Love's Change of Heart

Leanna put down what she was holding and walked toward the door. Standing in front of the monitor, she didn’t see anyone outside, so she pushed open the door and looked around. Just as she was about to close the door, a low, hoarse male voice came from nearby. “Miss McKinney.”

At that sound, she turned around and saw a familiar figure in the elevator. She was stunned for two seconds. “Daniel?”

The man walked toward her, his face pale with a hint of sickness, and his tall figure swaying slightly.

With a forced smile, Daniel asked, “Is Zoe here?”

Leanna was about to respond, but seeing his current condition, her words caught in her throat. Instead, she stepped aside and suggested, “Why don’t you come in first?”

“It’s okay. I can’t stay outside for too long. I’ll come another day if Zoe is not here.” After saying that, he paused for a moment as if he wanted to say something to her, but then he thought it would be better to explain those things in front of Zoe.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He shook his head and replied, “I’m fine. Sorry for making you all worry about me these days.”

“As long as you’re okay…”

Initially, she had many more questions to ask, but seeing him like this, she felt that he couldn’t hold on for much longer, as if he would collapse on the ground the next second.

Her gaze then fell on the back of his hand, where she saw the medical tape. It looks like he ran away from the hospital. “Let me take you to the hospital,” she suggested.

Yet, he refused. “No need to trouble you. I’ll just take a cab.” With that, he turned and entered the elevator.

“Wait,” she exclaimed, rushing back to the living room to fetch her phone. She then walked to the foyer to switch her shoes and was suddenly reminded of the simmering soup on the stove. Without delay, she retraced her steps to the kitchen to turn off the burner.

…

Zoe and Brandon had just returned after having dinner and

her tracks and said, “Well, I should go

her, smiling. “I’ve escorted you back

his words, she was taken aback, probably caught off

added, “It’s okay. I’ll wait until next time. You can

a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he didn’t make the situation awkward; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known how to respond. In the end, she waved at him to say goodbye. “Well

“See you.”

left. However, just as she had taken a few steps, someone grabbed her wrist, and the next

she could react, Brandon’s voice sounded in her ear. “I think we should make some progress. Can you accept

she wanted to push him away, but when she heard his words, she put her

forcefully pulled away, and immediately after, a punch landed on his face. He held his face and staggered several

and quickly stopped the man who was

she could say anything, Daniel grabbed her and pulled her

and dragged, she was thrown

swiftly snapped back to reality, shaking off Daniel’s hand. She rushed over to assist Brandon, her

he glanced at Daniel before turning to look at Zoe. “Is he your friend? It

breath and

too abrupt today. I shouldn’t have done

Daniel took a

turned around with a calm expression. “I didn’t

you. This is my boyfriend, Brandon Zielinski. I don’t

he furrowed his brow, dubious about her words. “Boyfriend?” His already pale complexion looked sickly under the dim streetlights.

instinctively reached out to support him, but Brandon held her hand and extended his other hand toward Daniel. “Nice to meet