Chapter 171 Dinner Party
When they arrived at the private room, Victor was already there, with a young, beautiful woman of extraordinary temperament sitting beside him.
Victor introduced her to Leopold, "Kenna Stuart, my new secretary. By the way, you two are alumni. Right, Kenna?"
"Yes," Kenna smiled gracefully, a hint of soft charm floating in her eyes, quite alluring. "I only found out Mr. Wipere and I were alumni after I joined the company and saw it on the company website."
Leopold had attended Aurora Valley University, which ranked in the top five, but he had no memory of this alumna.
He shook his head. "Don't remember you."
Kenna replied, "I started a year after you, Mr. Wipere. You were a big shot on campus back then, how would you notice an ordinary student like me?"
There were indeed many international students at the school, but Leopold didn't live on campus at the time and was focused on his studies, so he didn't pay much attention to other people or things.
Seeing Leopold still couldn't recall her, Kenna laughed at herself and said, "You were in a study group with a professor back then. Every time I passed by the classroom, I could see you taking notes seriously. It's perfectly normal that you don't remember me."
Leopold nodded slightly in understanding. Victor gestured for them to sit. "Kenna, don't just stand there chatting. Sit down and catch up."
"Mr. Wipere, this way please." Kenna pulled out a chair. Leopold said, "You should sit too."
Just as Kenna was about to sit next to Leopold, he placed his hand on the chair back. "This side is by the door, where they serve the dishes. Don't want you getting burned when they bring the food."
Kenna smiled, knowing what was up but not calling it out. She pulled out the chair next to it and sat down. "Mr. Wipere is not only talented but also a gentleman. Who wouldn't want a boyfriend like Mr. Wipere?"
Leopold picked up his napkin with his left hand to wipe his hands. Kenna noticed the ring on his ring finger and joked, half-seriously, "Mr. Wipere, are you hinting that I don't have a chance?"
Leopold smiled distantly. "You're talking about chances with a married man, are you trying to make me do something wrong?"
His limited patience was nearly worn out by Kenna. Besides, she wasn't the reason he came today—his real purpose was to test Victor.
He turned his gaze to Victor. "Mr. Diaz, whatever you want to say, just say it."
Victor glanced meaningfully at Kenna, who awkwardly took a breath. Her mission today was to get close to Leopold, but clearly, Leopold wasn't giving her the opportunity.
This high-paying, stable position was hard to come by for Kenna. She had to seize the opportunity, by any means necessary.
Victor saw that Leopold was losing patience and tried to smooth things over. "What's the rush? The food's coming soon. Kenna, go check on it."
Kenna got the hint and immediately got up and left the room.
With no outsiders present, there was no need to hold back.
Victor said, "How long are you planning to hide out at home?"
Leopold picked up his tea, his gaze suddenly lifting, eyes fixed on the person across from him. "Mr. Diaz, I don't understand what you mean."
Victor spoke in a regretful tone. "What can't you tell me? Mr. Preston Wipere dumped his mess on you, and right after you cleaned it up, he kicked you out and put some random person in charge. Everyone has eyes—we all feel it's unfair to you. Now, if you want to come back, a whole group of us will support you."
Leopold slowly sipped his tea. Victor had tested him twice now—it seemed he was really set on trapping him at Celestial Waters Hotel.
He put down his teacup and asked in a flat tone, "How does Mr. Diaz plan to help me?"
Victor wasn't so easily convinced and naturally didn't answer right away. He had to guard against Leopold too.
"That's all negotiable. As long as you give the word, we'll handle the rest."
Victor was airtight—no key information could be extracted.
Leopold leaned back in his chair. "Sounds like Mr. Diaz doesn't trust me? If you don't trust me, why even look for me? We don't need to have this meal."
"Hold on." Victor stopped him. "Your situation needs careful planning. If we rush it or mess it up, it'll fail."
Leopold watched Victor tap heavily on the table, and finally Victor asked him, "Don't you think I'm right?"
Really cunning and shrewd.
Leopold didn't play the game of pretending to leave. Playing that kind of trick with Victor was too childish—if he was going to play, he had to play big.
He didn't continue with that topic. Instead, he started complaining right in front of Victor.
"You should know, being called back home wasn't my idea. But what could I do? When headquarters sent someone over, if I didn't come back, it would look like I didn't respect Mr. Preston Wipere. There are already rumors going around that I'm disrespectful to Mr. Preston Wipere. I thought he wouldn't listen, but maybe after hearing it so much, he started to believe it." At this point, Leopold smiled bitterly. "I'm definitely not happy about it, but we're father and son after all. I wouldn't do something I shouldn't just because my dad had a moment of confusion."
Victor nodded repeatedly. "I understand, I understand. Mr. Preston Wipere doesn't get it now, but after a while, when we all talk to him, he'll let you come back. That's what I meant just now."
What a two-faced person!
Leopold looked at the person across from him with a half-smile, the smile not reaching his eyes. Victor really knew how to cover for himself.
Right now, Victor both wanted to use him and was afraid that if Leopold knew the plan, he'd tell Preston.
Victor wanted to play this game, but only if Leopold was willing to play along.
Leopold said, "Alright, Mr. Diaz has my best interests at heart. Let's do as you say."
Victor paused, completely unprepared for Leopold to agree so directly.
His entire plan depended on Leopold's attitude. If he could win Leopold over, he'd have won half the game.
But from their interactions so far, Leopold didn't seem to have any intention of betraying Preston. Yet this promotion-that-was-really-a-demotion and the overseas hotel situation gave Victor renewed hope of winning Leopold over.
Human nature couldn't stand the test. Quinlan was abandoned, Leopold was constantly undermined by Gemma at the company, Victor didn't believe Leopold had no complaints. He was betting that for the sake of profit, Leopold would turn against Preston. That's why he arranged today's meal.
As for Kenna, she was also specially arranged by Victor for Leopold.
As part of the deal, Kenna was responsible for getting close to Leopold and becoming his mistress—essentially a chess piece he planted by Leopold's side. In return, Kenna would get the generous compensation he promised.
As long as Leopold took the bait at today's meal, Victor was confident he could win him over.
Victor smiled amiably and said, "Leopold, since you've said that, it makes things easier for me. But let me be clear—you have to listen to me."
Leopold raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Mr. Diaz?"
Victor put on a kind attitude and advised, "Tomorrow, go to the company and apologize to your father."
Leopold fell silent.
Victor was stirring things up one moment, then advising him to apologize the next.
He really knew how to create a smokescreen.
Leopold figured Victor was testing him step by step. As long as Victor wasn't sure, he would never expose himself.
If he didn't play along now, Victor definitely wouldn't take the bait. But to fool Victor, he couldn't appear too obviously obedient either.
Leopold shook his head reluctantly. "I'm not going."