It had been almost a week since Maureen last saw Leon. A week of silence. A week of unanswered calls, ignored texts, and doors slammed in her face. She had even dared to go to the infamous Viper's old safehouse after hearing whispers of where Leon was staying, but the guards turned her away without hesitation. The humiliation of being denied entry burned her, but not nearly as much as the thought of Leon spending his time with her—with Ayla.
Her blood boiled each night as she replayed the same thought over and over again: He's slipping away from me.
By the end of the week, Maureen's patience snapped. She had dressed herself sharply, her hair done, her makeup flawless, hoping—no, knowing—that if she confronted Leon face-to-face, he'd remember who had saved his life. Who had been there when no one else was.
Fate, cruel or kind, seemed to answer when she spotted him in a high-end restaurant, seated at a round table with Nico, Kalen, and Ayla. The sight twisted her stomach into knots of rage. There Ayla was, laughing faintly at something Kalen had said, Leon's hand close enough to brush hers on the table.
Before she could think twice, Maureen stormed toward them, heels clicking against the marble floor, her fury carrying her forward. Heads turned as she stopped by their table, her voice loud and sharp.
"So this is it?" she spat, glaring at Leon. "You disappear for a week and I find you here with her? Leon, you're my boyfriend. My boyfriend! I saved your life, and now here you are playing house with the woman who tossed you aside for someone else—then killed him when she was done!"
The words crashed over the table like a thunderclap. Conversations from nearby tables hushed, curious eyes turning.
Ayla opened her mouth to respond, but Leon raised a hand, stopping her. His gaze locked on Maureen, and the fury in his eyes was like ice—cold, unyielding.
"Maureen," he said slowly, his voice calm yet cutting. "I appreciate that you saved my life. But let's be honest—you wouldn't have even been there to save me if you hadn't been stalking me. Keep this up, and I will press charges."
Maureen froze, her face draining of color, but Leon didn't stop. His words only grew sharper, every syllable deliberate.
"And as for this ridiculous claim that I'm your boyfriend—there isn't a single piece of documentation, not one shred of truth, to back you up. You're not my girlfriend. You never were. You're just a delusional wannabe. And this nonsense you're spouting about Ayla?" His voice dropped, low and dangerous. "If you ever say something like that again, I'll sue you for defamation."
The silence in the restaurant was deafening, broken only by the faint clatter of cutlery from distant tables. Leon's voice rose, final and thunderous:
"Now, if you don't have anything meaningful to do with your evening, get the fuck out of here!"
The words struck like a slap. Maureen's face flushed a deep crimson, humiliation flooding her as whispers rose around the room. Her lips trembled as if to form a retort, but none came. With one last glare—more pitiful than threatening—she turned and stormed out, her heels striking faster this time, her pride bleeding with every step.
The table remained awkwardly silent after she left. Nico cleared his throat, trying to cut through the tension, but the weight of the scene lingered. Ayla looked down at her plate, pushing her food around with her fork, while Leon simply picked up his glass and drank, his expression unreadable.
The following morning, a knock echoed at Maureen's door. She swung it open, expecting—hoping—to see Leon. Instead, a uniformed man stood there, papers in hand.
"Maureen Lawson?" he asked.
She nodded stiffly.
"You've been served. This is a restraining order. You are hereby prohibited from being within one hundred feet of Leon Moretti , Ayla Monroe, or Kalen Monroe. Effective immediately."
The papers were handed over, the man walking away before Maureen could react.
Her hands shook as she skimmed the words, each sentence cutting deeper. Rage bubbled in her chest until it exploded—she tore the paper into shreds, her scream muffled only by the walls of her empty apartment.
"I won't let her take you from me, Leon," she hissed to the silence. "I won't."