Chapter 59 Awakening
Caroline wasn't exactly a pearl-clutcher—hitting up a nightclub was hardly scandalous, especially since they'd been to one together before.
She walked over to Leopold's VIP section with casual confidence and slid into the booth. Leopold made the introductions.
"This is Caroline, my girlfriend. This is Erica, Caroline's bestie and my rock climbing buddy. And this is my friend, Maddox, who's in town for a few days with the paragliding club."
Maddox flashed an easy smile. "Hey there."
The mention of extreme sports immediately perked Erica up.
"You're into paragliding too?"
That simple "too" bridged the gap between them instantly. Maddox rarely met women in his circles who were into paragliding, so finding one tonight naturally sparked an animated conversation.
Caroline watched the two hit it off, unable to get a word in edgewise. She noticed the glass in front of Leopold and raised an eyebrow. "Have you been drinking?"
Her underlying question hung in the air—explaining his unexpected kiss earlier. Leopold, missing her implication entirely, shook his head. "No, just water. I'm driving us back later."
Clearly, he hadn't caught her drift.
As the glass touched his lips, Leopold glanced at her again, finally connecting the dots about what she meant.
While they were both adults, kissing should come from genuine affection, not from a jealous impulse. That wasn't respectful to her.
"I'm sorry," Leopold said quietly.
His apology left Caroline at a loss for words. What was she supposed to say? That it was okay?
Caroline felt a flicker of annoyance and turned away slightly.
Leopold, reading her displeasure, leaned in close to her ear. "Did you think I went up there because I was drunk?"
Caroline's pulse did that traitorous flutter, her hand clenching beneath the table.
She didn't respond, but Leopold seemed to understand what was going through her mind anyway.
"I don't have a problem with you coming to clubs, but seeing that guy with you... it got under my skin. I didn't go up there to mess with you—I was jealous of him. I acted on impulse. Your friend was there, and I didn't consider how it would make you feel. Don't be mad, okay? It won't happen again."
His gentle tone as he tried to smooth things over caught Caroline completely off guard.
In anyone else's shoes, she'd expect at least some passive-aggressive comments, if not outright disapproval. But Leopold was actually apologizing.
Caroline stared at him through the dim lighting, something shifting in her usually calm eyes. He truly respected her—not just lip service, but genuine respect and trust from deep down.
In the soft glow of the club lights, she smiled at him with quiet contentment. Leopold wasn't used to her looking at him so intently, and found himself uncharacteristically flustered.
"What is it?" He asked.
Caroline shook her head. "Nothing."
She remembered when she was with Atticus, how he'd criticize her clothing choices as "unprofessional," question her loyalty for simply chatting with male coworkers, and expect her to be subservient around his parents. During that relationship, her self-esteem had plummeted to rock bottom.
Now she realized that someone who truly cares about you doesn't weaponize your lifestyle against you. Put bluntly, Atticus had wanted to dominate her psychologically—classic emotional manipulation.
These revelations only came to Caroline after breaking up with Atticus.
As a woman, she'd learned something crucial: always be ready to walk away. When someone crossed your boundaries, did something intolerable, or deliberately undermined your self-worth, end the relationship immediately. Turn and walk away, giving no one the chance to hurt you again.
Considering Caroline and Erica had a full day of sightseeing planned for tomorrow, Leopold suggested they call it a night.
He pulled Maddox aside to get the car, telling the girls to wait by the entrance.
Once they were out of earshot, Leopold turned to Maddox. "Erica's Caroline's best friend. Don't even think about making a move on her."
"What are you talking about?" Maddox played dumb.
Leopold opened the driver's door with a sharp tug. "You got her Messenger contact. Don't think I didn't notice."
Maddox was momentarily speechless. "So what if I did? We're both into extreme sports. We could hang out sometime. Is that a crime?"
Leopold started the engine, his expression hardening. "Play whatever games you want with other women. Just not with Erica."
Maddox frowned. "Why not? Whatever happens between Erica and me won't affect you guys."
Leopold drove out of the parking lot toward the club entrance, the headlights illuminating the two women waiting.
"Erica is Caroline's closest friend. If you mess things up with Erica, how do you think that affects my relationship with Caroline?"
Maddox pressed his lips together and went silent.
The car stopped. As they opened the doors, Leopold gave Maddox a meaningful look. The latter sniffed slightly and turned his attention to the window.
Erica's outgoing personality made her easy to get along with. Whenever Maddox got carried away in conversation, he'd catch Leopold's warning glare.
Back at the hotel, just before parting ways, Erica reminded Maddox not to forget taking her to the paragliding base tomorrow.
Maddox eagerly agreed, his smile stretching from ear to ear—until he caught Leopold's icy stare. The corners of Leopold's mouth turned down slightly, clearly signaling Maddox to refuse.
But Maddox couldn't bring himself to disappoint Erica's enthusiasm for extreme sports. This was Pinecrest, after all—the largest and most elite paragliding base in the country. Missing out would be a travesty.
So Maddox agreed despite the pressure.
As soon as the elevator doors closed, Leopold casually asked, "Did you miss my hint, or what?"
Maddox laughed nervously. "I caught it, how could I not? But you saw how excited she was about going, right? Look at it this way—if I keep Erica happy, doesn't that help your relationship with Caroline too?"
Leopold's brow furrowed. "And you're on a first-name basis with Caroline now?"
"What am I supposed to call her?" Maddox challenged. "'Hot stuff' is too sleazy, 'Ms. Tudor' is too formal, 'Leopold's girlfriend' is too many syllables. 'Caroline' is just right—friendly and respectful."
Leopold shot him a warning look. "You can take Erica paragliding, but don't cross the friendship line."
Maddox raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Is that even up to me? You have no idea how many women make the first move when they hang out with me."
Leopold clenched his jaw. "Don't you dare."
With that, he turned and walked away.
"Leopold, where are you going?" Maddox called after him, wisely heading toward another elevator.
Back in their room, both women were exhausted from the day. After showering, Caroline was ready to crash when she saw Leopold's message asking how she was feeling.
Caroline replied: [All good, no fever. Are you working night shift?]
North: [No. What are your plans for tomorrow?]
Caroline was about to reply when she heard Erica on the phone, apparently making arrangements to head to the paragliding club early tomorrow.
Caroline typed back: [No plans yet.]