Chapter 190 Innocence
Originally, Preston had planned to persuade Leopold with emotion and reason to cooperate with Indigo, so the two of them could share responsibility for the whole thing. After all, Indigo was sent by him, and if it weren't for Indigo's sudden involvement, the Eldoria Hotel might not have caused such a big public outcry.
The hiring mistake had already become one of the points the board members used to question Preston's decision-making ability. Combined with the stock price crash, it turned what should have been an unimportant mistake into the most fatal target.
But Leopold didn't give him any opportunity throughout the conversation, or rather, Leopold wasn't buying his act anymore.
Erik waited outside for nearly two hours before seeing Leopold walk out of the office. You couldn't tell from his face whether he was happy or angry, and it wasn't clear how their conversation went.
Leopold said to Erik, "You drive Mr. Preston Wipere back."
Erik asked, "What about you?"
Leopold waved his phone, "My wife is picking me up."
Erik fell silent.
Late at night, he just got hit with an unnecessary display of affection.
Leopold walked out to the entrance hall and stood on the high steps.
At this moment, the night breeze was gentle, lifting the hair on his forehead. The quiet city was covered by a star-studded dome. He let out a long breath, feeling much more relaxed.
Caroline's car was parked in the parking spot. He walked to the driver's side and saw her watching a TV show.
Leopold tapped on the car window with his knuckles. The window rolled down about an inch, and when Caroline turned her head, she saw his chin.
She rolled down the window and rested her arm on it, "Hey, handsome, need a ride?"
Leopold smiled, one hand in his pocket, leaning his elbow on the car roof, bending down with his shoulders lowered toward the person in the driver's seat, saying, "What kind of ride are we talking about?"
Caroline rested her chin on her arm, "What kind do you want?"
Leopold's lips curved up, smiling rather mischievously, "How about the kind where I come over to your place?"
Caroline reached up and hooked her hand around the back of his neck, pulling him into the car with a little force. She leaned close to Leopold's ear and said softly, "You're in luck, my husband's not home today."
Leopold let out a meaningful "oh," "Really? That's pretty lucky for me. Will your husband suddenly come back?"
"No, he's very busy, definitely not coming back tonight." Caroline was about to burst out laughing.
Leopold said, "Nice acting."
Caroline laughed and let go, patting the passenger seat next to her, "Sit next to me, let me hold your hand."
Leopold pinched her chin and kissed her lips, then straightened up and walked around to sit in the passenger seat. "What's the fun in holding hands? At your place, I can touch whatever I want."
Caroline pressed her lips together to hold back her laughter and started the car, driving away from the company.
The city at night was not just quiet, but more like a black box filled with dreams, where some people got what they wished for in their dreams, while others couldn't get what they wanted.
Caroline could sense his relaxation at this moment, "Your talk with your dad went well?"
Leopold said, "This is the most we've talked since I started working at Celestial Waters Hotel. We said everything that could and couldn't be said. Before, I thought that as long as I had enough status in the company, he would value my mom more and maybe bring her to his side. But later, I realized I was overthinking it. He doesn't love anyone, he loves himself most. My mom and I are basically stains he doesn't want to mention. If I weren't somewhat useful, he probably would have thrown us, mother and son, to some unknown place and left us to fend for ourselves."
Caroline said, "Who says that? If he really did that, it would be so irresponsible. He'd be too heartless."
Leopold shook his head lightly, "It's not that he's heartless, he's guarding against us, preventing us, mother and son, from sharing their family fortune."
"Precisely because we have equal inheritance rights, my mom and I are Gemma's biggest concern."
"She's the person in this world who most wants us dead. Because I wanted to join the company, she started trying every way to push me out, even willing to team up with other board members to set traps to kick me out of Celestial Waters Hotel."
"If I hadn't been careful all these years and never left them any leverage, do you think I could have reached my current position?"
"Before, Gemma hated my mom, now she fears me."
"A mother and son she both hates and fears - tell me, she lives in constant anxiety every day. Should I be happy about that, or should I think she's innocent?"
"When I calm down and think about it, she's actually innocent too. Who would want their husband to have another woman outside and even have an illegitimate son? Anyone would have a hard time with this, couldn't get over it."
"When I first joined the company, I did have selfish motives. I thought, Gemma's guarding against me? Then I'll definitely climb to the highest position, get more hotels, and make her watch as I take away what belongs to her piece by piece. Even when I achieved my first goal, I felt incredibly satisfied inside. You don't know - when she saw me take over the first hotel, I can still remember her expression. Her whole face was about to turn red from holding it in. At that moment, I felt so good."
"But gradually, as I managed more and more hotels, I found that the sense of revenge after getting them was gone. If it weren't for me, all these things would be Xiomara's. My mom took Gemma's husband back then, and now I've taken her daughter's things. I feel..."
Leopold looked out the car window, let out a breath, and then said, "I'm so despicable."
Caroline didn't want him thinking about these unhappy things and held Leopold's hand, "Don't think about these unhappy things anymore."
Leopold said, "Today, my dad said, told me not to fight for it, the company will be mine sooner or later."
Caroline was silent for a moment, "How did you respond?"
Leopold asked Caroline back, "Do you think he really means to hand the company over to me?"
How could she guess that? Caroline looked at his expression through the rearview mirror. Leopold was looking at her with a half-smile.
"The you I know wouldn't accept it."
Leopold gently brushed her cheek with his hand, "My wife knows me best."
"You really didn't accept?" Caroline wasn't surprised.
Leopold said, "Before I met you, I felt he owed my mom and me, and he should pay the price. But after meeting you, I feel that some things should be yours only if they're meant to be yours."
"What you take by force will eventually plant a seed for the wrong cycle. Who knows when this vicious seed will take root and sprout, swallow my humanity, release my dark side, and bear evil fruit. I don't want to be an evil seed, and I don't want to bear vicious consequences. I just want to live happily with you. With you at home, our kids in the future, even if life is plain, that's fine. Anyway, I want to live my own life now."
Caroline was confused, "You're leaving?"
Leopold smiled, "What are you thinking?"
Caroline said, "But what you just said sounded like you were leaving? Are you leaving Celestial Waters Hotel? Or leaving this city?"
Leopold patted her shoulder, "Don't overthink it. Where would I go?"
Caroline really thought she was overthinking, but when she was doing Leopold's laundry, she saw a business card and a sealed document envelope that had fallen out of his suitcase. Just as she was about to pick them up, Leopold rushed over in two quick steps and snatched them away.
She looked up at him in a daze. A flash of panic crossed Leopold's eyes, but quickly returned to normal.
Worried she might overthink, Leopold quickly explained, "This is the plan for a new project. Good thing you helped me find it, I thought I left it at Eldoria."
Caroline was still holding a business card in her hand. She handed it to him, "There's also a business card."