In that moment, Zuri froze.
Leo approached her gently, helping her up. With a soft and tender motion, he took out a silk handkerchief and carefully wiped the dirt from her hands.
The old police officer observed the man who appeared before them. His aura was imposing and his demeanor was noble, clearly indicating his distinguished identity.
"I only scolded you briefly, and you ran out like this. It's the middle of the night; what if you encounter some bad guys? You mustn't be so willful in the future," Leo chided softly, his finger lightly brushing her delicate nose. His tone was affectionate, and his actions were intimate, appearing completely natural.
The old police officer scrutinized Leo's behavior but found no awkwardness or impropriety, as if such interactions between the two were entirely fitting.
Zuri played along smoothly, pouting slightly and humming in dissatisfaction, "Humph, it's all your fault."
"Yes, yes, it's all my fault," Leo responded helplessly, his eyes filled with doting affection as he looked at her.
"What are you looking for?" Leo asked.
"My bracelet, it fell," Zuri replied.
"If it's lost, it's lost. I'll buy you a new one," Leo said nonchalantly.
Just as he finished speaking, the old police officer found the bracelet. Looking at the diamond-studded Cartier bracelet in his hand, his lips twitched. If it weren't for his daughter's love for shopping, he wouldn't have known what Cartier was, let alone that this bracelet's price started at six figures.
To lose such a bracelet so casually was truly extravagant.
As Zuri reached out for the bracelet, Leo intercepted, wiping it clean with the handkerchief before handing it to her.
Leo turned to the old police officer and said, "Thank you for helping her find the bracelet."
With that, Leo began to lead Zuri away.
"Wait a minute," the old police officer called out.
Leo raised an eyebrow, "Is there something else?"
"This young lady was found here in the middle of the night; we need to conduct a routine check. Please provide your IDs. If everything checks out, you both can leave," the old officer said, undaunted by Leo's presence.
Zuri tilted her head and whined, "I left in a hurry and didn't bring any ID. They were planning to take me to the police station. Do I look like a bad person to you?"
Leo, seeing her act coy, had a gleam of amusement in his deep-set eyes. This side of Zuri was rare, only emerging under special circumstances.
"No, you don't," Leo said smoothly, pulling out his ID from his wallet and handing it to the old officer.
The old officer took the ID, glancing down at it. The name Leo seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it until he saw the address listed below. He froze upon recognizing it.
That address…
Coupled with his surname.
The Ye family!
One of the eight prominent families in the capital!
Such a person was not someone he could afford to offend, not even his superiors.
The old police officer handed back the ID to Leo.
"My girlfriend is the second daughter of the Lin Group. You can verify that if you like. If there are any further questions, feel free to contact me," Leo said, pulling out a business card and offering it to the old officer.
"Understood," the old officer accepted it.
The card itself might not be precious to him, but it was exceptionally valuable to many others.
Having confirmed Leo's identity, the old officer harbored no further doubts. After all, the gang they were investigating couldn't possibly have connections with the Ye family. Conversely, if they did, the gang's scale would be far greater.
Leo took Zuri's hand and led her out of the alley.
Inside the luxurious Rolls-Royce, the atmosphere was slightly tense.
Zuri glanced at Leo and softly said, "Thank you, Uncle."
Uncle?!
Leo raised an eyebrow. It seemed little Zuri still wasn't accustomed to calling him brother.
This wouldn't do!
"I just told them you're my girlfriend. If they find out later that you aren't, what do you think they'll think?" Leo's deep eyes held a faint smile as he looked at her leisurely.
Zuri was stunned.
As she pondered, she heard Leo's voice again, "I think, to avoid such issues, it's better if we solidify our relationship in public. That way, they won't have any leverage against us."
Zuri was completely taken aback.
Was it her imagination, or did she just feel like she was being cornered?
Girlfriend?
Being Leo's girlfriend?!
Zuri had never considered it, and his status as Azura's uncle made it even more impossible.
If Leo knew her thoughts, he'd likely want to pack her off immediately.
Zuri smiled, "Uncle, you're not good at telling jokes."
Leo looked at her, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.
She was so smart sometimes, yet so dense at others.
"Call me brother!" Leo clarified directly.
This time, Zuri complied obediently, "Brother Leo."
On the way back, Zuri expected him to question her about why she was there so late and what she was doing, but he didn't. Instead, he kept the conversation light, asking about her likes, hobbies, and funny stories from her life, never touching on her activities that night.
Similarly, Zuri didn't ask why he happened to be in that area, knowing full well that YS Company's direction was opposite.
Perhaps it was just a coincidence that he was in the area for business.
Smart people never dig too deeply, avoiding making situations awkward.
They both knew.
After all, everyone has their secrets.
Half an hour later, the car slowly pulled into Lakeside Island. The car radio's music suddenly stopped, replaced by the news anchor's voice.
"According to the latest reports, a fire has broken out in the Jingan villa district. The extent of casualties is still unknown, but we will continue to follow up on this incident."
Jingan villa district!
That's where Miles's villa is located.
Damn, Miles must be trying to destroy evidence.
Though her emotional reaction was subtle, the brief flash of murderous intent didn't escape Leo's notice.
Jingan villa district?
The name echoed in his mind.
Each with their own thoughts, they arrived at the villa.
Leo exited the car, opening the door for her like a gentleman.
Zuri got out, her expression calm.
They walked into the house together. As she ascended the stairs, Leo's low voice came from behind.
"Zuri, have a good sleep. Tomorrow will be a better day."
"Yes," Zuri nodded, heading upstairs.
Leo watched her go, then turned and entered his study, booting up his computer. The screen displayed a girl in a red dress standing in the sunlight, caught in a candid moment, her smile radiant.
