Chapter 119 Reporting
Reallocating assets meant stepping on toes, and the people whose profits were being taken away would undoubtedly unleash their fury on Leopold.
He was being used by his own father. Caroline's heart ached for Leopold, a fierce protectiveness bubbling up inside her. Today was not going to be a walk in the park for him at the office.
"Whatever they decide, remember it's a corporate decision, not yours," Caroline said, her voice laced with concern. "Let them think what they want. If they have a problem, they can take it up with senior management. Don't you dare let them make you feel small. This marriage is about us, and no one else."
"Worried about me?" Leopold dipped his shoulder, his lips finding hers in a tender, lingering kiss he couldn't seem to get enough of.
Caroline tilted her head back to meet his gaze. "Of course. You're my husband. How could I not be? And another thing—if anyone gives you a hard time today, you don't have to be polite. Say what you need to say. We're all just human, and everyone has a temper."
Leopold's eyebrow arched in amusement. "I didn't realize you had such a fiery side."
"I'm not unreasonable," she countered. "You're respectful to those who are good to you. But if someone tries to pull rank, throw their weight around, or bring up irrelevant crap, you don't owe them your kindness."
"Looks like I've got backup." Leopold pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry. I rarely lose a battle at the office."
Caroline knew the real story behind his "inspection tour" of the overseas hotels. Preston had used a mix of threats and incentives to get Leopold to do his bidding. The father-son relationship was so cold and transactional it sent a chill down her spine. She refused to be a liability to him.
"Caroline, are you done yet? You're going to be late for work," Elysia called out, keeping an eye on the time for her.
"I've got time," Caroline retorted. "Besides, who's going to care if I'm late? I'm a manager now."
"What does being a manager have to do with it?" Elysia, a veteran of the public sector, had strong opinions on this. "You're a leader. You have to set an example. If you're late, how can you expect your team to respect you?"
"I know, Mom, I know. No need for a lecture this early in the morning. I'm watching the clock, I won't be late," Caroline called back as she returned to her room.
The front door opened, and Leopold stood up at the sound, calling out to the man who entered. "Dad, you're back. Have you had breakfast?"
"I've eaten," Elijah replied, shrugging off his jacket as he walked in.
Caroline noticed the mud splattered on his pant legs. "You should change and take a shower. Get some rest."
"No time to rest. I just came back to change. I have to go into the city for a debriefing," Elijah said, his face etched with fatigue as he headed for the bathroom.
Elysia quickly retrieved a fresh set of clothes from the closet and placed them in the bathroom. When Elijah emerged, he was already dressed in a crisp white shirt and tailored trousers. Elysia held out his suit jacket, and he slipped his arms through the sleeves.
He straightened his collar in front of the mirror. "I'm off."
Elysia handed him his phone. "Will you be back for dinner tonight?"
"I will." Elijah's gaze shifted to Caroline and Leopold. "You two should stay for dinner as well."
Before Caroline could respond, Leopold answered, "Of course, Dad."
Elijah turned to Leopold. "We'll have a drink tonight."
"Sounds good," Leopold agreed.
A warm smile spread across Elijah's face.
This kind of cozy, everyday family atmosphere was something Leopold savored.
In the elevator, Caroline teased, "You know, my dad can really hold his liquor."
"How much are we talking?"
"Ten shots of hard liquor, easy."
Leopold went silent.
A laugh escaped Caroline's lips. He knew she was messing with him. "Seriously, how much can he drink? I need to prepare myself."
"Dad's last physical showed some issues with his blood pressure and heart, so Mom's put him on a strict no-alcohol diet. The most you two will get is maybe a beer each, and that's only because Mom has a soft spot for you."
The elevator doors opened on the ground floor, and they stepped out.
"If things are quiet this afternoon, I'll try to head back early," Leopold said.
Caroline unlocked her car with a click of the remote. "Planning on cooking again?"
Leopold's brows shot up. "This is a golden opportunity to score points. How else am I going to get your dad on my side?"
Caroline leaned against her car door. "We just got married and you're already trying to win over my parents. What are you plotting?"
Leopold started walking toward his car in the opposite row. "Just planning ahead. If you ever decide to bully me, I need a place where I can go plead my case."
"You'd tattle on me to my own parents? That's bold."
"If I have a good relationship with them, we'll see who's being bold," Leopold shot back with a playful smirk, sliding into his driver's seat.
Caroline had never heard of a husband running to his wife's parents to complain. She figured they were both stable, reasonable people who would never let things escalate to the point of needing parental intervention.
She had no idea how wrong she was, or that one day, Leopold would do exactly that.
As soon as Caroline arrived at the office, she started busying herself with her work. When Leopold had just entered the company, the security guard on the first floor began reporting to the upstairs.
Inside the elevator, Leopold stood tall, his posture ramrod straight, his deep-set eyes radiating an intimidating power.
He stepped out and headed directly for Preston's office. As he passed through the main open-plan workspace, Gemma emerged from her own office. A collision in the hallway was inevitable. The employees in the area, sensing the impending storm, immediately bowed their heads and pretended to be absorbed in their work.
Leopold, ever the master of superficial courtesies, gave Gemma a slight nod. "Ms. Adams. Good morning."
Gemma shot him a look of pure disgust, not even bothering to return the greeting.
They arrived at Preston's office. Leopold rapped his knuckles on the door. Preston's voice came from within, muffled but clear.
"Come in."
Leopold pushed the door open and gestured for Gemma to enter first.
She swept past him and sank onto the sofa, pointedly turning her body to face the large glass window, making it clear she had no desire to even look at him.
Leopold walked to the desk. "Mr. Preston Wipere."
Preston glared at the figure on the sofa, his brow furrowed in annoyance. "Are you going to say it, or am I?"
Gemma turned her head away, silent for a long moment. She knew Preston was waiting for her to verbally concede to Leopold, but the words were stuck in her throat.
Preston's tone turned icy. "Fine. If you won't, I will."
That would only make her look even more powerless.
Gemma cleared her throat, drawing their attention. "Mr. Leopold Wipere," she began, her voice stiff. "During your recent inspection tour, you identified a number of issues. I've been quite busy lately and haven't been able to give the overseas hotels the attention they need. After discussing it with Mr. Preston Wipere, we've decided that you will temporarily manage three of the hotels currently under my purview. Once my schedule frees up, Xiomara can take over."
At this, Preston's head snapped toward Gemma, his face turning cold. That last sentence was clearly not part of their prior agreement. Gemma, trying to appear unfazed, deliberately avoided his gaze.
Leopold observed the micro-expressions that flashed between them. He understood the game now.
And if that was how they wanted to play, he needed Preston to make a definitive, final ruling.
Instead of agreeing immediately, Leopold addressed Preston directly. "I'm not very familiar with the overseas operations. I only conducted the inspection tour because you ordered me to, and frankly, I was in over my head. As for Ms. Adams's proposal, I don't believe I have the capacity to take this on. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to deliver the results she expects, and I would hate to disappoint her. Therefore, I believe the decision regarding the hotel reforms should rest with you, Mr. Preston Wipere."