Chapter 188 You Must Not Be In The Game
Leopold came out after his shower and stood behind Caroline. A necklace suddenly dropped in front of her eyes. She looked at Leopold in the mirror and said, "I haven't even worn the necklace you bought last time, and here you are buying another one."
Apart from her wedding ring and watch, she rarely wore any other jewelry to work.
Leopold fastened the necklace for her, held Caroline's shoulders, and said, "The style is different. This one is beautiful, it looks good on you."
He adjusted the necklace and looked at Caroline in the mirror again, praising once more, "Beautiful."
"That's what you said last time too."
Leopold kissed her shoulder, "Can't help it, my wife is just gorgeous, and I won't accept anyone saying otherwise."
Caroline said, "It wasn't cheap, was it?"
Leopold pinched her chin and turned her around, his eyes lowering to trace her lips, "The mood is so good, don't spoil it."
Caroline held back a smile, "So, what should I say?"
Leopold leaned down closer, and just as his lips were about to touch hers, he said, "Say you missed me."
Caroline reached back to hook her arm around his neck, taking the initiative to kiss his lips. Her raised arm pulled up the hem of her nightgown, revealing her slender waist underneath. His hand naturally moved there, his well-defined palm gripping her delicate waist. Under the dual stimulation of sight and touch, he picked her up and placed her on the bed.
Looking up from below, Leopold's jawline was sharp and defined. After he took off his nightgown, he revealed a body of lean, solid muscle, his gaze fixed on Caroline on the bed with dangerous, wild intensity.
He lowered his entire body, his firm forearms propped on either side of her head. The man's overwhelming presence made Caroline both flustered and expectant.
His slender hand brushed across her eyelashes. Caroline closed her eyes as kisses traveled down from her forehead. The nightgown on her body was gently peeled away by him, and the skin exposed to the air raised goosebumps from his magical touch.
Leopold watched Caroline in his arms tremble from his caresses, which only stirred his rising desire further. He stroked her smooth, beautiful back, savoring the tender feel under his palm. He worshipped this perfect body with devotion, and was more than willing to surrender at her feet.
Just as things were getting to the main event, the phone on the nightstand rang.
Caroline opened her eyes, her chest rising and falling, her breathing slightly uneven. Looking at Leopold's furrowed brow and unsatisfied expression.
She said, "Aren't you going to answer it?"
Leopold said irritably, "No need," he pressed Caroline's wrist above her head, "Ignore it, it'll stop in a moment."
Sure enough, the ringtone stopped. Just as Leopold was about to get back into the mood, the ringing started again.
Caroline was also frustrated by the interruption, "You should probably answer it."
Leopold glanced down, grinding his back teeth, "This better be important."
Seeing the number, Leopold's face darkened, "What is it?"
Hearing his voice return to Mr. Wipere's role, the person on the other end couldn't have imagined that before answering this call, Leopold's eyes had been full of desire, but now they were calm and cold.
Erik said, "Mr. Preston Wipere wants you to come to the office."
"Now?"
"Yes."
Leopold paused, "I just got back after nearly thirty hours on a plane. Can't he let me rest and go tomorrow?"
Erik licked his lips, turned away and said quietly, "Mr. Leopold Wipere, it's urgent. I'll come pick you up."
Judging by his tone, it must be something serious. Leopold let out a heavy breath, "Got it."
After hanging up, Caroline saw his expression wasn't good, "What's wrong?"
Leopold walked naked toward the bathroom, "Mr. Preston Wipere needs me urgently. Erik's coming to pick me up."
Caroline looked at her phone—almost ten o'clock. Going to the office this late, it must not be a small matter.
Soon the shower stopped. Leopold came out after taking a cold shower and went to the dressing room. Just as he finished changing, Erik's call came.
Leopold put it on speaker and put on his watch, "You're here?"
Erik said, "Yes, the car's parked at the community entrance."
"Got it."
After hanging up, Leopold fixed his hair in front of the mirror. When he came out, he saw Caroline standing at the door with his dress shoes already prepared.
Caroline asked, "Wasn't the overseas matter resolved? Why is he so urgent to see you?"
Leopold's expression was serious, "Probably something else."
Someone was waiting for him downstairs, so Caroline didn't want to delay, saying, "I'll wait for you to come back. If you need me to pick you up, just call."
Leopold smiled, pinched Caroline's cheek, "Don't wait up, go to bed early."
He turned and left, closing the door.
Caroline ran to the window and watched the figure downstairs gradually walk away, feeling inexplicably uneasy.
Leopold walked out of the community. Erik's car was parked by the roadside, with Erik standing by the car, respectfully waiting for Leopold.
Erik opened the car door, "Mr. Leopold Wipere."
Leopold stopped, glanced at Erik's expression before getting into the car. After Erik got in, Leopold asked, "Mr. Preston Wipere wants to see me—either to condemn me or have me fix the stock price issue. Am I right?"
Erik's pupils flickered slightly as he glanced at the person in the rearview mirror. Leopold already knew about the board members' statements at the shareholders' meeting. The current problems were basically these two points.
Erik said, "Mr. Preston Wipere's attitude this time still shows he wants to protect you."
Leopold looked out the car window with a disdainful cold laugh, "Protect me? That sounds nice. He's protecting his own people. When he sent Indigo over there, trouble broke out within days. Now it's affecting the stock price, and he's worried about the money. Those board members who want me out have also figured out Mr. Preston Wipere's mindset—they'll never let Indigo come out and take the blame, so they're taking this chance to step on me a few more times. The faces of these trash are really disgusting."
Erik frowned tightly, "Mr. Preston Wipere needs to consider the big picture and balance all sides. His thinking is that he hopes you'll do the same."
Leopold pulled his mouth into a mocking smile, "Whenever someone tells you to consider the big picture, you're definitely not part of that picture. When they tell you to balance all sides, you're definitely the sacrifice."
Erik opened his mouth but couldn't find any words to refute that.
Leopold shifted his gaze to Erik, "Erik, haven't you ever suspected that my dad already knows you've been in contact with me behind his back?"
Erik swallowed, "He shouldn't have found out."
Leopold laughed, "My trip to Eldoria wasn't announced publicly, but when I checked into Seraphic Heights Hotel, Pippa came to find me. Do you think he knows about that or not?"
Erik gripped the steering wheel tightly, "You suspect Mr. Preston Wipere had someone investigate you?"
Leopold said, "The older he gets, the more suspicious he becomes. He doesn't even trust his own son—do you think he completely trusts you?"
Erik thought about the USB drive being tampered with, "At the board meeting, the contents of my USB drive were modified. The only person who could access my work area besides me is Mr. Preston Wipere. Why would he do that?"
As Erik puzzled over this, Leopold said, "From the moment he started suspecting I wanted to seize power, he stopped trusting anyone around him, including you."
Erik felt a chill down his spine. Preston's scheming was too dark—in order to monopolize company power, he was using everyone as chess pieces.