Chapter 13 Friendships
After obtaining the approval procedures, Leopold spent his days rushing between the construction site and his residence, reducing his contact with Caroline.
When the electrical company needed to send someone for inspection after completion, Leopold stared at the engineering vehicle parked outside the hotel, actually hoping Caroline would step out, but instead, three or four men emerged.
After the successful inspection, as he walked them to the door, Leopold casually asked, "Has Ms. Tudor been busy lately?"
One of the inspectors replied, "We're from different departments. She works in the office while we handle external inspections. We don't see each other often. But she's probably quite busy—that position doesn't allow for much downtime. You know our Ms. Tudor?"
Leopold smiled. "We've met, but we're not that close."
The two inspectors exchanged glances, seemingly accustomed to outsiders inquiring about Caroline.
Caroline was quite renowned within the electrical company—beautiful, professionally competent, unfailingly polite and proper, with an impeccable family background—a genuinely admirable woman.
Someone so exceptional naturally attracted attention.
After seeing off the inspectors, Leopold went somewhere private and opened Caroline's social media profile, which was set to display only the past three days.
Given their current situation, with no more work connections between them, he needed a plausible reason to see her.
Just before the end of the workday, Caroline received a WhatsApp message from Leopold. Seeing the notification on his profile icon stirred something complex within her.
He had sent a photo of seafood ingredients.
Caroline: [What's up?]
Leopold: [I need your help again.]
Caroline felt slightly exasperated: [Did your friend mail you seafood again?]
Leopold: [Yes, I'm at a loss here. Please help, Ms. Tudor.]
Caroline's desk was piled with urgent documents, and she still needed to prepare topics for tomorrow's meeting.
Caroline replied: [I can't today. I have unfinished work and probably won't leave until after seven. Why don't you ask a restaurant downstairs to prepare it for you?]
Leopold: [Working overtime?]
Caroline replied: [Yes. I need to go now—lots to do.]
Leopold: [Understood. Carry on.]
Leopold was in the middle of preparing sashimi platters with soup simmering on the stove. He turned off the heat, covered the sashimi platter with plastic wrap, and placed it in the refrigerator.
The clock had just struck 6:10 when Leopold removed his apron, hung it up, and left the kitchen.
Before heading out, he sniffed his clothes, then returned to the bathroom to shower, change, and dry his hair, applying ebony cologne before leaving again.
Leopold arrived outside the electrical company building. Caroline's office light was still on. He waited across the street, and half an hour later, the office went dark.
As Caroline's car pulled out of the company gate, someone flagged her down from the sidewalk.
"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked, surprised.
Leopold smiled gently. "Mind if I catch a ride?"
"Get in."
Caroline moved her bag from the front passenger seat, but to her surprise, he opened the front door instead of the back, so she returned the bag to the rear seat.
As he settled in, Caroline caught a whiff of his deep, cool ebony cologne. Glancing at him, she noticed his solid-colored coat over a light beige turtleneck, his elegant hands with clean, rounded nails, and his freshly groomed hair. The rare nobility and restraint he exuded made "handsome" seem like an inadequate description, yet she couldn't think of a more appropriate word.
"Why are you dressed up like this?" She asked.
He had dressed according to date standards, clearly catching her attention. Inwardly pleased, he maintained a casual expression.
Leopold looked down at himself. "Like what? I'm dressed quite normally."
Caroline wanted to shake some sense into him. Anyone with aesthetic sense would know he looked incredibly handsome. Perhaps he was genuinely unaware of his attractiveness.
She started the car toward Leopold's neighborhood, casually asking, "Did you find a restaurant to prepare your seafood?"
Leopold replied, "No."
Caroline nearly hit the brakes, incredulous. "Seriously, Leopold? You waited outside my workplace just to get me to cook for you?"
Leopold said, "Of course not."
Caroline retorted, "Won't the seafood spoil overnight?"
Leopold's expression remained far more relaxed than hers, showing no concern whatsoever.
"If you're worried about spoilage, you could help."
"If it spoils, it spoils. Not my problem," Caroline regretted giving him a ride. "I just finished overtime, I'm exhausted, and I'm not cooking. I was planning to order takeout tonight."
Leopold sighed dramatically. "Making friends these days is so difficult."
Caroline gave him a contemptuous look. "Mr. Wipere, don't try to guilt-trip me. I'm immune to that sort of manipulation."
Leopold laughed. "Ms. Tudor, I'm discovering you have quite the sense of humor."
Joking? Caroline forced a smile.
As they approached Leopold's neighborhood, Caroline pulled over. "We're here."
Leopold narrowed his eyes with a mischievous smile, mysteriously saying, "I have lobster at home, plus caviar and salmon sashimi. Sure, you don't want to come up?"
Caroline scoffed. "No thanks."
Leopold gave in and confessed, "I've already prepared everything. I came specifically to invite you for dinner."
Caroline wasn't easily fooled. If she went up and found nothing prepared, she could always leave—embarrassing as that might be.
"You don't owe me anything. Why invite me for dinner?" Caroline asked.
Leopold had his explanation ready.
"The hotel's electrical facilities were completed and approved today. This dinner is to thank you. I didn't choose a restaurant, not because I'm cheap, but because you always decline my invitations to eat out. At my place, your colleagues won't see us. Thoughtful of me, right?"
Caroline studied his expression. He didn't seem to be lying. "Really?"
Without hesitation, Leopold took out his phone and showed her photos. "Look, I've already prepared the sashimi, and the lobster is done too, keeping warm in the oven."
Seeing the evidence, Caroline said, "You don't need to thank me. Your company, building a hotel at Solstice Mountain, develops the local economy and creates jobs. I should be thanking you."
Her sudden formality made Leopold feel distant.
"Caroline, we're not at work. This dinner is simply a gesture of appreciation between friends."
Caroline's eyes flickered. So in his mind, they could only be friends.
What kind of woman would actually date a man like him?
Caroline set aside her private thoughts and graciously accepted, "Since you say we're friends, I won't be polite."
Leopold maintained a subtle smile. She clearly had reservations about him, but he figured friendship wasn't bad either.
Looking at the exquisite plating, Caroline was amazed by Leopold's culinary skills.
"I thought you couldn't cook?" Caroline asked skeptically.
Leopold held up his phone, showing a step-by-step cooking app. "I learned just now."
Caroline said, "I don't believe it. You made this perfectly on your first try? No failures?"
Leopold raised his glass with a smug smile. "Call me a genius."
Caroline raised her juice glass to his. "Impressive. You've opened my eyes today."
For tonight's dinner, Leopold had actually summoned the hotel's chef, whose hands-on guidance naturally produced stunning results.
Once the gears of fate begin to turn, new stories worth anticipating unfold between people.
Just as fondness developed day by day, love too began with a flutter of the heart.