a normal thing. Well, maybe they had grown accustomed to it.

"I think a dinner with you won't be much different." A slight smile appeared on her face but faded when she looked at her phone. She received a call and it was from the actor.

Ah! She had forgotten about him being in the hospital. She needs to visit him after work and that means she cannot have any other plans. She glanced at Leon who looked at her confusedly and sighed.

Why did her plans with the two men always collide? She rubbed her forehead with her left palm, wondering what to do.

"Let me guess. You already have a plan scheduled. Didn't you?" Leon said, thinking why she had gotten so busy these days.

"I need to go to a hospital," Nicole responded as she blankly stared at her phone. The call had turned to a missed call.

Leon's calm face instantly changed when he heard her. "Why? Are you sick?" He asked as he furrowed a brow but the Chairwoman's gaze was so fixated on the phone and his worried face went unnoticed.

"Not me. An acquaintance is admitted yesterday." Nicole simply replied which made the fiance sighed in relief. "Wait a minute." She finally swiped the green button on the second call.

"What do you want?" She bluntly asked as she put her phone next to her right ear.

"Aren't you too harsh to a patient?" Aston who was sitting on his hospital bed said from the other line.

"Just say why you called. I'm busy." She huffed and noticed that Leon was curiously staring at her. She finds her situation very uncomfortable!

"When will you come? It's already past working hours. Do you perhaps try to ditch me?" Aston asked with a playful smile.

Nicole sighed at how clingy he was. "It's only 6 pm. Why are you so impatient? Besides, do you know how busy I am today?"

"No. How would I know that if you don't tell me?" Aston blurted out. "Can you bring some rice cakes when you come?" He asked only wishing to know how she would react.

"Just eat the food there. I'm not your errand girl!" She scowled which earned her a light chuckle from the other line.

"I know you will say that." He simply responded with a smile.

"Good then. I'm busy. Just behave and wait for me." She hung up the call which made him gasped in disbelief!

Aston doesn't understand her at all. She was cold at times but warm sometimes! Besides, why must she always tell him to behave?! Being treated like a kid by someone younger than him? He finds it totally unacceptable!

"Is that a call from the one you will be visiting? You seem to be close." Leon simply commented while playing with his phone.

Once again, Nicole looked at Leon with a puzzled face. Why was he so curious these days? He never asked her such a question before! Like always, the fact that he loved her never crossed her mind. For her, it's an impossible thing. Maybe because he had never shown concern in her during the past years.

"Yeah. Seems like I need to leave soon." She glanced at her wristwatch and then turned her head to Leon again. "What about you? Did you call a day?"

Leon nodded his head. "What about I come with you? Will it be okay? You said it's an acquaintance." He asked.

Nicole knows right away that it was not a good idea, much more like not an appropriate thing to do. Her mouth remained shut as she narrowed her eyes at the closed files. She wanted to say 'no' but what would that make of her?

Suddenly, she felt guilty when she recalled all the situation. She may not love Leon but he was still her fiance. Yet when she decided to look after the actor, none of these crossed her mind! No matter what their relationship was, the fact that Aston was still the man who admired her remained the same.

She tried to respond but Leon interrupted her by saying, "If you're done, then let's go."

Leon rose from his seat and looked at her. He was waiting for her so that they could leave the office together.

"Oh! O -okay." She reluctantly rose from her seat and leave her company building with Leon.

Nicole told her secretary to send her car home and ride Leon's car. They even stopped to buy some rice cakes on the way.

They reached the Westview Hospital in no time and while she was leading the way, the fiance quietly followed her. While she was trying to figure out just what was she doing, she already finds herself standing before the door to the actor's room.

Aston's eyes darted to the door when he heard the sound of the door opening. His dull face instantly brightened up when Nicole stepped inside but... his smile slipped when he saw the man who entered next!

Walking inside the VVIP room, Leon's eyes landed on the patient who was sitting on the bed. He raised a brow when he saw the familiar face!

What entered the minds of the two men were very similar.

'It's the fiance!'

'It's that celebrity from the Department Store!'

All at once, an undeniably strong tension was formed between the two men who both had Nicole on their hearts.....