Carl hesitated, his lips moving uncertainly before he finally spoke. "I… don't have anything to say."
Utter bewilderment flooded his mind. How could Wesley possibly claim to be his uncle?
Weakness crept through his legs until he nearly lost the strength to remain standing.
Standing before him was none other than Wesley, the formidable patriarch of the Stewart family, a man the Spencer family had spent years trying to get close to. Yet now this powerful figure casually called himself his uncle… all because of Leanna?
From Leanna's perspective, however, the moment looked entirely different.
Carl, usually so arrogant, now appeared entirely deferential before Wesley, and a single word or even a quiet glance from the man seemed enough to pull her safely out of danger.
Heat rushed to Leanna's eyes, the rims turning red in an instant.
Tilting her head downward, she tried to conceal the storm of emotions threatening to spill out.
Why had everything turned out like this?
Without Wesley standing beside her, humiliation would stretch on endlessly.
Forced to witness her own fiance betray her before her very eyes, she would still be expected to marry him afterward, smiling as though none of it had ever happened!
For years she had walked alone, with no one to lean on, training herself never to shed a tear.
Yet in that moment, perhaps because of the steady warmth of the broad hand resting at her waist, a fragile strength stirred within her, and her slender shoulders began to quiver faintly as tears slipped free one after another.
Droplets of moisture landed softly on Wesley's sleeve.
A flicker of surprise crossed his expression, and he lowered his gaze to study her face.
With a low, steady voice, he inquired. "Are you crying?"
Memories of her boldness from the night before flickered through Wesley's mind.
A faint crease formed between his brows as his sharp gaze swept across the people gathered in the room, irritation simmering beneath the surface.
"What exactly were you talking about just now?" he demanded sharply.
How had these people managed to drive Leanna to tears? And the tension right before he walked in…
Carl stood frozen, lips pressed together, not daring to utter a single word.
Drawing in a steady breath, Emilio straightened his posture and pressed himself to clarify. "We were merely discussing the engagement between Carl and Leanna. But who could have imagined that this disgraceful daughter of mine would sneak out and spend the night with another man and..."
Before he could finish speaking, his voice faltered and cut off abruptly.
Wesley slowly shifted his gaze toward Carl, his voice even but cold enough to send a chill through the room. "Yesterday, I happened to see a report circulating online. It mentioned a Miss Wheeler… and you."
The moment those words landed, both Carl's and Emilio's faces drained of color.
Both men immediately understood exactly what he meant.
Though Leanna had never released the video she recorded, whispers had somehow still begun spreading online. Among the rumors circulating, the most explosive one claimed that Leanna had fled home after discovering Lucy and Carl entangled in an affair.
Those rumors had already thrown Carl and Emilio into a frenzy.
Just the day before, they had exhausted every connection they possessed, pouring money and influence into suppressing the story and forcing the media into silence. Their plan had been simple—keep the scandal buried until Leanna married into the Spencer family. Once the marriage was finalized, they could easily steer public opinion and dismiss the entire incident as nothing more than malicious gossip.
What they never expected… was for Wesley to have seen that news himself.
Leanna felt a sudden tug as Wesley drew her firmly against him, guiding her head into the shelter of his arms like a fierce lion shielding its cub.
Calm indifference laced his voice as he remarked, "If that's the case, then the ones caught up in that news should naturally be the ones walking down the aisle, shouldn't they?"
Those he referred to were none other than Carl and Lucy themselves.
Reluctant to offend the Spencer family, Emilio shifted uneasily and turned his gaze toward Carl for his opinion.
At that moment, Carl's entire body quivered, his complexion drained of color as dread settled over him. "Y-yes!"
Wesley regarded him with quiet authority and queried, "In that case, you're willing to cancel your engagement to Leanna, aren't you?"
After a tense pause, Carl swallowed hard and managed to choke out a stiff reply. "That's right."
Such obedient compliance left even Leanna momentarily stunned.
Meanwhile, a faint, amused chuckle slipped from Wesley's lips as he concluded smoothly, "Good. Then it's decided."
Resting against the steady heat of his chest while her tears soaked into the fabric of his shirt, Leanna sensed a storm of protectiveness and unexpected tenderness stirring within him.
"I'll take Leanna with me for now. You two can stay here and keep discussing the wedding."
Without another word, he bent down, lifted Leanna effortlessly into his arms, and strode toward the exit.
Just as he reached the doorway of Wheeler Mansion, Leanna suddenly spoke, her eyes still red with grievance as she looked back at the people inside. "And my mother... what about her?"
Carl stiffened before reluctantly motioning toward Emilio.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Emilio quickly forced out a shaky assurance. "Your mother will be fine—nothing will happen to her."
Upon hearing that, a trace of relief finally eased the tension in Leanna's chest, and she quietly nestled back against Wesley's embrace.
Long after the two disappeared into the distance, Emilio remained rooted where he stood, his legs trembling as the shocking scene from moments ago replayed endlessly in his mind.
His brows drew together slightly as he pressed. "Is that man your uncle? Why does his presence feel so suffocating?"
Carl shook his head quickly. "That's not my uncle. That's the head of the Stewart family."
Fear and reverence flashed across Emilio's eyes. "The head of the Stewart family?" he echoed hoarsely. "You mean the legendary Wesley Stewart—the ruthless man people say holds absolute power, the one infamous for his merciless approach? How could someone like him possibly take an interest in Leanna?"
Struggling to steady himself, Carl answered in a strained tone, "I'd like to know the same thing. I have no idea how she ended up connected to Wesley. But one thing is certain—never try to play tricks in front of Wesley. The last family that attempted it went bankrupt overnight, their entire clan ruined beyond recovery."
Upon hearing that, the color drained from Emilio's face. Shock overwhelmed him so completely that his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor.
His mind reeled in pure disbelief. Leanna had somehow become entangled with a man of such terrifying power!