Chapter 128 The Basics of Being a Husband
A slight smirk played on Leopold's lips as he forked a piece of fish and held it out to her. "Who said you were overthinking it? My hands were full, so speakerphone was just more convenient."
"Right," Caroline said, not bothering to call his bluff.
Leopold followed up with a bite of steak. "Eat up. We need to keep this little mouth of yours busy."
She laughed. "Hit a nerve, did I?"
Leopold took a sip of his congee. "Whatever you say, darling. You're always right."
Caroline had a site visit scheduled in Thornfield Town for the day, while Leopold needed to head back to Solstice Mountain. They parted ways at the intersection.
Just as Leopold's car pulled into the hotel parking lot, his phone rang. It was Lily.
"Mr. Wipere, what's your ETA? Ms. Watson was hoping to schedule a meeting this morning to sync up on the project."
Leopold shifted the car into park. "I'm already here."
He stepped out of the elevator to find Lily waiting for him in the hallway. He pushed open his office door, and they went in, one after the other.
Lily placed a thick stack of documents on his desk. "These are from Ms. Watson's team."
Leopold's brow furrowed. "That's a mountain."
He flipped through a few pages, then pulled the small box of pills from his pocket, sliding it across the desk toward her. "Give this to Ms. Watson later."
Lily paused for a beat. "Of course."
Leopold glanced at his watch. "Inform Ms. Watson that the meeting will be in half an hour, same conference room as yesterday."
"Right away," Lily confirmed.
When Allegra arrived at the conference room, Leopold and Lily were already there. The files she'd sent over were laid out on the table, several pages already marked with sticky notes.
She had complete faith in Leopold's professional efficiency, but this level of speed meant their project timeline would be drastically accelerated.
Allegra pulled her gaze back, a faint smile on her face. "Now I see why Mr. Preston Wipere assigned you to be my point person. Impressive efficiency. How much have you gotten through?"
"Just the first few sections," Leopold replied.
"I pulled an all-nighter compiling that data," Allegra said. "It's meant to be a reference for our collaboration. There are also some relevant case studies from similar projects that are worth looking at."
"I appreciate the hard work, Ms. Watson. Your dedication is something I should learn from," Leopold said, his hand resting on the thick pile of paper. "I'll get through these documents as quickly as possible and give you my feedback."
The discussion that followed dove deep into the specifics of Celestial Waters Hotel's situation. The international properties required a much deeper level of partnership, which meant his interactions with Allegra wouldn't be limited to just one month.
After the meeting, Lily handed Allegra the two boxes of stomach medication. "Ms. Watson, your medicine."
Allegra accepted them without a change in expression. "Thank you."
"It's my pleasure. Assisting our guests is part of my job. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to call me."
Lily's professional smile was an impenetrable mask. Even Allegra's own colleague, who had come with her, didn't notice a thing.
Allegra knew this was Leopold's doing. It was clear he wanted zero private contact with her.
Back in her room, Allegra opened the box and took two pills.
The Leopold of today brought back a flood of memories. Back when they were both studying abroad, his striking looks had made him a magnet for attention. For her, he had always kept his admirers at a distance. She had relished being the sole focus of his affection, savoring the superiority she felt watching him turn down other women. It fed her ego, making her arrogantly believe he couldn't live without her.
Allegra vividly remembered a party where a beautiful foreign student had cornered him on his way back from the restroom, asking him out. He had rejected her on the spot. Then, spotting Allegra at the end of the hall, he had deliberately slung an arm around her shoulders and walked away, right in front of the other girl.
She never would have imagined that the man who had been so devoted would agree to a breakup so decisively.
The day she saw him off at the airport, she had decided to give him one last choice: stay, and they would be together, or go back to his country and lose her forever. He had chosen to go back without a moment's hesitation.
The ironic thing was, a top-tier investment bank had already made him an offer. He could have built an incredible career abroad, perhaps an even better one, given the different scale of opportunities. But he had still gone home. It was something Allegra could never comprehend.
Her fingers drifted to the necklace at her throat, a Valentine's Day gift from him that she had worn ever since. She had been wearing it the day they met again at the hotel, certain he had noticed.
Allegra was using every trick she knew to stir his memories, to reawaken the feelings they once shared. But she never, ever expected him to be married. She was too late.
If she had come back sooner, would things have been different?
A knock on the door shattered her thoughts. A flicker of hope ignited inside her—maybe it was Leopold.
But when she opened the door and saw Noah, a wave of disappointment washed over her.
Meanwhile, Leopold was in his office, poring over the documents.
The current workload made it impossible for him to commute between Seaside City and Solstice Mountain. That afternoon, he called Caroline to let her know he wouldn't be coming home. He had too much to review and would be staying at the hotel. Caroline didn't ask any questions, only reminding him not to work himself to exhaustion.
Night fell, but the lights in Leopold's office burned brightly. He was already halfway through the materials, the pages dotted with a rainbow of colorful sticky notes. While doing her nightly rounds, Lily saw the light in his window and figured he was in for another long night.
She went to the kitchen and had the chef prepare a light late-night meal. When she knocked on his door, he didn't even look up. "Tell Ms. Watson the meeting tomorrow is moved to the afternoon."
Lily set the tray on his desk. "I'll let them know first thing in the morning. Take a break and eat something."
Leopold pinched the bridge of his nose, a dull ache starting to form. "Thanks."
"You can't keep pushing yourself like this," Lily said. "She's here for a month. You don't have to cram all this reading into one night and burn yourself out."
Leopold spoke between bites. "It's a mountain of research. If I don't get through it quickly, how can we move the project forward? Mr. Preston Wipere might not be here, but you can bet he knows our progress down to the minute. If we're behind schedule after a month, who do you think he's going to blame?"
Lily opened her mouth, then closed it. He had a point. "Fine. I'll take the dishes when you're done. You just... pace yourself."
"Has Allegra made any other requests?" Leopold asked, still eating.
"She called me twice," Lily reported. "Once to ask for a humidifier for her room, and another time to have the fresh flowers replaced with tulips, her favorite." She then asked, "Has she called you?"
Leopold, focused on his food, just shook his head. "No."
"Did you tell Caroline?" Lily pressed, her meaning clear. About Allegra staying at the hotel.
Leopold finished the last spoonful of soup and set the spoon down. "I told her everything."
Lily nodded. "Wow. You're really an open book. No secrets at all."
Leopold offered a small smile. "Honesty is part of the basic husband duties."