Hearing Leo's condition about cleaning, Aria found it strange at first. But then she thought—staying here was still better than searching for another house. Leo was giving her a room for free, after all. If doing a bit of housework could save her 25,000 a month, it wasn't a bad deal at all.
She quickly did the math in her head, thought about her savings, and after weighing everything carefully, Aria finally agreed to Leo's condition.
"Alright. But you must always remember that you're living with a woman. I have my own rules too. You can never enter my room without my permission—and no peeking. I won't enter your room either. Deal? And one more thing—just because I'm cleaning doesn't mean you can make a mess everywhere. If I feel you're doing it intentionally, I'll leave."
"Then leave right now," Leo replied bluntly.
Aria felt a surge of anger but controlled herself."Fine. I'll do the cleaning."
"Your rules don't apply here—mine do," Leo said calmly. "The view from this floor is the best in the entire area. I could earn a fortune even by renting out just the balcony. And here I am, not taking a single penny from you. All you have to do is clean. Is that really so difficult?"
"But I'm not your maid," Aria shot back. "If I'm staying for free, then you're getting free labor. You're an educated man—why create problems for a girl like me?"
"Listen, ma'am. You're the one trying to set rules—not me," Leo replied.
"Rules are necessary," Aria said firmly. "We don't know each other. For both our safety, rules are important."
"You're not in danger from me," Leo said coolly. "You've already seen that I'm not like cheap men. You tried using your looks to get things done, then you tried fighting me, and now you're playing the helpless woman. Let me be clear—I've seen women far more beautiful than you, and they didn't impress me either. So don't worry—I have zero interest in you."
Leo didn't have time for emotional drama. His goal was clear: joining the MIB. Nothing else mattered.
But for Aria—who took great pride in her beauty—this was a first. No man had ever spoken to her like this. Still, she had no other option.
"Oh please! What's your problem?" Aria said, putting on an innocent face. "Harassing a poor girl like this."
"Innocent? You?" Leo burst out laughing. "That's a joke. No innocent girl can throw a six-foot man to the ground. And no innocent girl can be the head of a criminal unit in the police department."
Aria was shocked. Leo had noticed her rank just by glancing at her ID card.
"For others, I may be a police officer," she replied sharply, "but for someone who slammed me to the ground, I'm just a helpless girl, right?"
Leo wasn't interested in the conversation anymore.
"Enough. Either do the cleaning—or get out."
"You're a terrible human being," Aria muttered under her breath.
She picked up her luggage and walked toward the door. Deep down, she hoped Leo would stop her. But as she reached the door, she realized—he wouldn't.
Finally, Aria stopped. She turned back, placed her luggage on the floor, and said firmly,
"As a police officer, I've sworn to help people. And you clearly need help. So I've decided—I'll help you."
With that, Aria carried her bags into her room and began unpacking. Soon, her bed was set.
Meanwhile, Leo was just beginning to relax when he heard loud arguing outside his door. The noise moved closer. When he opened the door, he saw a slim woman with curly hair. His gaze moved from her lashes to her eyes before he could stop himself.
Before he could say a word, she walked straight in with her luggage.
"I spend my life on flights," she snapped. "When I come home, I just want sleep. And now this manager wants me to waste my time house-hunting. Keep your money—I don't want it. I want my home."
She didn't give Leo a chance to speak. Every time he tried, the manager interrupted with apologies.
After the drama dragged on, Leo finally asked, confused,"What exactly is going on here?"
"Sir, I forgot to tell you," the manager said nervously. "Two out of the four tenants refused to leave. I thought I could convince them, but they wouldn't listen. One is a police officer, and the other is an air hostess—though the way she drives, her job seems more like a hobby. Even my boss tried, but they refused."
Leo felt anger rising, but seeing the manager's helpless face, he said nothing.
He had wanted all four apartments for training space. But right now, he had no energy to argue.
Aria, busy decorating her room, still had no idea about the second woman.
"lunch is on me," Aria said, stepping out. "For letting me stay."
Leo smiled.
"Why? You don't know how to cook?"
Aria was stunned—Leo had caught her intention again.
"Don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked.
"No," Leo replied.
"Boyfriend? Hahaha—I was joking," Aria laughed. "Come on, let's go for lunch. All this arguing made me hungry."
Leo agreed. Eating outside would help him understand the city better.
But Aria had another plan.
She wanted to take Leo to a restaurant where her office colleagues often ate—to make them jealous. Leo's good looks were the perfect weapon. If they saw her with someone like him, envy was guaranteed. And maybe—just maybe—they'd try to teach Leo a lesson. The thought made her smile.
Leo didn't have a car yet, so they took Aria's.
As they drove, Leo looked out at Riverdale's tall buildings and crowded roads. Massive malls and banners filled the city. Many of them featured Aurelia's advertisements. Seeing her face everywhere made the city strangely more appealing.
Suddenly, Leo said casually,
"You know why no woman looks beautiful to me? Because my wife is Aurelia."
Aria burst out laughing.
"If Aurelia is really your wife, I'll quit my job and become your maid," she said between laughs.
"I was joking," Leo said quickly. "No need to get serious."
"I'm joking too. If you turn out to be Aurelia's husband, I won't be your maid—I'll be your servant," Aria teased.
Soon, they reached the restaurant. Leo wondered why Aria had brought him so far just for lunch.
Then he noticed the police station next door.
"We get huge discounts here," Aria said proudly. "And the food is amazing—just like home."
They walked in. Aria's colleagues, already seated, noticed them immediately.
"Hey… isn't she from our department?" one officer whispered.
"No wonder she never gave anyone attention," another said. "She has a boyfriend."