Chapter 125 I Am Here on Official Business
Leopold was still half-asleep when the call from Preston's secretary came through. He groggily squinted at the screen, recognized the number, and put the phone to his ear. Erik's voice was concise and to the point.
"Mr. Anderson's overseas hotel assets will be transferred to you within the week."
Leopold was silent for a beat. "Got it."
Hanging up, he pulled the woman in his arms closer. Caroline murmured against his chest, her eyes still closed, "Hope it goes smoothly."
A smile curved Leopold's lips as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "It will."
He nudged aside the collar of her silk pajama top, his lips finding the delicate curve of her collarbone. With a fluid motion, he rolled on top of her, his fingers already working at the buttons as he drew her up against him. A soft, cat-like sound of pleasure escaped her throat.
A gentle breeze drifted through the open window, but inside the room, the air was thick with a different kind of heat, a slow-burning desire that promised to consume the morning.
Later that day, they carved out some time to visit their future home. The renovation was progressing, with the walls now prepped and ready for paint. Caroline followed Leopold into what was designated as the nursery. His eyes softened, a gentle smile playing on his lips, full of a quiet anticipation that made her heart flutter.
She looped her arm through his. "Getting eager, are we?"
Leopold turned to face her. He'd never been particularly fond of children, a product of his own sterile upbringing. He'd never been given love, so he didn't know the first thing about receiving it, let alone giving it to a child.
He shook his head.
"You're a terrible liar," Caroline teased. "If you're not eager, what are you doing in the nursery?"
He paused. "Before you, I never really thought about kids. But after meeting you, I've gotten a little curious."
Curious about who their child would look like. Curious about what it would feel like to hold a tiny, soft baby in his arms.
"Just curious? You're not secretly trying to pressure me into starting a family?"
Leopold's denial was immediate. "Of course not. I want more time with just the two of us."
Caroline started ticking off on her fingers. "The night before last, last night, and this morning, we didn't use any protection. And I'm ovulating. Do you know what that means?"
It meant the probability of pregnancy had just skyrocketed.
Leopold's expression went blank, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes that sent a sliver of unease through her.
"You don't want to have kids?" She asked, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. It seemed impossible. He wouldn't be standing here, looking at this empty room with such tenderness, if he didn't want a family. But then again, her friend Erica was happily child-free. Erica adored playing with other people's kids, but would run for the hills if anyone suggested she have her own. The thought muddled Caroline's certainty.
"Of course I do," Leopold said, his tone serious as he took her hand. "We just got married. I don't want someone else barging in on our life so soon. A baby right now would take all our attention away from each other." He gently tapped the tip of her nose. "What are you thinking? Who said I don't want kids? I just don't want them right now."
His reasoning actually mirrored her own. She'd just been promoted to manager, and her job demanded a huge amount of her energy. Getting pregnant now would throw a major wrench in her career trajectory.
So, if they wanted to avoid a baby in the short term, preventive measures were non-negotiable.
"You should pick some up," she said, the words feeling awkward on her tongue.
"Something?"
A slow, knowing smile spread across Leopold's face. He knew exactly what she meant, but he loved seeing her flustered, her cheeks turning that delicious shade of pink, like a startled fawn. He played dumb.
"Pick up what?"
He was clearly not getting her subtle hints.
Caroline couldn't bring herself to say the word. She bit her lip, her brow furrowed in frustration. "You said you don't want kids for a while. So don't you need to get some things? For protection."
This was officially the most intimate, and most mortifying, conversation she'd ever had. She took a deep breath, trying to steel herself. Seeing her squirm, Leopold finally decided to put her out of her misery.
"I see," he said, nodding with mock solemnity. "You want me to buy condoms?"
The word hung in the air, practically sizzling. Caroline's gaze darted to the window as she tried to sound casual. "Yes."
Leopold fought to keep a straight face. "You could get them. I have to head back to Solstice Mountain soon, I probably won't have time."
'Her, buy condoms?'
Absolutely not.
"I'm not doing it," Caroline stated flatly.
"If you don't, who will?"