The photo was clearly taken inadvertently.
Leo gazed at the screen, his fingers lightly brushing the girl's cheek. He murmured softly, "How many secrets are you hiding?"
The next morning, Azura walked into the dining room yawning. Her eyes suddenly widened in surprise when she saw her uncle and Zuri at the dining table.
"Zuri, you... why are you...?" Azura was utterly shocked. She glanced at her uncle, then at Zuri, her eyes narrowing slightly. She couldn't help but feel that something had happened between the two.
Just as Azura was about to ask, Leo spoke first, "Sit down and eat."
"Oh," Azura nodded and took her seat.
"In a few days, you'll have your final exams. If your grades don't meet the mark, you'll have to come back to the capital with me this year," Leo said in a serious tone.
The mention of exams immediately diverted Azura's attention, leaving her no time to ask other questions.
"I'm not going back. That place isn't my home," Azura pouted, her entire demeanor radiating defiance.
Leo didn't say more.
Azura focused on eating her breakfast.
Halfway through her meal, Azura looked up at Leo and asked, "Uncle, aren't you leaving for work?"
"Not in a hurry."
Azura pursed her lips.
Ten minutes later, the three of them left the dining room together. Two cars were already waiting at the entrance. Azura held Zuri's hand and walked towards the car in the back.
"I'll drive you," Leo said.
Azura was about to decline, but a look from her uncle made her comply immediately. She led Zuri to the front car.
Leo opened the car door, his hand placed on the roof—a considerate and gentlemanly gesture that made Azura click her tongue in approval.
"Thank you, Brother Leo," Zuri thanked him politely.
Leo's eyes crinkled with a smile, "You're welcome."
Azura chimed in inappropriately, "Thank you, Uncle."
Leo responded with a faint acknowledgment and got into the driver's seat, personally driving them to school.
Once Leo left, Azura grinned mischievously, "Zuri, tell me honestly, what did you do last night? Were you with my uncle?"
"You're overthinking it!"
Azura gave her a disbelieving look.
Seeing Azura's cheeky grin, Zuri knew exactly what she was thinking. She gently flicked Azura's forehead with a finger, "Get those crazy ideas out of your head."
Azura rubbed her forehead and pouted, "Why do you and Uncle like to flick my forehead? He must have taught you."
To avoid any complications, Zuri took leave in the afternoon to meet up with Zhou Yiming.
Seeing her safe and sound, Zhou Yiming let out a sigh of relief. Yesterday had been too risky!
"I was so scared last night. Thank goodness you were smart enough to escape. If anything had happened to you, I would never forgive myself."
Thinking about the situation last night, Zhou Yiming felt a chill of fear. If it hadn't been for Zuri's text message reassuring him of her safety, he wouldn't have slept a wink.
Now, seeing her safe in front of him, he finally relaxed.
"Did you find the USB drive?"
Zuri took the USB drive out of her bag. Upon seeing it, Zhou Yiming's eyes lit up with excitement and joy.
"Now we can give this to the police and get that scumbag Miles arrested."
He could hardly wait to see Miles taken down. He had waited so long for this day.
"That's not wise!"
Zhou Yiming looked at her in confusion.
"Miles has deep roots in Oceanic City, with complex connections. To avoid any mishaps, we need to make two copies: one for the police and the other to release online for public supervision."
Public opinion is a double-edged sword. Used well, it can benefit society greatly. Used poorly, it can backfire. In this case, it would lead to positive outcomes.
"You're really thorough," Zhou Yiming praised.
"It's not about being thorough. It's about learning from experience. Sometimes, you need to be prepared," Zuri explained.
When dealing with someone like Miles, you either don't act at all or you act decisively. If you let him escape, his retaliation would be terrifying.
To handle him, you have to make sure he has no chance of recovery. Only under public scrutiny and pressure can he be truly cornered!
Such a psychopath should have his hideous face and actions exposed for all to see.
They acted immediately. Zhou Yiming copied the video from the USB drive and mailed it to the police, reporting Miles for illegal imprisonment and murder.
At the same time, Zuri edited the video, highlighting the most critical parts and blurring the faces of the victims to protect their privacy. The video was then released online, quickly causing a social uproar.
"Oh my God, how can such a pervert exist in this world?"
"Just hearing those women's screams through the screen is terrifying."
"For those who don't know, this might seem like a new horror movie. But it's real. It's scarier than any horror movie!"
"The man in the video is a devil, a pervert."
"Such people should be executed!"
"I've already called the police!"
"This guy looks familiar. Oh, I remember, he's a famous tycoon in Oceanic City named Miles!"
Once Miles' identity was revealed, the public's anger and curses poured in. The outrage spread to Miles' company's official account, pushing it to the top of the trending topics!
Miles became a target of universal condemnation.
Meanwhile, Miles, who was in a meeting, was completely unaware of the chaos outside.
The conference room door was knocked. An assistant opened it, revealing two uniformed officers, causing a stir among the attendees.
"Mr. Cheng, the police are here to see you."
The two officers walked into the room and approached Miles. "Hello, Mr. Cheng. We've received a report accusing you of illegal detention and murder. Please come with us to assist in the investigation."
One officer stepped forward and handcuffed him.
"Are you sure you have the right person?" Miles asked calmly.
"We'll know for sure at the station."
In front of the company's executives, Miles was taken away by the police.
The executives were baffled, clueless about what had happened until they heard the employees' discussions and saw the videos online. They were shocked!
"I can't believe Mr. Cheng is a pervert!"
"He always seemed so refined, but he's actually a monster."
Such comments filled the entire company. Anyone who had access to the internet was furiously discussing the matter.
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