Chapter 194 Finding the Joy of Marriage
To avoid interruptions during the interview, Leopold temporarily left his phone with Erik for safekeeping, who needed to help answer any important calls.
Standing off-camera, Erik stayed throughout the entire interview. When he saw a WhatsApp message with the nickname wife pop up on Leopold's phone screen, his mind suddenly flashed back to that night when Leopold proudly waved his phone, saying his wife was coming to pick him up.
How did that smug and proud expression even appear on Leopold's face? The previous Leopold would never have been capable of that. He'd changed so much after getting married.
As soon as the interview ended, Erik handed over the phone, "Your wife sent a WhatsApp." To see Leopold's reaction, Erik mischievously added, "It came an hour ago."
Hearing this, Leopold walked away from the crowd toward his office, replying to the message as he went.
Watching Leopold's unconsciously upturned lips and the happiness brimming in his eyes, Erik finally understood. This wasn't the Leopold he knew anymore. He shook his head and thought to himself: Among all the married people around him, only Leopold had found joy in marriage.
At that moment, Leopold had just sent a reply.
Leopold: [Finally remembered me?]
Caroline: [Just finished cleaning the house, my back is killing me. I can't multitask.]
Leopold: [My wife worked so hard. I'll give you a massage when I get home.]
Caroline: [Are you blaming me for contacting you late?]
Leopold: [I'm generous, so besides forgiving you, I have no other choice.]
Caroline took a photo of the lunch she'd made, all Leopold's favorite dishes, and typed: [I'm worth forgiving.]
Leopold opened the image, his smile deepening.
He sent two drooling emojis.
Leopold: [Is this what they call "a wife's love"?]
Caroline laughed and replied: [Not flattering enough, not affectionate enough.]
Leopold closed his office door and returned to his seat, launching into flattery mode.
Leopold: [My wife is a goddess of legendary and incomparable beauty. Even the sun can't overshadow your radiance. Compared to you, I'm like an ant trying to compete with the bright moon.]
Feeling it still wasn't flattering enough, Leopold continued typing: [Elegance is the only beauty that never fades, and that's the most fitting description of you. You're simply the goddess of elegance.]
Caroline happened to be taking a call from Elysia. When she hung up and checked her phone again, Leopold had sent: [Where are you? Wasn't I flattering enough?]
Caroline smiled and typed: [Just took a call from my mom.]
Leopold: [That's my mom too.]
Caroline asked: [Did everything go smoothly at the office today?]
Leopold: [Smoothly.]
Caroline: [Will you be home for dinner?]
Leopold: [Not likely.]
Seeing he was busy, Caroline thought she shouldn't take up more of his time.
Caroline: [You go ahead with your work.]
Having just finished the interview, Leopold only wanted to rest and chat with her, so he quickly stopped her.
Leopold: [Hold on right there.]
He sent an anxious emoji.
Caroline: [What's wrong?]
Leopold: [Your job right now is to be on standby and ready to chat with me at any time.]
Caroline: [Why? Why do I need to be on standby? I refuse.]
Leopold: [I'm tired. When I'm tired, I need you to recharge me.]
Caroline: [If you're tired, close your eyes and rest properly. Why are you still staring at your phone?]
Leopold clicked his tongue, opened his mobile banking app, and sent her a screenshot of his balance.
Just as Caroline was about to ask what he meant, she saw Leopold ask: [Can you wait for me?]
Caroline smiled and replied: [I can wait.]
Leopold: [Still have an attitude?]
Caroline: [Gone, I have no attitude at all. Rest assured, I guarantee to complete the mission.]
Leopold: [Very good, I'm very satisfied with your attitude.]
Caroline: [As long as the money's right, anything goes.]
Leopold: [Can you still be on standby now?]
Caroline: [Yes! Ready at all times, at your beck and call.]
Leopold: [That's exactly what I wanted to hear. When I get home tonight, I'll pamper you properly.]
Caroline: [Red alert, red alert.]
Leopold: [When did it start?]
Caroline: [Today.]
Leopold: [I want to love you, but you're not cooperating.]
Caroline: [Make another appointment in seven days.]
Leopold: [Nice try. You want me to wait seven days?]
Caroline gritted her teeth and sent an angry emoji: [What do you want? Are you looking for trouble?]
Leopold: [With that little body of yours, making me disappear? Who was crying in my arms, saying "no more"? Are you not that you anymore?]
Remembering how she'd indeed curled up in pain in his arms, crying last night, Caroline's face burned with embarrassment.
She simply stopped replying.
Knowing she could only handle this level of conversation, Leopold checked the time—it was time to meet with his team.
Leopold: [Honey, I'll probably have to work late tonight. Don't wait for me for dinner, and go to bed early if you're sleepy.]
By the time Caroline replied, he'd gone silent again.
Lily was the first to knock on Leopold's office door. Seeing his calm expression, she congratulated him:
"Congratulations, senior partner."
Leopold frowned, smiled as he looked her up and down, "You look good. Seems like you're getting along well with Mr. Roberts. You didn't even complain when you saw me. Should I just let Mr. Roberts keep working with you on managing Solstice Mountain Hotel?"
"No!" Lily immediately refused. "Please don't. I've had enough of him. You have no idea—having someone calling 'Lily' in my ear all day long, in the morning, at noon, at night, looking for me, my head's about to explode from all his nagging. If you hadn't told me last time to hang in there, I probably would've quit already."
"Jett Roberts isn't that bad. Sure, he's a bit talkative, but he's very rigorous in management and has Solstice Mountain Hotel's best interests at heart." Leopold smiled pleasantly as he pulled out his chair and sat down.
"He's not just a bit talkative. The entire staff at Solstice Mountain Hotel and I really can't handle his 'good intentions.' He even messed up our established work schedule, and then there are the meetings. He doesn't care how many guests the hotel has—whenever he wants a meeting, he calls us all in for a lecture that goes on for two or three hours. He has the energy to talk, but I don't have the energy to listen anymore." Lily opened the floodgates, pouring out months of grievances. Even Leopold frowned as he listened. "When did Mr. Roberts start liking meetings so much?"
"I just found out too. I'd heard people say he loved meetings before, but I never imagined it would be this terrible." Lily let out a long breath. "Now, the world is finally quiet."
Seeing her hands clasped together at her chest, Leopold smiled, "I've finally found a way to deal with you."
Lily fell silent.
Leopold said, "Next time you don't listen to me, I'll bring Mr. Roberts in to hold meetings with you."
Lily replied, "Don't be so cruel. We've worked together for years."
Leopold leaned back in his chair, his hand naturally resting on the edge of the desk, the smile fading from his face as he turned serious. "Let's talk business. I need a team to work exclusively for me. I've found three people so far. Including you, Sloane, and Hawk, I still need about seven or eight more people. Do you have any suitable candidates to recommend from within the group?"
Sloane Orsini and Hawk Savoy were the managers of Leopold's two other major hotel chains—these three were essentially Leopold's trusted confidants.
Lily asked, "What kind of talent do you need?"
Leopold roughly outlined the requirements, and Lily immediately drew up a list of names based on his needs.