The Disaster That He Created

The loud bang on the door jolted Leo awake. He attempted to ignore it by pulling the covers over his head. After a sleepless night spent wrapping up work, all he wanted was more rest. But the relentless pressing of the doorbell made him grumble, "Who is it?!"

Reluctantly, he threw off the blanket and stumbled towards the door monitor. "No, go back. I want to sleep," he groaned when he saw Daniel's anxious face on the screen. 

"I don't have time to joke. Hurry up! It's an emergency!" Daniel shouted through the intercom.

Leo sighed and pressed the button to unlock the door. He then walked over to the sofa and collapsed onto it.

"Leo, Anna…" Daniel rushed in, quickly taking a seat on the edge of the sofa where Leo lay. "Did she ever mention her full name?"

Leo cracked one eye open, clearly uninterested. "Why? I don't really remember." He closed his eyes again, trying to block out the conversation.

"No no no, wake up! This is really important. Did she ever mention her full name?" Daniel asked once again.

Leo groaned, annoyed by the persistence. "Seriously, Daniel? Can't this wait?" He reluctantly opened both eyes, noticing the urgency on Daniel's face. "Fine, fine… but why are you so hung up on her name?"

Daniel leaned in closer, his voice tense. "Just tell me, Leo. Did she ever say her full name?"

Opening his heavy eyes, Leo mumbled, "Anna… Anna… Annabella?" He stifled a laugh, recalling the horror story with that name.

Daniel's patience snapped, and he slapped Leo's thigh. "Can you be serious for a moment? I really need to know her name!"

Leo gasped in pain, rubbing his thigh. "Relax, man. You can't be serious all the time," he muttered, clearly enjoying teasing Daniel. "Let me think… I think she did mention her name," he sighed, then closed his eyes dramatically. "Argh, I can't…"

"Why?!" Daniel's frustration was growing as Leo kept toying with him. "Leo, this isn't just about a name. If it's who I think it is… then I've really messed up. I need to know if she's the one."

"I'm sure she's the one. For me, not for you," Leo quipped, still trying to joke around. "Have you ever met someone who just glows? Like a halo of light around them, just… mesmerising…" Leo continued in a dreamy tone. "That's what I saw when she introduced herself. Anna… Anna… ah, what was her name? I was so caught up in her beauty that I couldn't even catch her words."

"I've met someone like that once. So, Leo, her full name—is it Anastasia?" Daniel pressed, his urgency clear. He needed confirmation, and he needed it fast.

"Yes! Anastasia!" Leo exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "Oh my God, how do you know? Even her name suits her," he added, a dreamy smile spreading across his face as he remembered Anastasia's pretty face.

"Ah, great! I messed up!" Daniel suddenly stood up, frustration etched on his face.

"What? What happened?" Leo sat up, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Don't tell me..." He paused, studying Daniel's expression before realisation hit him. "Wait a second. Anastasia!" The name finally clicked in his mind. "Is she the one...?"

Daniel nodded, a look of regret crossing his face. "She is..."

"Dude, you seriously blew it!" Leo exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief as he covered his mouth with one hand. "I can't believe it… that's why when I looked at her, there was this weird feeling, like I'd seen her somewhere before. It was almost like déjà vu, but I couldn't place it at the time. Now it all makes sense!" He shook his head, trying to process the realisation. "Man, you really tangled yourself up in this one."

"You've made it worse," Daniel muttered, clearly frustrated, his hands running through his hair in exasperation.

Leo shot him an incredulous look. "No way! You're the one who dragged me into this mess. I never signed up for this disaster," he protested, his tone defensive as he leaned back on the sofa, trying to distance himself from the chaos. "I was just minding my own business, and then you came along with your 'genius plan,' and now look where we are! This wasn't supposed to be my problem, but somehow, it turned into a full-blown catastrophe."

"Huh? Seriously?" Daniel's face twisted in disbelief as he heard Leo's words. "I don't care, you're in this now. And you're going to help me make sure I don't lose her a second time."

Daniel ran a hand through his hair again, pacing the room as frustration simmered beneath the surface. "This wasn't how it was supposed to go," he muttered to himself, remembering the times he'd thought about meeting Anastasia again. It wasn't supposed to be like this – with lies and misunderstandings piling up.

Leo watched him silently for a moment before speaking. "You're really hung up on her, huh?" His voice was softer now, lacking the usual playful edge.

Daniel stopped pacing and looked at Leo. "I've been waiting for years, Leo. I can't lose her again."

Leo nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I get it, man. But you're in deep, and it won't be easy to fix this."

Daniel sighed. "I know. That's why I need your help. We've come this far... I can't back down now."

Leo stayed quiet for a moment, then spoke up. "I really don't know how to help you," he admitted, looking Daniel in the eye. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. "But wait... she still doesn't know you're Ethan, right?"

Daniel quickly shook his head, "Ah yes. If she knew, I know I ruined all the plans that I planned before."

Leo scratched his chin while thinking, "Why don't you play a trick? You are already a bad guy." He laughed.

"What trick?" Daniel showed his interest.

The atmosphere became serious when Leo changed the way he looked at Daniel, "Trick her into getting married to you, even before she knew who you are. That's the only way you won't lose her this time too."