Chapter 126 Cooperation
Knocking on Leopold's office door, Lily reported, "Mr. Wipere, the meeting is scheduled for the executive conference room in T3. Any specific requests for beverages?"
Allegra was a coffee person, but Leopold hadn't bothered to give Lily any special instructions.
"Nothing special. Standard hospitality. Inform them that the meeting will start in ten minutes."
Lily opened her mouth, then hesitated. Seeing her pause, Leopold prompted, "Is there something else?"
She had been by his side longer than anyone, knew more about his past than most. Their relationship was more like friends than just boss and assistant; there was little they couldn't discuss.
"Does Caroline know about her?" Lily asked, cutting to the chase.
Leopold toyed with the pen in his hand, his gaze lowered. "She knows. I have nothing to hide from her."
A man as straightforward as Leopold was a rare breed, at least in Lily's experience.
"She knows she's here, too?"
"Yes."
Lily's eyebrows shot up. "And she's not mad?"
"No. She knows that if I'm willing to be upfront about it, I'm not planning anything shady."
"That's one way to look at it, but a woman's heart is still going to feel a little uneasy. I just hope this work wraps up quickly, before any misunderstandings can happen." Lily sounded genuinely concerned.
"About today's phone call," Leopold added, a new weight in his voice. "I didn't tell Caroline about that."
"It's a work call. You don't need to report every single detail of your day," Lily reasoned.
"She was with me when I took it."
"She was right there when you answered?"
"Yes. We were at the new house, checking on the construction progress."
The real headache for Leopold wasn't the call itself, but the fact that he had made a promise and, in a way, had already broken it.
Lily offered her perspective, speaking as a woman. "Honestly, since you told her yesterday, you probably should have told her today, too. From the looks of it, you and Allegra are going to be seeing a lot of each other. If Caroline finds out later, don't you think she'll be bothered?"
Leopold set his pen down. "I think she would be. If we switched places, and she promised me she'd never contact an ex again, only to turn around and do just that, I'd be pissed."
"So, your current situation is…"
Leopold nodded grimly. "Exactly. My promise is about to become void."
Hearing that, Lily felt a pang of sympathy. "The partnering firm is really something else. They had so many people to choose from, and they just had to send her."
Leopold glanced at his watch and rose from his chair, heading for the door. "Go contact the finance team. I'll wait for them in the conference room."
Finding a quiet corner in the hallway, Leopold dialed Preston's number. It was Erik who answered.
"Good morning, Mr. Leopold Wipere."
"Where is Mr. Preston Wipere?"
"Mr. Preston Wipere is in a meeting," Erik replied smoothly.
"When will it be over?"
"I'm not sure," Erik said, his tone unhelpfully polite. "Is there a message I can relay to him?"
It was painfully obvious that Preston had arranged this, deliberately ducking his call. "No, that's fine."
Staring down the long, narrow corridor, Leopold's mind was flooded with the image of himself, just last night, making that solemn vow to Caroline. Now, forget not seeing Allegra—it was looking like they'd be seeing a lot of each other. And coordinating the project would inevitably involve file transfers, video calls, and all sorts of communication.
Caroline had heard Allegra's voice. The second she ran into her, a ticking time bomb would detonate.
The team from the financial firm began to arrive at the conference room. Leopold politely shook hands with each of them. When it was Allegra's turn, his demeanor turned frosty, a purely professional gesture. His four fingers barely grazed her hand before he quickly retracted his.
Allegra smiled. "Hello, Mr. Wipere."
"Ms. Watson. Please, have a seat."
Her gaze flickered to Lily, seated beside Leopold. Lily's expression was sharp, intelligent. Allegra guessed she knew everything.
Allegra gestured for her assistant to distribute the meeting materials. "Lily, your makeup looks fantastic today. The color is so flattering. Would you mind telling me what lipstick that is?"
To control the game, you had to know the players. The secretary at Leopold's side was no simpleton. If Allegra could get on her good side, it might be possible to glean some useful information.
