His words were kind of meaningful. Leah didn't know if it was an illusion, but she felt that there was something off with Norval's words. She narrowed her eyes sharply at Norval.

Norval's lips were curved into a playful smile. Yet the eyes hiding behind his glasses had sharpened as he stared at Leah unblinkingly.

"I don't need it," Leah said, "Just take your stepmother and leave. Don't bother me anymore."

Norval shrugged and said, "Auntie misses you very much, Leah. Don't be so rude."

Leah sneered. "You still call her Auntie? She has sacrificed for you throughout all these years for the Qualls family, yet you address her so formally? It seems like you don't think much of her."

"I'll refer to her as my mother soon, but it's not the right time. She's our mother." Norval smiled and said, "Leah, come back with me to the Qualls Family."

"Mr. Qualls, please put away your self-righteousness," Leah said in a low voice, "I want nothing to do with you guys."

Norval said, "Leah, why do you keep thinking that I mean you harm? I just like you. I want you to be my girlfriend and then my wife."

He finally admitted to it.

Leah sucked in a cold breath.

She narrowed her eyes. "Norval, stop joking around. I have a boyfriend. I don't want my boyfriend to misunderstand."

"Your boyfriend made you sad, didn't he? You went on a vacation yourself, so it's obvious that something's wrong with your relationship." Norval smiled and suggested, "Why don't I replace him?" Leah frowned. "What gave you the idea that something was wrong?"

"Well, you argued with me and Auntie then left your boyfriend. It seems like your boyfriend is not very good to you, am I right?" Norval was sharp.

Leah was agitated by his words.

She looked at Norval and snapped, "This has nothing to do with you. There's no need for you to make things difficult for me and my boyfriend. You can go now." Norval didn't want to leave. He stood there with a smile in his eyes as he looked at Leah. It was as if he was a child throwing a tantrum. He didn't care at all.

Leah looked at her watch. Three minutes had passed and there was no way Ernest would be able to make it in time.

However, she could leave by herself.

She stood up and prepared to go.

Norval said bluntly, "Auntie is in the car right now. If you leave now, she'll be able to see you."

Leah was stunned. She looked over at Norval, who was casually sitting there, with doubt in her eyes.

"Put away your misgivings. I'm telling the truth." Norval looked at Leah and said, "Actually, Leah, you don't have to be so sensitive. Let's chat for a bit. Give me five minutes." Seeing how forthright Norval was being, Leah was also stunned. It seemed like Norval was not joking around. He was actually serious about the matter.

She pursed her lips and sat back down after some contemplation.

Norval smiled. "Good."

"I have nothing else to say to you," Leah said coldly. She picked up her cup of tea and took a sip. The hot tea in her mouth warmed her up a little.

"I came to you immediately because I wanted to tell you what my intentions were. I'm here because I want to marry you," Norval said in a deep voice. Leah frowned as she looked at Norval with suspicion in her eyes.

She didn't know Norval at all. They seldom interacted, she rarely saw him. The last time they met was in high school. It had been many years since then. Since then, Leah had never seen him again. She only knew that he was from the Qualls family and became her stepbrother after her mother remarried.

She couldn't believe that he actually wanted to marry her.

Leah curled her lips into a mocking smile. "I don't believe you."

"Leah, think about it carefully," Norval said with a solemn expression. "I'm not joking. You're quite pleasing to my eyes. I don't want to waste my time on complicated family relationships in the future. If you marry me, I promise that there won't be any problems between you and my mother. I will be completely loyal to you as well. I won't cheat on you."

Leah frowned. Even though she did not know this person very well, she could tell that Norval was being sincere.

At least when he said all that, he sounded sincere.

"I think you are also a person who has been hurt by the divorce of your parents. You can't tolerate particular actions in your partner. I'm sure that I share those thoughts as well." Leah couldn't replace it in herself to speak.

"For some reason, the two of us are spiritually connected. You may not understand me just yet, but with more time, we'll be able to get along well with each other in the future," Norval said. "I have a boyfriend," Leah said in a low voice.

"I know, the second son of the Jones family's," Norval said, "But he might not necessarily be suitable for you. Leah, you should think about this proposal of mine carefully."

Leah shook her head and outright refused. "I don't need to think about it."

"Ernest may not be able to go further with you." Norval stared into Leah's eyes and said in a low voice, "But I can. I know that you've been relying on yourself all these years. I also know that you really care about a man's loyalty towards marriage and love. I've loved you since I was young and it has been many years since."

Even though Leah did not want to listen to him anymore, she found herself struck by his words.

She looked at Norval with a frown. "It's not up to you to decide whether Ernest is suitable for me or not. I really don't think we're meant to be. Mr.

Qualls, let's call it a day."

Norval looked at Leah carefully. After thinking for a short while, he smiled and said, "Take your time. Your boyfriend is coming, right? I'll take Auntie away first. I'll contact you soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, Norval stood up and beckoned the waiter over so that he could pay the bill before leaving.

Leah had liked the tea she had been drinking. However, after Norval paid the bill, she instantly felt that the tea had become tasteless.

She put down the tea and sat there stiffly.

Norval left.

Leah leaned against the back of his chair, dazed. She was at a loss for words.

At that moment, Ernest's voice suddenly sounded, "Leah?"

Leah looked up and saw that Ernest had finally arrived. His eyes were bloodshot. When he saw her, he let out a sigh of relief.

Leah instantly smiled. "You came here real quick."

Ernest sat next to her and asked, "Has your stepbrother left?"

Leah froze for a moment before nodding. "Yes, he left."

Ernest had seen a man sitting opposite Leah.

They seemed to be talking about something. But right after Ernest parked his car and walked in, the man had disappeared.

He saw that Leah was sitting dazed in her seat as if she had been shocked. He was very surprised.

Leah looked up at Ernest, who was staring right back at her. She smiled and said, "I didn't think that you would come looking for me."

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