Tangled in his Obsession novel Chapter 438

Although the Garcias were known for their storied ancestry, perhaps because of Herman's approachable demeanor, Seraphina never felt he was out of her league.

But after meeting his grandparents today, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was a vast chasm between Herman and Andrea.

Herman hailed from old money, his lineage as pristine as it gets, whereas Andrea's came from a lot more complicated family.

This divide was intrinsic, not the sort that could be bridged with time or effort.

So, whether or not something had happened between Herman and Andrea, their paths were likely to diverge from here on out.

That's why Andrea was so adamant about denying any relationship with Herman. An entanglement, if it ever existed, would only lead to discomfort and embarrassment. Andrea, being both clear-headed and rational, surely knew how to handle such matters.

With this realization, Seraphina decided not to dwell on their situation any further.

Hearing her resigned tone, Leandro glanced her way and said slowly, "I thought you of all people wouldn't care about family backgrounds."

Seraphina sighed faintly, "I may not give a damn about family status, but reality is what it is. For now, that reality isn't changing. Isn't that right?"

"Perhaps," Leandro conceded, "but who can really predict the future?"

Seraphina frowned at him, "Since when did you become such a romantic?"

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked.

Shaking her head, she replied, "Not necessarily. But to run a giant like Reynolds Group, we need the ruthless Mr. Reynolds back, don't we?"

Leandro looked at her again, "Do you think I have the patience to indulge in such idle chit-chat with just anyone?"

Seraphina paused, then glared at him while pulling Valerio into her arms as a shield, "I never asked for your precious time, Mr. Reynolds."

"Hmm," Leandro uttered, "I invest my time where it's worthwhile."

Seraphina was silent after that.

Hearing the exchange, Valerio chuckled quietly after a moment's peace.

Seraphina suddenly pinched his cheek, "What are you laughing at?"

Valerio, not quite pleased, wriggled out of her hold and into Leandro's arms, seeking his favor.

Seraphina watched the little traitor with a cold huff. So the kid thought Leandro was talking about him? How utterly... foolish.

As it turned out, there was some truth to the saying that fools are blissfully ignorant, at least they could sleep soundly when tired. But the overly clever ones? Sleep eluded them.

Seraphina belonged to the latter group.

In the cool spaciousness of the autumn bathroom, with the heat emanating from the body behind her, Seraphina endured a rollercoaster of sensations until she was completely spent and could finally return to bed.

Despite being utterly exhausted and assuming she'd fall asleep instantly, she lay there with closed eyes yet didn’t feel sleepy at all.

Leandro was awake too, his large hand absentmindedly tracing patterns on her back. Ultimately unable to resist, Seraphina opened her eyes only to meet Leandro's deep, brooding gaze.

She jumped, slightly startled, "Staring at someone in the middle of the night without sleeping can scare them to death, you know?"

Leandro didn't respond, instead he leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips.

It was a simple gesture, one of many intimate displays he had a habit of, but Seraphina sensed something more, "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Leandro glanced at his wristwatch on the nightstand, "In about four and a half hours."

Frowning deeply, Seraphina retorted, "If you had to go, why not earlier? Why choose such an early hour to stir up trouble!"