Chapter 112 What Tricks to Play
In the nearly three weeks he spent abroad, Leopold had mastered the entire operational system of the Celestial Waters Hotel chain. He had also conducted internal investigations on the managers of each hotel, compiling a detailed report on the problems he uncovered and his proposed solutions, ready to be handed to Preston the next day.
How Preston would choose to handle it was no longer his concern.
Still, he couldn't help but think about the predicament. One was Preston's wife, the other a friend who had been through hell and back with him. It was a tough spot for anyone to be in.
News of Leopold's return had reached the company before his plane even touched down. Everyone knew the purpose of his trip, and two people, in particular, were practically vibrating with anxiety.
One was Gemma. The other was Xavier, a board member with whom Leopold had a serious grudge ever since the Dash incident.
Gemma had three of the overseas hotel chains under her name, while Xavier managed two. When Leopold arrived in Thalassia, he'd discovered that the fired Dash had been conveniently transferred by Xavier to the hotel there. They'd crossed paths a few times, and it was clear Dash had learned his lesson—he was far more cooperative this time. But the core problem remained: bribery.
Dash knew he was caught, and Leopold was morbidly curious to see how Xavier would try to save him this time.
Compared to Gemma's mismanagement, Xavier had far more to fear from the evidence Leopold held.
Gemma had thought it was clever to pull Xavier into her scheming, but she had no idea that he was more than happy to be dragged in. It was all part of Xavier's more sophisticated game.
Tipped off about his arrival, the pair intercepted Leopold the moment he stepped out of the elevator. Their appearance was entirely expected.
He let his gaze drift calmly over them, giving a slight nod. "Ms. Adams, Mr. Anderson. Waiting for me?"
Gemma plastered on a warm, friendly smile. "Leopold, you must be exhausted from your trip," she said, her voice dripping with concern. "Preston's in a meeting, no idea when he'll be out. Why don't you come to my office for a bit? Xiomara brought me some exquisite coffee yesterday. You should try it, it's wonderful."
Xavier chimed in, laying it on thick. "Oh, really? From Xiomara? It must be top-notch. I wouldn't mind a taste myself."
"Perfect! Mr. Anderson, you should join us," Gemma agreed readily. "Let's go."
Leopold didn't move an inch. The two of them, who had started to turn, exchanged a loaded, awkward glance.
Watching their pathetic performance was both ironic and laughable.
If two people in this company despised him, and wanted him gone, it was them. And now they were inviting him for coffee? The ulterior motive was so obvious it was almost insulting.
Gemma, though clearly fighting her own discomfort, forced a smile. She had to play the part of the caring elder to prevent him from exposing what he knew.
"Come on, Leopold. I'll brew you a cup myself. Even Preston says my coffee is the best." Gemma reached for his arm, but he sidestepped her. Rejected, her hand clenched into a fist, her smile looking more like a grimace.
She was a woman who lived and died by her pride; she couldn't bear to be humiliated in front of Xavier.
Xavier cleared his throat, quickly averting his gaze. He knew how much she valued her image and played along, pretending he hadn't seen a thing.
"Leopold," Xavier stepped forward, also adopting the role of a senior colleague. "It's been a while since we had a proper chat. There were some misunderstandings before. Why don't we take this opportunity to sit down and clear the air? What do you say?"
When things seemed too good to be true, they usually were.
Their behavior was a complete one-eighty from their usual hostility. One offering to make him coffee, the other wanting to "clear the air." Leopold would have to be a complete fool to fall for their act.
He offered a polite nod and a practiced smile. "Coffee from Xiomara is bound to be excellent, I have no doubt. And I've heard all about your skills from Mr. Wipere, Ms. Adams. He's mentioned more than once that you make the best coffee. As for you, Mr. Anderson, you're too kind. There are no misunderstandings between us. It's all just business. I hold no grudges, and I hope you don't either. Let's let bygones be bygones. We're all working for the good of the company, after all."
He paused, his tone impeccably professional. "It's no problem that Mr. Wipere is in a meeting. I'll just wait in his office. Please, don't let me keep you."
With that, Leopold moved to bypass them, striding toward Preston's office.
Panic flared in their eyes. They exchanged a frantic look. "Well, go after him! What are you standing there for?" Gemma hissed at Xavier.
Xavier hurried to catch up. "Mr. Wipere! Mr. Leopold Wipere!"
"Leopold! Leopold!" Gemma scurried in front of him, grabbing his suit jacket and panting slightly. "Leopold, you can't take those files to Preston."
Xavier shot her a look that screamed, You just gave the game away! Gemma's lips trembled, and she fell silent, knowing she'd messed up.
Xavier stepped in, glancing around to ensure no one was watching. His voice dropped to a conspiratorial, friendly tone. "Leopold, let's find somewhere private. Name your price. Whatever you want. Just don't give that report to Mr. Wipere."
Leopold felt nothing but contempt for them. Besides, he had given his word to Preston that he would solve the overseas issues. This trip was a test, and if he failed, Preston wouldn't attend his wedding to Caroline.
Leopold's brow furrowed. He tried to pull his arm free from Gemma's grip, but she held on tight. He glanced down the long corridor.
"Ms. Adams," he said, his voice firm and serious, "this is a public hallway. You grabbing onto me like this could easily be seen by other employees. It doesn't look good."
Gemma was past caring about appearances. Catching her breath, she pleaded, "Leopold, can we please just find an empty conference room and talk this through calmly?"
Xavier quickly added, "There's an empty office right up here." He gestured, trying to guide Leopold in that direction, but Leopold stood his ground, immovable as a mountain.
It was crystal clear he had no intention of "talking things through."
Gemma, her mind racing, finally threw her pride to the wind and pulled the elder card. "In this family, I am, for all intents and purposes, your senior. Are you going to disrespect your elders? Is this how your mother raised you?"
At the mention of Quinlan, Leopold's hand, hanging at his side, clenched into a tight fist, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.
Xavier noticed the dark shift in his expression and quickly tried to smooth things over. "Leopold, listen to me. We can figure this out together, in a way that won't put you in a difficult position. We're just looking for a more flexible solution. Ms. Adams didn't mean anything by that; she's just on edge. Please, don't take it to heart. Trust me, I wouldn't mislead you. Just come with us to the office up ahead. Hear us out. Then you can decide whether or not to give the report to Mr. Wipere. How does that sound?"
Gemma instantly regretted her words. But looking at Leopold's face—a spitting image of that bitch Quinlan—brought back all the humiliation she had suffered at Quinlan's hands years ago.
She caught the look Xavier shot her, a silent command to focus on the big picture and not let her temper derail their objective.
The immediate threat was more important. Swallowing her resentment, Gemma forced another smile, her tone softening as she apologized. "Leopold, are you still mad at me? We're family, after all. Just like Mr. Anderson said, let's go to the office, sit down, and talk calmly. Let me explain the situation with the overseas hotels. If you think I'm wrong, you can walk out at any time and give those files to your father. Okay?"
Leopold was curious. He wanted to see what kind of show these two were about to put on.
Xavier sensed the shift in Leopold's stance. A smile broke across his face as he gently placed a hand on Leopold's back, guiding him toward the office.
As they walked, he began his pitch. "Leopold, think about it. From the day you first came to this company, wasn't I the first one to stand up and support you? You remember, right? So many of the shareholders were against it, but I sided with your father and backed your appointment. If I were really wary of you, would I have been the first to endorse you? Am I wrong?"
Leopold remained silent. It was true. Xavier had been the first shareholder to support him.