Chapter 130
The second he picked up, I didn't waste time on pleasantries.
"Leopold, did you go after my senior? Did you send people to ambush him?"
His breathing turned heavy, voice going cold. "I'd love to take credit, but I'm a law-abiding citizen. I don't do illegal crap like that."
The self-righteous tone threw me off balance. I had no comeback ready.
"Cat got your tongue?" Leopold seized control immediately, firing back, "You suspect me? Then tell me—did you see my people? Did you spot my car?"
I hadn't seen either.
I'd only overheard Ethan talking with his subordinate before making this call.
When I stayed silent, Leopold's tone turned dismissive. "Zero evidence, and you're still brave enough to accuse me of trying to kill him."
I tightened my grip on the phone. "In Silverlight City, who else would want him dead this badly?"
Leopold's voice dropped even colder. "Did Ethan tell you that?"
"No." I rushed to deny it. "I heard it myself. Don't make it sound like he's trying to drive a wedge between us."
Leopold let out a scornful laugh. "If he really didn't want you to know, how would you have 'accidentally' heard any of this?"
"It was an accident." I tried to explain.
Leopold wasn't buying it, his tone dripping with contempt. "If I'd actually made a move, Ethan would already be a corpse. No one would ever know it was me."
My breath caught in my throat.
As much as I hated to admit it, he was right.
He operated with ruthless efficiency—never leaving behind evidence that could trace back to him.
Had Ethan's subordinate gotten it wrong?
"Where did this 'ambush' happen?" Leopold asked suddenly.
I answered honestly. "On the way to the airport."
"Don't tell me you were there too." Leopold's voice plummeted, carrying an ominous weight that made the air feel heavy.
"Yes, I was there."
The moment the words left my mouth, Leopold's voice turned ice-cold.
"Perfect."
"Just you wait!"
He hung up abruptly.
I stood there totally baffled. I'd been the one demanding answers—how did this end with Leopold threatening me?
Just as I was about to head back, my doctor called.
"Ms. Wipere, Mr. Percy just sent someone to ask about your old injury. They were asking detailed questions—even recorded when you first came in for treatment."
My heart leaped into my throat, my whole body trembling.
"Did you tell them everything?"
"No."
The doctor's denial yanked me back from the edge of panic.
"I downplayed it. Didn't mention how serious your condition is—just said you have knee strain that needs attention."
I leaned against the wall, nodding repeatedly. "Thank you for covering for me."
"Don't mention it. Has your leg been feeling weak frequently?"
"No, not recently."
"That's good. But my original advice still stands—the sooner you start treatment, the better the outcome."
I understood what he was getting at. "I will. A friend already helped me contact a specialist in this area. I'll be seeing him soon."
Relieved that I was finally taking my condition seriously, the doctor seemed satisfied.
After hanging up again, my mind went blank.
This specialist—Ethan was the one who'd arranged it for me.
Ethan had been bending over backward to help me lately. Was it genuine concern, or did he have ulterior motives? And why would Leopold suddenly be digging into my medical history? Had Sophia ratted me out, or had I done something to make him suspicious?
These questions tangled in my head like a mess of threads, leaving me unsettled.
I headed back to find Ethan, but before I even got close, I heard commotion coming from the doctor's office.
"Mr. Percy, please calm down!"
My whole body jolted. Leopold was here?
"Get out!"
I'd barely reached the doorway when I heard Leopold's furious roar.
I looked inside—several of Ethan's bodyguards were sprawled on the floor.
And Ethan himself was pinned against the doctor's desk, Leopold's hand forcing his head down.
"Ethan, I've been tolerating you for way too long. If Lucinda wasn't protecting you, I'd have killed you already!"
Leopold's eyes burned with such intense fury that they could set the air on fire.
"Leopold!"
I rushed in to stop him.
But the second my hand touched Leopold, he shook me off.
"You're still defending him! That car accident was his own damn setup—a sick ploy to gain sympathy. If you two hadn't been lucky, you would've..."
Leopold couldn't finish, his gaze turning even more vicious, like he was about to snap Ethan's neck right there.
Pushed back by his force, I stood frozen in disbelief.
"Leopold, you've gone too far!"
Ethan tried to struggle, but he was no match for Leopold's rage-fueled strength. Unable to break free, he could only shout back.
"You're the one pulling dirty tricks behind the scenes, and now you want to pin it on me!"
"Ethan, don't think I can't find evidence just because you had someone clean up." Leopold's voice was merciless. "From the moment I knew you hadn't left, I've had people watching your every move."
Ethan's expression flickered.
It was only for a split second, but I caught it.
"Ethan, that car accident—was it really an accident?"
Ethan's head whipped toward me, his eyes flashing with anger mixed with helplessness.
"Cindy, you were in that car, too. How could I possibly take that kind of risk?"
Leopold's fist answered him instead.
Ethan cried out in pain from the blow.
Only then did Leopold release him, shoving him to the floor.
I started toward Ethan to check his injuries, but Leopold grabbed my hand.
Leopold shot me a warning glance, then looked down at Ethan with contempt.
"I gave you too much credit. I thought no matter how manipulative you were, you'd never drag Lucinda into it. But you actually gambled with her life!"
"Ethan, just wait. I'll make sure the Guise family pays this debt back double!"
My brain was working overtime, trying to make sense of their exchange.
Before I could piece it together, Leopold forcibly pulled me away.
"Cindy..."
Ethan braced himself against the desk, rising to his feet and calling out to me softly.
I couldn't help but look back.
Sensing it, Leopold stopped immediately, fixing me with an unreadable, intense gaze.
"Can't bear to leave him? Then go back."
"Cindy." Ethan pushed through his pain, moving to the doorway and reaching out his hand. "He's willing to let you go now. Come with me."
I looked at him, then at Leopold, torn between the two.
Just moments ago, I'd started to believe Leopold had nothing to do with this.
But the next second, he'd stormed the hospital and beaten Ethan, claiming Ethan had orchestrated the whole thing himself.
It was absurd.
Ethan had always been respectful and proper. After learning Leopold and I were together, he'd never tried to interfere.
Even if he had feelings for me, he'd never make such a self-destructive move.
Who was I supposed to believe?
"Mr. Leopold Percy, Mr. Donovan Percy is in critical condition! The doctor says you need to come back right away!"
Just then, Teddy rushed over to report the news to Leopold.
Without hesitation, I said, "I'll go with you."
"Cindy!"
Ethan's voice came out hoarse, wanting me to stay.
I paused, apologetic. "Ethan, I'm sorry. Mr. Donovan Percy is critical—I can't leave right now."
With that, I followed Leopold, heading straight for the hospital where Donovan was.