Chapter 86 Leonardo's Bet: A Date with Me

Elena Garcia's POV:

At the banquet, all eyes were glued to the Bianchi family's heir, but now, they were all on me.

Caesar and Marco hadn't asked any ladies to dance yet, and Leonardo, being the first to make a move, got some applause. People clapped and whispered, trying to figure out which family I was from.

"Come on, Elena. I haven't asked a girl to dance in years. Hope you don't mind if my moves are a bit rusty," Leonardo said with a gentle smile, still holding out his hand, looking a bit nervous.

I was taken aback. I thought he was joking when he said he wanted to dance with me.

But now that it was happening, I didn't know what to do. I instinctively glanced at Marco. He was in the crowd, staring at my hand in Leonardo's, looking both angry and heartbroken.

"Leonardo! Who's the lucky girl you invited? It's unusual for you to ask a girl to dance at the banquet." Francesco's voice cut through the crowd as he made his way over to us.

When he saw me, surprise flashed in his eyes. "Elena, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Well, I wasn't the only one feeling awkward.

I couldn't figure out why Leonardo was interested in me. But the first dance at a banquet was a big deal; it showed respect for the host and kept the party going.

I wanted to say no, but I didn't know how. I was stuck.

"Sorry, I..." I started, but Francesco cut me off.

He looked at me, then at Leonardo, and leaned in to whisper, "I know this is tough, but Leonardo's an heir too. If you turn him down, it might embarrass him and cause you trouble. Just go with it. It's just one dance."

Francesco wanted the ball to keep rolling, so he patted my back, signaling me to accept.

"Elena?" Leonardo called my name, his eyes pleading.

I hesitated too long, and people started whispering. The crowd closed in, making it impossible to escape.

I felt like I was on fire. I bit my lip, ready to raise my hand.

"Wait!" Marco, somehow pushing through the crowd, grabbed my hand.

"Elena, may I have the first dance?" Marco asked, holding my hand tight. I could see the anxiety and anger in his eyes.

"Quite the coincidence, Leonardo. We both picked the same girl for the first dance," Marco said, looking at Leonardo with tension in his eyes.

"You're making this complicated, Marco. You might make Elena uncomfortable," Leonardo said calmly, glancing between us, raising an eyebrow like he understood something.

But he didn't back down. Instead, he blamed Marco for being immature. "If you'd asked her earlier, I wouldn't have. But now, look back; Sara's still waiting for you."

I followed Leonardo's gaze and saw Sara looking upset, clutching her dress and glaring at me.

"So what? I don't want to choose her as my dance partner," Marco said coldly, but with a hint of pleading when he looked at me.

"Stop joking. It's just a dance! Can't you take turns? Elena might not mind dancing a few more times!" Francesco muttered awkwardly.

He turned to me, "What about you, Elena? Who do you want to dance with first? It's your call."

I wanted to grab Marco's hand without hesitation. I knew he was waiting for my answer, but seeing Sara leaning on his shoulder stirred up too many emotions.

I looked away, a bit out of spite. "Seems my brothers are all smitten with the same girl," Caesar said, holding a champagne glass. He seemed uninterested at first, but after Marco showed up, he got excited.

He put his champagne on a waiter's tray and walked over to me.

I looked at him, feeling a strong sense of dread.

Sure enough, Caesar, wanting to stir the pot, extended his hand to me too. "In that case, trusting my brothers' taste, I think I should invite Elena too. Now you have three guys asking you. Pick whoever you like, Elena."

His face was full of malice. "I hope you choose wisely. Otherwise, you'll regret it."

The guests' expressions shifted from surprise to shock. I could feel their eyes on me, changing from teasing to scrutinizing, like cops examining a suspect.

The three Bianchi heirs all inviting the same girl? That was huge news!

To them, it meant I must be someone special. But I knew that wasn't true. I had no idea why this was happening!

Francesco's face showed a hint of anger. He looked at Marco, Leonardo, and Caesar in turn, then whispered to me, "Elena, you're smart. I think you'll make the right choice."

I wished I could just disappear. This was torture.

Finally, I made up my mind, broke free from Marco's grip, and placed my hand in Leonardo's.

I noticed Francesco let out a sigh of relief. He patted my shoulder and nodded at me gratefully.

I lowered my head, avoiding Marco's face, afraid to see his disappointment.

After I chose Leonardo, Marco and Caesar didn't pick dance partners. They just stood in the crowd, watching me and Leonardo on the dance floor.

As the music started, Leonardo gently placed his hand on my waist, guiding me.

I wasn't really focused on dancing with Leonardo, so I almost stepped on his feet several times. It was really rude.

"Sorry, I got a bit distracted," I blushed and apologized.

"It's okay. Seems I'm not the only one who's bad at dancing," Leonardo smiled, showing no impatience or anger.

He patiently slowed his steps so I could keep up. I let out a sigh of relief.

Then Leonardo leaned closer, and his words in my ear made me nervous again. "Is it because of Marco? Are you worried about him? Are you his girlfriend?"

I looked at him in surprise, then hesitated, unsure whether to admit it.

"Don't deny it. The way you look at each other is full of love. I'm too familiar with that look," Leonardo smiled confidently. "If it weren't for Francesco and considering Marco, I don't think you would have accepted dancing with me."

Leonardo continued, "Caesar's not a good choice because he's just a troublemaker. After seeing Marco step forward, he would definitely suspect your relationship. In that situation, choosing Marco would be dangerous. You couldn't choose any of them, so choosing me was the best choice for you."

Leonardo sighed, looking a bit helpless. "Choosing me would make Caesar wary and wouldn't make Francesco uncomfortable. In that sense, I'm both lucky and unlucky."

I looked at Leonardo in surprise. This smart and mature man had perfectly figured out my inner struggle.

I asked, "So, Mr. Bianchi, aren't you angry?"

"Call me Leon. I like it when you call me that," Leonardo squeezed my hand.

I tentatively called him, "Leon?"

Leonardo nodded and said, "I am a bit angry, but not at you, at Marco. In fact, if he had stepped forward to invite you before me, I wouldn't have made such a rash invitation, and you wouldn't have been in a tough spot."

Leonardo added, "He's still too young. His position in the family isn't stable, and his methods are too gentle. He doesn't dare to publicly acknowledge his relationship with you, which means many people will covet you."

Leonardo's expression was a bit mocking as he commented on Marco's earlier behavior, with a hint of arrogance.

Leonardo went on, "Seeing me invite you made him lose his cool, but he didn't consider that it would make Caesar completely fixate on you."

Young and impulsive. That was Leonardo's take on Marco. It made me a bit unhappy.

"You can't judge him like that. He's done his best. It's my leaving that made him panic!" I glared at Leonardo. "You can't badmouth Marco in front of me!"

"Look at you, my kind girl. You're still defending him," Leonardo gestured for me to look at Marco. While Marco was staring intently at us, Sara was still by his side.

"Did you leave because he broke your heart first? He should be panicking about your departure, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place," Leonardo dragged out his words, making my heart race. "And now he's doing it again."

Leonardo said briskly, "Want to bet? See if he apologizes to you first or gets angry that you chose me. And the bet is going on a date with me."

As Leonardo finished speaking, the first dance ended.

I saw Marco striding towards me.