But to Lily, Allegra's maneuver was clumsy, almost amateurish. She smiled faintly. "You're too kind. It's not some luxury brand, I'm afraid it wouldn't suit a woman of your status, Ms. Watson."
Allegra maintained her poise. "Oh, I'm not that fussy. If I like something, I don't care about the brand."
"Is that so? I happen to have a brand-new one. I can have guest services deliver it to your room later."
"Oh, I couldn't possibly accept."
"Please, don't worry about it, Ms. Watson. A woman's favorite lipstick is always the next shade she finds. Besides, having it approved by a beauty like you is an honor."
With that, Allegra stopped refusing. "But it's your favorite lipstick, how could I take it? How about this, let's add each other on WhatsApp. When you're not busy, you can just send me the link?"
Her proposal put Lily in an awkward position. Offering the gift was one thing, but refusing to connect on WhatsApp seemed rude.
"You're joking, Ms. Watson. It's just a lipstick. After the meeting, I'll bring it with me when I see you out," Lily replied, deftly sidestepping. There was no way she would add a business partner on WhatsApp without Leopold's approval.
Allegra was the lead representative, so as long as she was making small talk, no one on her team would dare rush her.
Leopold, seeing that enough time had passed, cut in. "Ms. Watson, besides these data points, do you have the proposal your company prepared?"
Allegra signaled to her assistant. "Noah."
Noah retrieved a file from his briefcase, walked to Leopold's side, and placed it on the table before him.
For the next several hours, the two sides engaged in a detailed discussion about the partnership's intent and specifics.
During the lunch break, Leopold, as the host, invited Allegra and her team to the hotel restaurant.
When he asked about her preferences, Allegra was certain Leopold hadn't forgotten what she liked to eat; he was just putting on a show for the others.
"My stomach has been a bit sensitive lately," Allegra said. "My doctor advised me to stick to a lighter diet, nothing too greasy. Please, Mr. Wipere, you decide."
Hearing that a guest had a health issue, basic courtesy demanded a show of concern. Leopold didn't disappoint.
"Your line of work isn't easy. The high intensity, the irregular meals, you really have to take care of yourself."
Allegra nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Wipere."
"Of course. If you were to get sick, how would we continue our negotiations?"
Leopold arranged for a selection of light, elegant dishes for Allegra—delicate steamed fish fillets with a ginger-soy reduction and a clear vegetable broth soup. For the rest of her team, he ordered some of the hotel's signature dishes, showcasing a bit more flair.
The conversation throughout the meal revolved mostly around the project. When lunch concluded, Leopold escorted them to the elevator.
"Mr. Wipere," Allegra called out suddenly. "Could I have a word with you in private?"
Leopold knew what was coming. "Of course."
They moved to the end of the hallway. "We're going to be coordinating on this project," Allegra began, her tone all business. "I need you to unblock my number and add me back on WhatsApp."
It was exactly what he'd expected. Leopold had no grounds to refuse.
"This is strictly about work," she continued, her gaze unwavering. "I hope you won't take up my personal time. If you hadn't deleted my number and WhatsApp in the first place, I wouldn't have to pull you aside like this now. And don't worry, I have no intention of using this job to try and salvage a relationship that's already over."
With that, she turned and walked away. Leopold didn't give her words a second thought. He returned to his office and asked Lily to close the door.
"She's very capable," Lily observed. "Sharp, quick-witted. Working with her will be productive. But on a personal level, I wouldn't choose her as a friend. The scent of calculation is too strong."
That was the very thing that had driven Leopold to end it with Allegra in the first place. He had seen right through her.
"How long did headquarters book their rooms for?" Leopold asked.
"Erik called. They're booked for a month, for now."
A month?
"I see. You can get back to your work."
The afternoon sun cast a warm, gentle glow across the floor. The office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Leopold stared at a patch of sunlight at his feet, lost in thought.
His phone vibrated. He flipped it over. It was Caroline.