Chapter 300

Chapter 300

[Who are you?]

Lisbeth's message sank without a trace. The person on the other end never replied. Even after the family finished dinner and prepared for bed, Lisbeth checked her phone again.

Still nothing.

She set down her phone and nestled into Sebastian's arms. They held each other close, bodies entwined, but on this cold night, their hearts felt miles apart.

The next morning, Lisbeth went to the hospital. This time she didn't hide it from Sebastian. After breakfast, she made a point of saying, "I have something to take care of today. I need to go to the hospital. You'll have to drop the kids off."

Sebastian was clearing the dishes. He paused. "Got it. Drive safe."

"Okay."

The door closed softly behind her.

Sebastian set down the bowl and turned to see two pairs of cautious eyes watching him. He smiled. "Why are you two looking at me like that?"

Dennis said seriously, "You seem upset, Dad."

"Is it that obvious?"

Sebastian thought he was good at hiding his emotions, but Lisbeth had seen through him last night. Now even the kids could tell?

"I just know."

Dennis hesitated. "Are you upset because Mom went to the hospital?"

"Do you know what your mom's doing at the hospital?" Sebastian asked.

"No. She didn't say."

"Your mom didn't tell you, and she didn't tell me either. I don't even know what she's doing there. Why would I be upset?"

Dennis felt something was off about that logic, but he couldn't pinpoint what. He had no choice but to accept it, though he puzzled over it for a long time afterward.

In the end, he could only sigh: 'Adults are so complicated.'

Meanwhile, Lisbeth really had come to visit Leopold. She pushed open the door to find him lying in the hospital bed, wearing a patient gown. Only then did she notice how much weight he seemed to have lost.

Leopold looked at her, a smile spreading across his face. "You finally came to see me."

"How are you feeling? How's your recovery?" Lisbeth ignored his slightly suggestive tone and set the meal container on the bedside table.

The moment she opened it, Leopold caught the aroma. "Oatmeal porridge—my favorite. Did you make this yourself?"

"No. I bought it."

Lisbeth was matter-of-fact.

Leopold laughed bitterly. "You're terrifyingly honest."

"I don't like lying."

She'd never liked it before. She didn't now.

Leopold looked at her with a distant expression. "Your preferences have always been obvious. When you love something, you hold it in the palm of your hand. When you don't, you won't even look at it."

"If you know that, you shouldn't have made me come."

Lisbeth hadn't come willingly. She'd received a text from Leopold. She pulled out her phone. The message on the screen read:

[Come to the hospital. I have something important to tell you. It's about your company.]

"What's this important thing you wanted to tell me?" Lisbeth asked.

"You haven't been going to the office much lately, have you?"

"No."

"Aren't you worried about someone else taking control while you're away?"

Lisbeth sensed he was implying something. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't beat around the bush. You know I hate it when people talk in circles."

"I'm just trying to remind you—you worked so hard to build that branch to where it is today. If you're not at the office, you'll have to hand over management to someone else. The employees don't care who holds the shares. They only listen to whoever makes the decisions."

Lisbeth understood. "You're saying Sophia will try to take control of my company."

Leopold lowered his head. "I didn't say that. But I don't think it's impossible. The branch is doing well. It'll thrive under anyone's leadership. A prize like that? Plenty of people would want to grab it."

"But I don't think she can take it from me." Lisbeth didn't trust Sophia completely. Even when she wasn't at the office, she still held the company's confidential information. Every project needed her approval before it could move forward.

At most, Sophia was middle management. She could never take the branch away.

Leopold smiled. "Confidence is good. But sometimes overconfidence isn't."

He didn't usually talk in riddles. If he was being this roundabout now, there had to be a reason.

Lisbeth thought it through and arrived at one possibility. "Do you know something about her?"

Leopold shrugged slightly, then winced as the movement pulled at his wound. "I don't know anything. If I did, wouldn't I have told you already?"

"Then why are you saying all this?"

Leopold sighed. "This is all based on my experience since I returned to the company. I know you too well. You trust people too easily. But not everyone in this world is good. There are people who are greedy, selfish, reckless—people who want to take things that don't belong to them."

After all that, he still hadn't offered concrete evidence. He hadn't named anyone.

Lisbeth could only guess. But looking at everyone in the company, there was really only one person who could seize power and pose a real threat. "Thanks for the warning. I'll be careful."

"You've changed."

Leopold said it suddenly.

Lisbeth blinked. "Changed how?"

"You used to never listen to advice." Leopold corrected himself. "No—not from other people. Just from me."

"Because I remember that we don't have any relationship anymore." Lisbeth stood. "Leopold, thank you again for helping me, but I won't be coming back. I don't want Sebastian to misunderstand. Don't text me anymore either. As for your medical bills, I've already set aside the money. This card has what I owe you for emotional damages."

She'd thought of everything. Every apology, every gesture she could think of—she'd prepared it all.

And with these things, she drew a deep chasm between them.

"Rest up. I'm leaving."

She turned to go, but ran into Elora at the door. She didn't need to ask—obviously the woman was here to see Leopold.

Lisbeth didn't want to cause a scene in a hospital and tried to step aside, but Elora blocked her. "Ms. Whitaker, you certainly seem relaxed."

"I came to visit a patient." Lisbeth kept her composure.

Elora sneered. "Looks like you don't know yet. Well, let me give you some advice—you'd better get back home. If you wait too long, it'll be too late. Losing everything, ending up with nothing? That would be pathetic."

"What are you talking about?" Lisbeth frowned.

"I really shouldn't tell you this, but I'm just so kind-hearted. I think since some things are already beyond repair, you should at least know so you're not caught completely off guard."

Her words set off alarm bells in Lisbeth's mind.