Chapter 164 Dread
When they got home, Leopold immediately started unpacking his luggage, taking out skincare products and jewelry from his suitcase, all gifts for Caroline.
"Come on, try it on." Leopold opened the jewelry box, took out a necklace, and put it on Caroline. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, he asked, "Do you like it?"
Caroline smiled, "I love it."
Just as she was about to ask him about his trip, Leopold turned and left the bedroom, saying as he walked, "Just remembered, I have two shirts that need washing."
Caroline reached behind her neck, unclasped the necklace, and put it back in the jewelry box. When she got to the dressing room, she saw him coming out with two shirts in his hand.
He was deliberately avoiding the topic, Caroline could feel it.
While he was busy washing clothes, Caroline searched on her phone for recent news about Celestial Waters Hotel. There wasn't anything particularly noteworthy—just two or three items about the overseas hotels, all promotional content.
After her shower, Caroline returned to the bedroom in her pajamas. As soon as she entered, she saw Leopold lying on his side, head propped up on his hand, looking like he'd been waiting for her forever.
He patted the spot next to him.
She said, "My hair isn't dry yet."
He patted again, "It's fine."
Of course, she understood what he meant. Caroline said, "I'm going to blow-dry my hair."
"Don't run away," Leopold got off the bed and grabbed her wrist, "I'll help you dry it."
"I can do it myself."
Leopold pulled her toward the bathroom, "It's not convenient for you. I'll help, it'll be faster."
His eagerness was completely different from his usual calm demeanor. When it came to sex, Leopold was wild and aggressive, especially when he got intense—like an uncontrollable beast that wanted to devour her completely.
He lifted her onto the vanity. Caroline braced herself with her hands on the edge as he took the hairdryer, threading his fingers through her hair, gently running them through her strands as the warm air blew.
The sound of the hairdryer filled her ears. In front of her was his strong body, his pajama top unbuttoned to reveal his well-defined chest muscles.
Intimate images flashed through her mind. Caroline took a deep breath, pulling her gaze away to focus on her own feet.
She tried to distract herself, not to think about those heated entanglements, but her face flushed hot and red anyway.
When Leopold moved to dry the hair by her hair, he noticed her ear had turned red. His eyes moved to her face, observing Caroline's uncomfortable expression.
He put down the hairdryer, grabbed her neck, and tilted it up. Caroline was forced to raise her head. Everything went dark before her eyes, and then his lips were on hers.
She was only stunned for a second before closing her eyes and responding to him.
Her hands slipped inside his pajamas, caressing his taut muscles, his strong body. Her legs wrapped around his lean waist.
He unbuttoned her pajamas one by one, trailing kisses densely across her shoulders.
In the mirror behind her, their reflection showed her slender, beautiful back and his well-defined hands roaming possessively over her shoulder blades.
He stepped forward, using himself to part her legs.
In the bathroom, messy breathing and soft gasps intertwined and spread.
Moonlight spilled across their sweat-covered bodies. Caroline looked out at the moon and asked, "Why did you really come back early? I know you're afraid I'll worry, so you won't tell me. But if you won't even talk to me, who else can you vent to?"
Leopold's arm rested on the edge of the bed, his hand hanging naturally. He opened his eyes and said, "As a man, always complaining to my wife would make me look pretty useless."
Caroline turned over and hugged Leopold, "But if you don't tell me, I'll feel useless. Everyone needs an outlet. Sometimes just talking things through with someone makes you feel better."
Leopold was silent for a moment. "Remember when we talked about power struggles? Looks like it came true."
Caroline caught on immediately, "You're his son. If he doesn't even trust you, who can he trust?"
Leopold laughed dismissively, "He doesn't want a son he can trust. He wants a chess piece he can control. The overseas hotel project is almost finished, and now he's sending a manager to replace me. You know what they're saying behind my back? That I did all that work just to pave the way for someone else."
"Actually, I understand him. There are already voices in middle and upper management questioning him. And I'm right in the middle of the storm. Some opportunistic executives are trying to use me as their weapon, and I rejected the hotel he personally established. In his eyes, I'm a rebellious son trying to stage a coup."
"If he doesn't call me back, he'll worry that the overseas hotel will become my second stepping stone."
Caroline asked, "Did he recall you verbally or through an official letter?"
"He sent an official letter through the company's internal system. Very formal," Leopold said.
If it had been just a verbal message, there might still be room for negotiation, or it might just mean Preston wanted to knock him down a peg.
But putting it in writing through official channels and distributing it to the entire company, that meant something entirely different.
"When he recalled you, did he tell you to return to Solstice Mountain Hotel or report to headquarters?" Caroline asked.
Leopold said, "He didn't say. Just told me to come back."
Caroline lifted her head, "What does that mean? He's not giving you any position?"
Leopold had already understood Preston's intention when he received the appointment letter.
"Didn't you reach out to him? Or try to explain?"
Leopold pulled his mouth into a self-mocking smile, "Explain what? He only believes what he wants to believe. Even if I explained, it wouldn't change his mind. Besides, I haven't contacted him or the company since I got that letter."
So what Caroline understood was that Leopold had essentially been pushed out by Preston.
"Does he know you're back in the country?"
"He definitely knows. Once I finished the handover, Indigo, the manager who came to take over, could report it to him." Leopold sat up and leaned against the headboard, pulling her into his arms. His eyes were deep as he stared into the darkness.
"My dad doesn't trust anyone. He only trusts himself. So the company is only safe when it's in his hands. If anyone's star rises even slightly above his, they become a threat."
Caroline felt that capable people don't choose jobs based on compensation, but on work environment and relationships.
With Leopold's professional abilities, he could produce impressive results at any hotel.
Caroline said, "I'm going to say something that might upset you."
"How could it?" Leopold kissed her forehead.
"If you're unhappy at Celestial Waters Hotel, then don't work there anymore. You're talented—you'll have plenty of places to shine. But constantly being doubted—it hurts me just watching it." Caroline paused. "Have you ever thought about leaving?"
Leopold really hadn't thought about it before. It wasn't that no one had tried to recruit him—headhunters had contacted him, offering high salaries to get him to switch companies, but Leopold had refused.
But now the situation was different.