She turned away, starting to pace. "Not me. Can you imagine? A woman walking into a pharmacy and just buying condoms? No way. You're unbelievable." She stopped and spun back to him. "If you're making me handle this, what's going to happen when something really important comes up? Are you just going to abandon me?"
Leopold finally broke, a laugh escaping him. "I'm kidding. They'll be procured by tonight, ready to satisfy all your needs."
"My needs?" She sputtered, the conversation taking another mortifying turn. "What are you talking about?"
She pushed past him and headed for the door. "I'm going to be late for work. I'm done listening to your nonsense."
She blindly turned into the bathroom, then quickly backtracked and hurried in the opposite direction.
"Sweetheart," Leopold called out, his voice laced with amusement. He pointed behind him. "This way. The front door is over here."
Her face was burning as she brushed past him. "I knew that."
Standing in front of the elevator, Leopold was still trying to suppress his laughter, his shoulders shaking. Caroline jabbed him in the side. "You find this so funny? I hope you laugh so hard your teeth fall out."
He winced, a pained grin on his face. "I can't even laugh now? You're a tough warden for a newlywed."
"This is me. You'll just have to deal with it," she retorted, catching the playful glint in his eyes. Who knew what other embarrassing things he was cooking up in that head of his?
As they were bickering, Leopold's phone rang. Caroline immediately straightened up. He glanced at the screen.
"Hello."
A sophisticated, restrained female voice came through the line. "Did you block my number?"
Leopold's first instinct was to look at Caroline. Just last night, he had promised her no more contact, no more meetings with Allegra. This call felt like a deliberate violation, a crime on top of a crime.
"This is about business, Leopold. Don't be nervous," Allegra said. She was sitting in the restaurant at the Solstice Mountain Hotel, gazing out the window at the distant peaks. The hotel suited his taste, she thought. The surroundings were beautiful.
Leopold's tone became strictly professional. "What is it?"
"It's complicated. We need to meet in person. When are you free?"
The elevator arrived. "I'm about to lose service. I'll call you back."
He hung up and pressed the button for the ground floor.
"Urgent business?" Caroline asked.
"No," Leopold said, shaking his head.
After dropping her off, Leopold was about to start the car when his phone rang again. The same number.
He answered. "A meeting is out of the question. I made myself clear. I'm married. It's not appropriate for us to see each other."
"Mr. Wipere," Allegra said, her voice crisp and formal, "I am speaking to you now as a business partner. Please be professional."
Leopold fell silent.
Preston needed to make some adjustments to the overseas hotels and had hired a major international financial firm to handle it. And Allegra was their appointed representative.
Realizing the situation, it seemed a meeting was unavoidable.
"Where are you now?" Leopold asked.
"This is a Celestial Waters Hotel project. Naturally, I'm staying at the hotel you've arranged. I'm at the Solstice Mountain Hotel."
"Understood. My assistant will contact you in an hour."
"Good," Allegra said, taking a sip of her coffee.
She handed the phone back to her colleague across the table, Noah Turner, offering a faint smile. "Thanks."
"Try not to forget your phone next time," Noah said. "You know what our boss is like. You'd be in deep trouble if you missed an important call."
Allegra murmured an acknowledgment, her gaze drifting back to the mountains.
She had thought the past would fade with time, the memories growing fainter until they disappeared. But being back here, in a place so connected to him, she found that the things she had deliberately tried to forget were resurfacing, piece by piece.
Back then, she had been the one who wanted to stay. He had been the one to break up with her. At the height of their passion, they had missed their chance, and it had turned into a lifetime of regret.
An hour later, Leopold strode into the hotel lobby. Lily was already waiting, and she hurried over, handing him a file. They walked and talked as they headed for the elevator.
"I just got the update from corporate," Lily said. "They've booked two rooms on the seventh floor and three on the ninth. The person you mentioned is in 903. There are seven of them in total."
Leopold scanned the document from the head office. "Arrange a small conference room. You'll be in the meeting with me."
Lily nodded. "Understood. I'll set it up right away."