Chapter 29: Unplanned meeting

Night fell, and Leon stepped out of his room.

He was dressed in a simple white shirt tucked into a pair of black pants. His hair was neatly arranged, and he had made sure he looked presentable before leaving his room.

He walked down the hallway and stopped in front of Sophia’s door. He raised his hand and knocked twice. For some reason, he felt nervous. His palms were a little sweaty, and he could feel his heart beating faster than usual.

’Why am I even nervous? It’s just a date.’

He was still thinking about it when Shadow emerged from the ground looking at Leon’s face before breaking into laughter.

"Look at who’s nervous."

Leon shot him a glare.

"Get lost."

Shadow only laughed harder. "Relax. It’s not like you’re going to war."

"Just be yourself and let everything work out."

With that, he disappeared.Leon let out a sigh and took a deep breath. He was still waiting when he heard the sound of a lock turning. The door opened, and Sophia stepped out.

She wore a short, simple pink gown and held a matching pink purse in her hands. Her hair was styled perfectly, and everything about her appearance looked neat and beautiful.

The moment she saw Leon standing outside, her cheeks turned slightly rosy.

"Hi."

"Hello," Leon replied.

For a second, they simply stared at each other, Sophia looked down at her dress before looking back at him. "I wasn’t sure if I was overdressing or underdressing, so I tried to find something in between."

Leon smiled.

"You look perfect."

Her cheeks grew a little redder.

"Thank you."

He offered her a hand, but she was already moving toward the stairs, so he simply followed beside her.

They went downstairs together, where a cab Leon had booked was already waiting for them. He opened the door for her, and she got in before he entered from the other side. The cab started moving.

"So, where are we going?" Sophia asked, looking at him curiously.

"It’s a surprise."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Should I be worried?"

"No. I promise you’ll like it."

Sophia smiled and leaned back in her seat.

"Okay. I’ll trust you."

Leon looked out the window, trying to act as though everything was normal. He had made the reservation earlier, but he still wondered if he had chosen the right place.

’This better go well.’

After some time, the cab finally stopped in front of a large restaurant. Leon stepped out first and helped Sophia out of the cab. The moment she looked at the building, her eyes widened.

The restaurant was beautifully designed, with large glass windows, bright lights, and an entrance that looked more suited to wealthy businessmen than ordinary hunters.

She looked down at her dress, then back at Leon.

"Now I feel underdressed."

Leon chuckled.

"You look perfect. I’ve already told you that."

Sophia turned to him with a smile. "I didn’t know you were such a flirt. You’ve been complimenting me all evening."

Leon scratched the back of his head.

"I’m just telling the truth."

She laughed, and he felt some of the nervousness in his chest disappear. He led her toward the entrance, where a man dressed in a full suit stood waiting to attend to arriving guests.

"Good evening. Do you have a reservation?" the man asked politely.

"Yes. Under Leon Tallon"

The man checked the reservation list before nodding.

"Of course, sir. Your table is ready. Please follow me."

They followed him into the restaurant.

The interior was even more impressive than the outside. The tables were neatly arranged, the lighting was warm, and the soft music playing in the background made the atmosphere feel peaceful.

The man led them to their table and pulled out a chair for Sophia before leaving them to settle in.A waiter soon approached with the menu, Leon glanced through it and ordered a steak with a glass of wine. Sophia looked at the menu for a moment before deciding to order the same.

When the waiter left, she rested her hands on the table and looked at him.

"Honestly, I didn’t take you for someone who would do something this fancy."

Leon raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes. I was already worried when I started getting ready. I kept wondering if I was doing too much for a simple date."

He laughed.

"Well, I had to make an impression, didn’t I?"

Sophia burst into laughter. "At least you’re honest about it."

Leon smiled. The awkwardness between them was slowly disappearing, and the conversation began to flow more naturally.

