Chapter 81 Idle Gossip
Elijah hadn't expected Caroline to ask so directly, but telling her about Leopold face-to-face might not get through to her, and trying to stop them from being together could backfire.
"No, I just happened to be passing by and wanted to have a meal with you. Is that not okay?" Elijah cut a piece of steak and chewed it.
Seeing his calm expression, she thought maybe she was overthinking things.
"Of course it's okay."
Caroline focused on her meal. Noticing Elijah's glass was empty, she refilled it with water. When she looked up, she spotted a few strands of white hair on top of his head, and an inexplicable sadness welled up inside her.
In elementary school, the teacher once assigned an essay titled "My Father." While other students compared their fathers to trees, mountains, or vast oceans, Caroline compared her father to a lighthouse—no matter how rough the waves or harsh the weather, the lighthouse always stood tall, guiding lost ships. Her father was her lighthouse. She admired him and had always looked up to him as a role model.
After joining the power company, she followed Elijah's example by starting from the bottom, not afraid of hardship or exhaustion, hoping to work her way up to a higher position through her own efforts, just as he had once climbed from the bottom to where he was now through ability alone.
But seeing Elijah, whom she so admired, growing old made Caroline feel an indescribable heartache.
"Dad,"
"What is it?" Elijah looked at her while chewing.
Caroline said, "Did you eat the chocolate I bought you?"
"That stuff's too sweet. I'm worried about my blood sugar."
"That chocolate has no added sugar. Go ahead and eat it, it won't raise your blood sugar." Caroline speared a piece of broccoli and put it in his bowl. "Eat more broccoli, it's good for you. And smoke less—whenever you guys have a meeting, the office looks like some fairyland, all clouded with smoke."
Elijah stared at Caroline in a daze. "Same thing your mom says. Did she complain to you again?"
"No, our colleagues are like that every time they have meetings."
With the conversation flowing, Elijah tentatively asked, "How are things between you and Leopold lately?"
"We're doing well." Caroline felt uneasy, not understanding why Elijah was suddenly concerned about her love life.
Elijah ladled out a bowl of soup, blowing on it as he asked, "Have you met his parents yet?"
Caroline immediately understood why he'd asked her to dinner.
"Not yet. You know his family situation is special."
"No matter how special the situation, you should meet them. Even if not now, you'll have to eventually. It's not like you're someone to be ashamed of—this is basic courtesy he should have thought of."
Though Leopold had told her about his family situation, he really hadn't mentioned meeting his parents.
Caroline's eyelashes fluttered. "He mentioned it before, but considering his mother's somewhat domineering personality, he's worried we might have an unpleasant encounter."
When your child desperately defends someone else in front of you, your first thought isn't to blame that person, but to feel sorry for your own child.
His beloved daughter was being wronged by someone else, and it pained Elijah deeply.
Elijah put down his soup bowl. "You're making excuses for him?"
His expression suddenly turned serious. Caroline pulled her hands back under the table and clenched them. "No, I'm just stating facts."
Elijah frowned, his demeanor and tone becoming meeting-like. "After all, this concerns your lifelong happiness. You need to investigate more, look into things more, and listen to other people's opinions. Your mom and I only have you as our daughter. We hope the life partner you find is worth entrusting yourself to. But I'm afraid some people act one way in front of you and another behind your back, and in the end, you're the one who gets hurt."
"Dad, you asked me to dinner just to talk about Leopold, didn't you?"
Now that it was out in the open, there was no need to hide it.
Elijah nodded. "Yes."
She knew it had to be something like this.
"What gossip have you been hearing?"
Elijah said, "I wouldn't call it gossip—these are people who've had dealings with him. We chatted a bit, and most people think he's calculating, that he'll do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. My thought is, you should reconsider. Leopold is scheming, and I'm afraid you'll be at a disadvantage being with someone like that."
"Dad, how can you listen to such gossip?" Caroline's face puffed up with anger.
"If it were about anyone else, I wouldn't pay attention to these things. But this involves you, and what father doesn't think about his own child? I think it's better to give you a heads up." Elijah glanced at his watch—he had work in the afternoon and needed to head back. "Are you sure Leopold isn't after anything from you? There's no conflict of interest between you two?"
Caroline answered decisively, "I'm absolutely sure."
Elijah stood up to leave. "I'll get the check. I still have work waiting. Take your time eating, I'm leaving first. Oh, and don't mention what I told you to Leopold."
"Got it." Caroline was unhappy inside but didn't show it on her face.
Watching Elijah's hurried departure, she sighed in frustration.
Who exactly had been talking to Elijah?
Just as she was feeling down, Leopold called.
"What are you doing?" His voice was affectionate.
"Eating. How about you? Have you eaten?"
Leopold had been busy all morning and had just returned to his office to rest.
Not wanting her to worry, he said, "I've eaten."
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his aching temples. But Caroline was thinking about what she'd discussed with Elijah, and she needed answers to many questions.
Following the principle of speaking directly, asking questions face-to-face, and never letting conflicts last overnight in a relationship, she didn't want to wrong herself in this romance. A joyful relationship should at least make her happy.
"When are you planning to let me meet your parents?"
Leopold's hand stopped rubbing his temples, and he opened his eyes.
The phone line went extremely quiet. Caroline held her breath, waiting for his answer.
"You're willing to meet them?"
"Of course."
Leopold sat up straight, becoming more formal.
"I'll arrange it right away. I'll call you back in a bit."
"Okay."
He hung up, and Caroline was still stunned for half a second.
Turns out the problem could be solved so easily. Her mood instantly improved.
Leopold first called Preston to ask. Preston's secretary Erik Rivera answered.
"Mr. Leopold Wipere, Mr. Preston Wipere is in a meeting. Can I help you?"
Leopold asked, "When will it end?"
"Not sure."
"How long has the meeting been going?"
"Two hours already. Is there anything you need me to pass along?"
"No need. When he's done with the meeting, let me know and I'll call him again."
"Will do."
After hanging up, Leopold dialed Quinlan's number. The phone rang for a long time before being answered.
The sound of playing cards came through the line. Quinlan's tone was cold. "What is it?"
Leopold said, "Are you free this weekend? To have dinner with my girlfriend."
Quinlan exhaled smoke, her nail polish glinting under the lights as she held her cigarette. Looking at the cards in front of her, she said, "I'm not free this weekend. I'm playing cards."
Leopold had already lost hope in her. "If you don't come, you won't have money for cards next month."
Quinlan said harshly, "Are you even my son? Scheming against your own mother."
"Saturday at 5 PM at Serenity Dining. I'll send you the private room number on WhatsApp in a bit."
Quinlan raised an eyebrow. "Got it."
Her slender hand pressed the phone off and tossed it on the table. "Leopold, that bastard—his temper is just like his father's."