Chapter 131 Former and Current
When Caroline woke up, Leopold was already gone. The space he'd occupied in the bed was cool to the touch. On the nightstand, a breakfast tray was waiting for her, along with a handwritten note.
[Honey, I'm off to work. Make sure you eat breakfast when you wake up.]
The breakfast must have just been delivered; the milk was still warm, and it came with her favorite: honey-drizzled French toast topped with fresh fruit and cream.
She scrolled through her phone while she ate, a sudden thought striking her. She hadn't heard from Erica in a while. Normally, Erica would be blowing up her phone on a weekend, begging her to go shopping or grab brunch. The silence was unusual.
She started a video call. It rang for what felt like an eternity before Erica finally picked up. The screen was pitch-black, and it was clear she was still buried under her covers.
"Still sleeping?" Caroline asked, taking a sip of milk.
A lazy, throaty response came from the other end. "Why are you up so early?"
Caroline flipped her camera. "I just got up, too. Having breakfast."
Erica yawned, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"
As she stared at the screen, a detail snagged Caroline's attention. "A little after eight. Wait a second." She narrowed her eyes, spotting a man's t-shirt draped over the side of Erica's bed. "You…"
Before she could finish, the video feed switched to voice-only.
A sly grin spread across Caroline's face. "So, that's why you've been giving me the cold shoulder lately. You've got company."
Erica chuckled. "You have to understand me, become me, and then surpass me."
"I can understand, sure. But becoming you and surpassing you? Not happening. As a married woman, the only thing keeping my morals in check is the law. I wouldn't dare."
Erica threw back the covers and got out of bed. In the reflection of her vanity mirror, the broad, muscular back of a man could be seen, lying face down on the bed, fast asleep.
"Lunch later?" Erica proposed.
"I'm still at Solstice Mountain," Caroline said. "I probably won't be back until this afternoon."
"Missing Leopold already?" Erica teased. "I never pegged you as the clingy type."
"I'm a newlywed. Isn't being a little clingy part of the deal?" Caroline retorted.
Erica poured herself a glass of water, her fingers tracing the rim as she walked to the window. "For anyone else, yes. But you're Caroline. In my mind, you're the queen of cold and detached. This sudden burst of emotion… it's not like you."
"So, what you're saying is I should be an ice queen, above all these worldly, low-brow pleasures? That Leopold and I should have some kind of purely spiritual marriage, be soulmates in the ether?" Caroline could barely hold back her laughter by the end. "Erica, you're unbelievable. You're over there with some guy, telling me to live like a nun."
A rustling sound came from behind Erica, and a second later, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.
"Can we meet up tonight instead?" Erica said, suddenly in a hurry to hang up.
Caroline didn't call her out on it. "I know you're busy," she said with a smile. "Bye."
"Why didn't you tell Caroline you were with me?" Maddox asked, turning Erica around to face him. With a slight flex of his arms, he lifted her effortlessly off the floor.
Erica looked down at his handsome face. Her philosophy on men was simple: always go for the handsome ones. A man could fake being nice, but he couldn't fake being hot.
Maddox, conveniently, was both. And on top of that, their chemistry in bed was off the charts. An illicit situationship combined with mind-blowing sex? It was an indulgence anyone would get lost in.
After hanging up, Caroline changed and decided to explore the area. The scenery around Solstice Mountain was breathtaking, the air crisp and clean, surrounded as it was by towering peaks.
Since the Celestial Waters Hotel had opened its luxury resort here, it had given the local economy a significant boost. The streets were lined with thriving shops, and the number of tourists had swelled. She joined the lively stream of people, buying some dried fruits and nuts to bring back for her parents.
Around noon, her phone rang. It was Leopold.
"You went out?"
"Yep," Caroline said. "Are you done with your meetings? I took a walk around town, bought some snacks. I'm on my way back now."
"Did you get anything for me?"
A smile played on her lips. "In light of your satisfactory performance last night, I got you something to help you recover."
Leopold's interest was piqued. "And what did you get me to help me recover?"
"Walnuts."
Silence on the other end.
Caroline burst out laughing. "Hey, brain food is still good for the body."
"Fine. In our house, whatever you say goes," Leopold said, his voice warm as he walked toward the restaurant. "What do you feel like eating? I'm almost there."
Caroline mimicked his formal tone. "We're dining on your turf. Do I really need to order? I'm sure Mr. Wipere can handle the arrangements."
"See how reasonable my wife is?"
"I'm almost at the hotel. See you at the restaurant."
Just as Leopold hung up, the head of guest services flagged him down. A VIP guest was insisting on speaking with him and only him.
When Caroline arrived at the restaurant, Leopold was nowhere in sight. She chose a table by the window and placed an order. While waiting, she sent him a message on Messenger, asking where he was and letting him know she'd already ordered and was at table number ten by the window.
She opened one of the bags and took out an apricot, wiping it with a napkin before taking a bite. The sourness made her face pucker, her mouth instantly watering. The fruit vendor hadn't been kidding when he said they were sweet-and-sour, leaning heavily on the sour.
Caroline gazed out at the scenery, so lost in thought she didn't notice the person approaching her from behind. It wasn't until Allegra spoke that she turned.
"I came for lunch," Caroline stated simply.
"Is this seat taken?" Allegra asked with a polite smile. "Do you mind if I sit for a moment?"
"Please," Caroline gestured to the empty chair.
And so they sat, in the opulent restaurant, the ex and the current wife, their lives orbiting the same man. The conversation that followed was a delicate dance of subtext and veiled emotion.
"You're very beautiful. And very generous," Allegra began, her eyes glinting with something that looked like admiration. "Leopold is brilliant and wise. He has a unique charm that most women find irresistible."
So, we're just going to openly praise my husband? Caroline thought, a private smile touching her lips.
She gave a light laugh. "Everyone is beautiful when they're young and in full bloom, Ms. Watson. And you are quite stunning yourself. As for generosity, that depends on the person and the situation. Leopold is busy from sunup to sundown, so of course I trust and understand him. As for the rest… you're right. Leopold does have a certain… captivating quality."
Allegra seemed to be re-evaluating Caroline. She wasn't angry in the slightest. Anyone else would have been provoked, maybe even started yelling.
Allegra pressed on. "In an intimate relationship, that quality manifests as complexity, a deep inner world. The closer you get, the more unsettling it can become." She was testing her, trying to see what kind of woman Leopold had chosen this time.
Caroline's voice was even, her words deliberate. "Complexity can be a form of beauty. It's that very enigmatic quality that makes you want to explore, to understand him on a deeper level."
"But sometimes," Allegra countered, "too much complexity can be exhausting. When someone carries so much, they expect you to make sacrifices for them, too."
The implication was clear. Leopold had sacrificed their relationship for Quinlan's sake, to secure his place in the Wipere family.
Suddenly, Caroline felt a pang of pity for the woman across from her. How sad, how pathetic. "Perhaps you and I see things differently, Ms. Watson. What I need from a relationship is simple, genuine emotion. Not endless guesswork and so-called sacrifices."