They talked about different things, from their experiences as hunters to the challenges they faced every day. At some point, Leon leaned back in his chair and looked at her.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Why did you become a hunter?"

Sophia thought about it for a moment before answering.

"Honestly? Money. Once I awakened my ability, I realized that becoming a hunter was probably the best way for me to make a decent living." She shrugged.

"I didn’t have many options, so I decided to give it a try."

"Doesn’t it get hard?" Leon asked.

Sophia smiled faintly.

"Yes, it does. It actually does. There are days when I get tired of everything, and there are times when I wonder if I’m making the right decision. But I’ve gotten used to it."

She paused before continuing. "Besides, I can’t really see myself doing anything other than being a hunter anymore."

Leon smiled.

"I understand."

They continued talking for a while longer, and by the time the food arrived, the nervousness had almost completely disappeared. They began eating, enjoying the meal and each other’s company.

Everything was going well, until Leon heard a laugh. It was not particularly loud, and there were other people talking around the restaurant. Normally, he would not have paid attention to it, but he knew that laugh.

He knew it as well as he knew his own name. His hand stopped halfway to his mouth, Slowly, Leon turned his head toward the entrance.

Two people had just walked in.

A man dressed in an expensive suit and a woman wearing a beautiful dress. Their arms were interlocked, and they walked through the entrance as though they owned the place.

Liam and Scarlett.

Leon’s expression changed slightly. Liam stopped briefly to tip one of the waiters, making sure the gesture was noticeable before continuing inside. He wore a confident smile, clearly enjoying the attention his wealth attracted.

Scarlett was beside him, laughing at something he had said.

Then her eyes met Leon’s.

She stopped. For a moment, neither of them moved.

Liam noticed the change in her expression and followed her gaze. When he saw Leon sitting across from Sophia, his smile faded before slowly returning.

The atmosphere around the table changed. Leon looked at them for another second before turning back to his food.

’Not today.’

He hated Scarlett. He hated what she had done to him, and he certainly had no desire to see her again, but he was on a date with Sophia. He was not going to ruin the evening because of them.

Sophia, however, had noticed everything. She glanced toward the entrance before looking back at him.

"Isn’t that your ex?"

Leon let out a small laugh.

"Yeah."

He picked up his fork and continued eating. Sophia watched him for a moment, unsure of what to say. The conversation they had been enjoying was suddenly gone, replaced by an uncomfortable silence.

She decided not to ask anything else and returned to her meal.

For a short while, Leon thought that would be the end of it. He was wrong.

Footsteps approached their table, and a shadow fell across the food in front of him.

Leon looked up.

Liam stood there with Scarlett beside him, staring down at Leon as though he had found something disgusting on the floor.

"What is trash like you doing in an establishment like this?" Liam asked. "Who even let you in?"

Several people nearby turned to look. Leon placed his fork down and looked at him calmly.

"If you have any courtesy, if you have any class, you’d walk away now and not cause a scene."

Liam’s expression immediately darkened.

"Who do you think you’re talking to?"

Scarlett stepped forward, her face twisted with anger. "How dare you speak to him like that, Leon? Do you have any idea who you’re talking to? A single hair on Liam’s head is worth more than ten of you!"She pointed at him.

"He even gave you enough respect to come over here and speak to you. You should be begging him for forgiveness and licking the floor he walks on!"

Leon slowly turned his gaze toward her. His eyes were cold.

There was no anger on his face, no raised voice, and no sign that her words had affected him. But the look he gave her was that of a cold-blooded killer staring at his next victim.

Scarlett’s voice died in her throat, a chill ran down her spine, and before she could stop herself, she took a step backward.

Leon looked away from her and fixed his eyes on Liam.

"Leave me alone. I don’t care what you do, and I don’t care what the both of you do. But if you cause trouble for me, it’s not going to end well for you."

The restaurant had grown quiet around them.

Liam stared at Leon, his face burning with humiliation. And Leon simply sat there, waiting to see what he would do next.