You're Just My Ex-Husband,My Lord-Chapter 196- Entertainment News

Laurent picked up the knife and fork beside him as he spoke.

"I’m starving. Weren’t you the one treating me to dinner? Can you stop talking and let me eat first?"

With that, he lowered his head and started eating, refusing to engage in any discussion with Leonardo about their relationship.

The dinner between Laurent and Leonardo turned out to be quite pleasant. Leonardo didn’t bring up any ambiguous topics again, and the two simply chatted about their lives like ordinary friends. When Leonardo learned that she had been poached by Matthew to switch jobs, he couldn’t hide his admiration for her.

"This is the life I always imagined for you."

In Leonardo’s eyes, Laurent had always been outstanding and exceptional. Yet, she had given up her future and dreams to become a housewife for Dave, something Leonardo had always found regrettable whenever he thought about it.

But now, at least, she had rediscovered her value.

Hearing Leonardo’s words, Laurent simply smiled and shook her head.

"There’s no such thing as a life one should or shouldn’t have. Life is built upon one decision after another. If I had chosen my career right after graduation, maybe I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today."

Perhaps if she had focused entirely on her career back then, without experiencing heartbreak, she wouldn’t have had the same determination and drive to succeed now. Maybe her career wouldn’t have flourished at all.

It was every decision she had made along the way that shaped who she was today. Even though some of those decisions were mistakes, without them, she might not have become the person she was now.

That’s why she never looked back. There was no such thing as turning back time. She only knew how to move forward without regret, never second-guessing her choices.

She firmly believed that all she had endured would eventually be repaid by life with kindness.

Leonardo gazed at her, his expression filled with deep affection.

"What should I do? I’m falling for you more and more. I love seeing you shine like this, love seeing you so confident and extraordinary."

Laurent chuckled.

"Maybe it’s because of your profession, but every time you say things like that, it feels like you’re reciting lines from a script..."

Leonardo’s face darkened.

"Are you doubting my sincerity? Laurent, do you really want to drive me mad before you’re satisfied?"

Laurent burst into laughter again.

"Not just when you say those things—I feel like you’re acting every time you speak."

Seeing Leonardo’s expression grow even gloomier, Laurent quickly explained,

"It just proves that your performances in dramas and films are too good. That’s why I have this illusion."

She didn’t mean to upset Leonardo; it was simply how she felt. She had watched a few scenes from his shows, and his acting was truly impressive—so vivid and real, with emotions overflowing in his eyes.

That was probably why he had risen so quickly to become such a sought-after actor. If his acting were terrible, no matter how good-looking he was, people would criticize him. But Leonardo was different.

Over the years, he had consistently improved, and his progress was undeniable.

Leonardo shot her an exasperated glare.

"If we ever started dating for real, would I end up dying from frustration because of you?"

This time, Laurent said nothing. She simply lowered her head and continued eating.

After finishing their meal, Laurent immediately excused herself, saying she needed to pick up her daughter from Tiffany’s place. Early the next morning, she and her daughter would be leaving Burg Eltz to return to her parents’ home.

Leonardo didn’t try to stop her. After paying the bill, they walked out of the restaurant together.

The moment they stepped outside, they were met by a crowd of reporters who had been waiting for them at some point, their cameras flashing nonstop. Laurent had never encountered such a scene before and was momentarily stunned. It was Leonardo who remained calm, instinctively raising his arm to shield her, pulling her into his embrace to cover her face.

At that moment, Laurent had no time to care about anything else. She clung tightly to Leonardo, doing her best to keep the reporters from capturing her face in their shots.

However, the reporters continued to bombard Leonardo with sharp questions.

"Mr. Leonardo, may we ask what your relationship is with the lady in your arms?"

"We’ve heard that this woman is named Laurent, the wife of lord Washington!"

Laurent stiffened in Leonardo’s embrace. By all logic, she wasn’t well-known in A.T., so how had they recognized her the moment she stepped out of the restaurant with Leonardo?

More unpleasant remarks followed.

"Mr. Leonardo, as a popular male celebrity, don’t you think it’s inappropriate to be this close with a married woman?"

Laurent could hardly stand to hear another word. She and Dave were already divorced! But Leonardo, seasoned in handling the media, didn’t say a single unnecessary word. He simply shielded her and continued pushing forward through the crowd.

The sheer number of reporters made it difficult to escape. After a struggle, they finally broke free. Leonardo protected Laurent all the way to the parking lot, then swiftly ushered her into her car before driving off.

Even after they were inside the car, Laurent saw through the rearview mirror that reporters were still chasing after them. The sudden chaos had left her dazed, and she was still shaken even as they sped away, her heart pounding from the shock. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Leonardo glanced at Laurent’s pale face through the rearview mirror.

"Sorry, did that scare you?"

Laurent shook her head. From the looks of it, her presence had clearly brought negative consequences for Leonardo. The reporters’ questions had said it all.

For her, it didn’t matter what people said—she was just an ordinary office worker, after all. But Leonardo was different. He was a household name, and even the slightest bit of bad press could be blown out of proportion by the media, turning into a full-blown moral controversy.

Not long after they drove off, Leonardo’s phone rang. It was his manager. He put on his earpiece and answered the call.

Although Laurent couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end, it was obvious it had to do with what had just happened. She could tell his manager was panicking, bombarding him with questions. But Leonardo, growing impatient, simply hung up.

"Where are we going now?"

Laurent turned to look behind them. Shockingly, some crazed reporters were actually following them in cars. She felt like she was about to break down.

Leonardo saw it too. His voice was calm but firm.

"Either your place or mine."

Laurent immediately objected.

"How can we be together right now? That’ll only make things worse!"

Leonardo replied, his tone unwavering.

"Look at the cars behind us. No matter where we go—whether I drop you off first or I go home first—the moment we stop, one of us will be trapped. They’ll surround the car in an instant."

Having dealt with the media for years, Leonardo knew how relentless they could be in their pursuit of a story. He frowned slightly and suggested,

"The only option now is to find a place to lay low and avoid them altogether."

Laurent still felt uneasy.

"Then just drop me off somewhere. I don’t want to drag you into this..."

Leonardo cut her off with a cold but resolute voice.

"If I abandon you now, am I even a man?"

Laurent knew how stubborn he was. Unless she jumped out of the moving car, he wouldn’t let her leave.

With a sigh, she finally conceded.

"Then let’s go to your place."