8 Endearing names.

"The love of my life. The woman of my heart. The only one I'm—'

"What did you do this time?" Mia rolled her eyes at Leo, whom she was having a video call with. 

He laughed loudly at her question. "What? Can I not shower my baby with praises?" He asked while wiggling his brows. 

Mia placed the back of her phone on the dressing table's mirror for support before she sat down in front of it and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. 

"I know you. You must have done something." 

"But I haven't." He laughed, which further fuelled her belief. 

She began to take off her jewellery and wore a bonnet on her head before she reached for her face wipes to clean off her make-up. It was 9 pm and she was just arriving home after a meeting. Thankfully, this was the last meeting they would be having here, so she would finally return home. 

"What?" She raised a brow at Leo, who was watching her intensely with a smile on his face.

"Nothing."

"What?" She pressed. 

"You look beautiful." 

She blushed. 

"And since you are taking off everything, I'm waiting for the point where you'll take off your top." 

The blush instantly vanished from Mia's face. 

"You are so gross!" She said this amidst his loud laughter. 

When his laughter died down, he asked, "How was your meeting? Today is the last day, right?"

"Yes. The meeting went well." She shrugged, leaving out the issue with Mr. Greg, who had also continued to flirt with her even after the warning she gave him the previous day. 

"What about you? You're free?" 

"Yes. But I'll be returning to the set in 3 hours. I'm glad our free times coincided this time. I miss you." 

Mia smiled. "Me too." 

"Me too?" He asked in disbelief. "What's that even supposed to mean? That you miss yourself too?" 

She laughed. "I miss you too. Don't be dramatic."

"That's more like it." He scoffed. "Your flight is tomorrow?" 

"Yes, I cannot wait!" She replied as she threw the used wipes into the trashcan beside her. 

"Mira must be excited." He guessed.

"Yea. James is also around. He got into the country last night." 

Mia frowned when she remembered how Mira had called to tell her she was going to kill her for not telling her about James' arrival. James had been the first to call her that night to tell her he was in town, but he had refused to say anything about Mira's reaction when she saw him. It was Mira who told her James had seen her with Michael. That must have been embarrassing. 

"Mia?" 

"Hmm?" She returned to her senses and focused on Leo. 

"Did you hear me?" 

"What?" She asked. 

"I asked if you were going to attend the birthday party tomorrow." 

"No." She answered immediately. "I don't want to." 

When she saw the disappointed look on his face, she sighed. "You know your parents do not like me. Also, you are not there and I do not see any reason why I should be there." 

"Mia, I'm sure they like you. You are my fiancee. They know that. Also, you are influential. That's what they care about. Even if I'm not there, the party is still for Louis and me."

"Leo—"

"Is it because of Louis? You have been doing your best to avoid him for the past year." He pointed out.

"You think you are going to lust after him?"

"Eww... what do you drink these days, Leo? I won't lust after your brother! It's just..." She sighed when she couldn't find anything else to say to defend herself. Leo was partly correct. She missed Leo so much and meeting his identical twin—

"Can you go for me?" He pouted. 

"Leo..."

"Please...."

"I knew there was something up when you started calling me those endearing names." 

He laughed, "Darling, that wasn't the reason I was calling you all that." 

"Then what is the reason?" 

"Because I love you, obviously." 

Mia didn't say anything. She knew Leo quite well to know there was more coming. 

And she was right. 

"So my love, I sent a really nice shirt for you to wear to the party. I have a spare here." He started. "Tada!" 

In front of the screen, she could see a white turtleneck with some words written in front of it.

The words were written in capital letters and they were bold. They read: LEO KING'S GIRLFRIEND. DON'T LOOK TWICE. 

"ARE YOU CRAZY, LEO? "You want me to wear that to the party?" She shrieked in disbelief. 

He blinked at her like he didn't see what was wrong with it. 

"But it's nice. I also made one for myself. Look..."

He picked up another one and raised it for her to see. He was using his laptop for the video call, so it was quite easy for him to move about.

Mia read the words on his shirt: DO NOT LOOK MORE THAN TWICE, MIA LUCAS' BOYFRIEND.

"Seriously?! They can only look at me once, but look at you twice?" 

He laughed. "Don't be petty. Just promise me you'll wear it." 

"You are crazy! You know best the kind of guests that'll be attending. You also know someone may upload it online." 

"What matters is our love." He said, obviously having fun. "Do this for me as my birthday gift."

Mia sighed deeply. "I can't believe I am even considering that right now." She shook her head more to herself than to him. 

"You will, right?" He asked with a hopeful smile. 

"I am not promising you anything, Leo King." 

"I love you too, Mia Lucas." 

"Just get out!" She could hear him laughing as she hung up and stood up to go take her bath. 

Just what has she gotten herself into?