Chapter 64
"Quick, you need to hide."
My first instinct was to push Leo upstairs to the master bedroom.
But Leo wasn't cooperating. "Am I really that shameful?"
"It's not that. The person outside has a special status—he can't see you." I was panicking, practically shoving him inside and moving to lock the door.
"Lucinda!"
Leo braced his hand against the doorframe, his face stormy. "You're single now. Even if someone sees us together, no one would dare say anything!"
"You don't understand! Just—you cannot be discovered by Mr. Donovan Percy!"
I pried his hand off and quickly shut the door.
Leo seemed angry and deliberately made noise inside.
I grew frantic, hurriedly warning him. "Don't make any sound, or I'll be really mad!"
The room went silent.
Only then did I head downstairs.
Rushing to the door, I suddenly spotted Leo's shoes and my heart leapt to my throat. I hastily stuffed them into the shoe cabinet.
Gripping the door handle, I took two deliberate breaths to calm myself before opening it.
"Grandpa."
Donovan stood outside, looking at me with suspicion.
"Why did it take so long to answer? I heard you bustling around in there. Were you jogging?"
I nodded along. "Right, I was just... practicing."
"You work too hard, child. You need balance, or you'll pay for it when you reach my age."
Donovan walked into the living room as he spoke.
I agreed obediently and helped him sit on the sofa before asking, "Grandpa, what brings you here at this hour?"
Donovan sighed. "That troublesome grandson of mine, what else?"
"I heard you moved back to your old place to take care of Leo, so I went there to check on you. But you'd already left, so I had to come find you here."
"I..." I didn't know how to explain.
I could hardly say that Leopold and Sophia were living together, and it was awkward for me to be there.
"Never mind, it's fine. This villa—your parents bought it for you, didn't they? Nice location, good environment. Are you comfortable here? Where's the person taking care of you?"
Donovan's gaze swept slowly around the living room before settling on the second floor.
My heartbeat accelerated again, a thin layer of sweat forming on my palms.
"I'm very comfortable here. I'm usually at the dance company anyway, and I eat at the cafeteria. I don't need servants—just have a cleaning service come in."
"That won't do. You train so hard every day—how can you eat cafeteria food with no nutrition?" Donovan disapproved. "I'll have my personal butler come manage things here. At the very least, you should have hot meals."
"Grandpa, that's too much trouble. Your butler is specifically for you—it wouldn't be appropriate. Besides, my parents visit often too. I really don't need it."
I quickly declined.
Donovan considered this and nodded. "All right. This is my first time visiting you here. May I look around?"
My nerves snapped taut again. Afraid he'd notice, I forced a smile and agreed.
When we reached the bathroom, Donovan suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on the sink.
I followed his eyes and nearly suffocated—a pink and blue toothbrush stood side by side, with men's skincare products beside them.
"Grandpa, those... are from when my parents stayed over."
The moment I said it, I felt mortified.
Donovan said nothing, but his entire frame seemed more stooped than when he'd arrived.
Seeing that made my eyes burn with tears.
How stupid could I be to forget such an obvious thing!
Heart filled with anxiety, I followed closely behind Donovan.
The silence felt like a long, wordless torture.
Only at the door did Donovan finally stop, his voice weary.
"Cindy, before I came to see you, I already kicked Sophia out of your old home."
I looked up sharply. "Grandpa."
Donovan sighed, his sharp eyes dimming.
"That bastard Leo was wrong to bring that questionable woman there. I've already disciplined him for it."
"Cindy, tomorrow night, come back to Percy Manor with him for dinner so we can clear up this misunderstanding. Will you?"
I twisted the hem of my shirt anxiously. "Grandpa, I... I feel like Leopold, and I might not be very compatible."
Donovan looked devastated, pressing his lips together helplessly.
Then his expression turned pleading as he continued. "You've suffered a lot lately—I've seen it all. I only recognize you as the Percy family's granddaughter-in-law. Those other strays mean nothing to me. It's just..."
"Leo's parents died young, so these matters fall to me. Just think of it as helping me fulfill a wish, or take pity on an old man."
"Say yes this once. Please?"
Watching those usually sharp eyes glisten with tears, my heart immediately softened.
"All right. I promise."
After seeing Donovan off, I had no energy left. I sat alone on the sofa, lost in thought.
"Did you forget there's someone upstairs?"
Suddenly, Leo's voice came from above.
I looked up to see Leo with both hands on the railing, looking down at me.
"Sorry. I forgot."
Leo released the railing and walked down casually.
"What did the old man say to you? Why so listless?"
I sighed. "He wants me to go to his house for dinner tomorrow night with my ex."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like an unreasonable request. Why do you look so troubled?"
"I can't keep this up. I want to come clean with him."
Leo came over and crouched in front of me. "This whole thing isn't exactly honorable. What if he can't handle it?"
I rubbed my head in frustration. "That's why I'm so conflicted."
"Every time I lie to him, my conscience kills me."
"But if I don't lie, I'm afraid he won't be able to take it. You don't know—I saw him almost cry just now. It felt like a knife in my heart."
Leo's hand gently covered mine. "If you're really this upset, discuss it with your ex."
"He won't agree."
"How do you know he won't agree?"
I lowered my hands and stared directly at him. "Because I know him. He's not the kind of person who'd give me that dignity."
Leo started to say something, but I stopped him.
"I'm tired. I want to rest. Do what you want."
Back in the bedroom, I collapsed on the bed.
One problem after another.
I was so over this!
The next day.
I got a call from Ethan saying he was already outside Bayview Villas.
I changed clothes and left the bedroom.
Leo was no longer in the house, but there was breakfast he'd left for me on the dining table.
I didn't want to eat. I went straight out.
Ethan brought me to a restaurant.
The moment we sat down, I saw Sophia walking in arm-in-arm with a woman who looked older than her, their features sharing some resemblance.
Spotting Ethan and me, Sophia's eyes lit up as she hurried over.