To Be Yours Again novel (Alec and Jenny)
Chapter 960 Have I Charmed You Too?

Behind them, Stephanie and Leonard walked together.

The weather was freezing on this chilly winter night, and Stephanie couldn't help but shiver. She regretted agreeing to go for a walk with Jenny and the others. It was so cold! They should have gone home to rest instead of going for a walk. Stephanie questioned wordlessly in her heart as to why they were making themselves suffer.

As she was complaining about the situation inwardly, warmth suddenly enveloped her. She turned and realized that Leonard had draped his coat over her.

"No, it's okay..." Stephanie tried to refuse and made to return his coat.

But Leonard didn't give her the chance to do so. He held her shoulders firmly, not letting her take it off. "Keep it on. I'm not cold."

Not cold? That was obviously a lie. Seeing how insistent Leonard was, Stephanie stopped refusing him. "Thank you."

"Speaking of which, we haven't been in touch for over ten years. Have you been doing well all these years?" Leonard casually asked, trying to ease the awkwardness between them. Stephanie nodded. "I'm doing pretty well."

It didn't matter whether she was doing well or not. There were many things she couldn't talk about with Leonard.

"That's good. I've been busy working all these years and haven't thought of contacting our classmates from back then. I don't know how everyone's been doing." Leonard sighed.

After he graduated, he joined the police force and started off as a rookie police officer and worked his way up to where he was today. He couldn't quite talk to anyone about the bitterness and difficulties he encountered.

Running into Stephanie in Bardoff City was something unexpected for him. However, that coincidental encounter ignited a sense of hope in his heart.

Hearing him say that, Stephanie smiled. "I haven't been in touch with our other classmates either. Even if I did, it would just be a casual 'like' on their posts on social media. But you look much more handsome now compared to back then. If our classmates found out that the chubby kid has turned into a hottie, they'd be surprised."

She looked at Leonard. Undeniably, Leonard was really handsome after he'd slimmed down. She would never have guessed that he was her former classmate if he hadn't revealed his identity.

Leonard also smiled with a hint of embarrassment. "I was under a lot of pressure to do well back then, so I gained weight because of the stress. After I went to the police academy and exercised every day, I naturally lost weight."

"That's great," Stephanie complimented.

"What about you? I heard you're working in your own company now." Leonard said.

Stephanie nodded and replied, "Yes, I'm helping my parents. They're getting older, after all. I can't be as wilful as I was when I was younger."

If it weren't for Paul's appearance, Stephanie felt she might still be living her life as a spoiled rich kid and wouldn't be able to understand her parents' difficulties. But because of Paul, everything changed. "Look at you being all wise. You're still young now," Leonard said with a chuckle, "and you're very pretty."

Feeling embarrassed by his appreciative gaze, Stephanie said, "You don't have to flatter me on purpose. I'm almost thirty."

"If you put it that way, doesn't that mean I'm an old man?" After all, he was slightly older than Stephanie.

Stephanie put up her hands, feeling embarrassed. "No, no. You're a typical handsome guy right now. I can't see any signs of aging on your face."

She wasn't lying when she said that. Perhaps it was because he exercised regularly that Leonard looked much younger than their peers. When they were at the police station, had he not mentioned that they were classmates, she would just assume he was a hot young guy.

"Really? You replace me handsome?" Leonard asked.

Stephanie nodded without hesitation. "Yes, you're very handsome. I'm sure you're the kind of guy who can charm all women."

"Oh? What about you? Have I charmed you too?" Leonard suddenly asked, with a smile that seemed casual but his gaze made Stephanie blush nonetheless.

Stephanie quickly averted her gaze, not daring to stare at him anymore. "I...I just appreciate the way you look."

It was normal to want to take a second glance at a handsome guy.