Chapter 38 Conducting an Investigation
Caroline's brain short-circuited for a split second before the words tumbled out of her mouth.
"Mom," she blurted, "this is my boyfriend."
"Who?" Elysia's voice pitched up an octave, her expression shifting from casual to shocked in an instant.
Leopold froze beside her. What the hell was happening?
Caroline flipped the phone screen down on the counter and whispered urgently to Leopold: "Please help me out here."
Leopold spread his hands. "Help you with what exactly?"
Caroline leaned in close, standing on her tiptoes to whisper against his ear. "My mom's trying to set me up on another blind date. I don't want to go. Just pretend to be my boyfriend so she'll back off. Please?"
Leopold lowered his eyes, and just as she was about to step away, he murmured, "And what's in it for me?"
Caroline turned to face him, suddenly realizing how close they were standing. Heat bloomed across her cheeks, and she cleared her throat before taking a step back.
She kept her eyes on Leopold. Maybe this was too much to ask a virtual stranger.
"Never mind," she sighed in defeat. Just as she reached for her phone, Leopold snatched it up first.
Knowing Caroline was naturally guarded, he figured a fair trade would work better than doing her a random favor.
"Sign the paperwork," he said with deliberate casualness, "and I'll play along."
Caroline blinked. The receipt confirmation was just the final step for the power company's records—nothing procedurally wrong with signing it now. She quickly scribbled her signature on the form and handed Leopold his copy.
Leopold immediately switched to charm mode, smiling at Elysia on the video call, "Mrs. Tudor, hello there."
Elysia stared at the unfamiliar face that had suddenly appeared on her screen. "And you are...?"
"Mrs. Tudor, I'm Caroline's boyfriend. Please, call me Leopold."
The man on screen was undeniably handsome—chiseled features, a confident smile, and a voice that carried polished politeness. Hearing he was Caroline's boyfriend, Elysia was both surprised and delighted.
"So you're Caroline's boyfriend." She was so caught off guard that she momentarily forgot what to say next.
Leopold flipped the camera to show the sink area. "I was passing by the farmer's market and saw some great produce. Thought I'd surprise Caroline with a little delivery."
Elysia squinted at the screen, feeling like she'd seen this man somewhere before but couldn't place him.
"That's thoughtful of you, Leopold." She studied him. "How old are you?"
Leopold switched the camera back to himself. "Twenty-nine."
"Twenty-nine," Elysia calculated mentally. Caroline was twenty-seven, making him just two years older. Perfect.
Caroline had only wanted Leopold to help her dodge this immediate situation, not get pulled deeper into her family drama. She grabbed the phone, ready to end the call. "Mom, he has to get going. We'll chat later. Bye!"
"Hold it right there, Caroline. Don't you dare hang up." Elysia's voice was sharp. Leopold smoothly interjected, taking the phone back with a smile.
"It's no trouble, Mrs. Tudor. I'm not in a rush."
Though Elysia was eager about Caroline's marriage prospects, her previous matchmaking disasters had taught her to be more thorough.
"Leopold, I hope you don't mind my prying."
"Not at all," Leopold responded, purposefully positioning himself beside Caroline so they both appeared in frame.
They made a striking pair—his handsome features complementing her beauty perfectly.
Elysia was definitely pleased with Leopold's appearance—he certainly outshone the partners of her friends' children.
"What do you do for work?" She inquired.
Leopold answered smoothly, "I'm in hotel management, Mrs. Tudor. Currently overseeing operations at the Emerald Elegance Hotel in Solstice Mountain."
The Emerald Elegance was a top-tier luxury hotel chain, but to Elysia, even the most prestigious private sector job couldn't compare to the security of government employment.
"I see." The enthusiasm in her smile visibly dimmed.
Leopold caught the subtle shift in her tone but didn't rush to compensate, waiting for her next question.
"How many people are there in your family?"
A flicker of something crossed Leopold's face—too brief for Elysia to catch—before his expression smoothed over.
"Three."
Complete family unit—good sign. "Everyone has insurance coverage, I assume?"
Leopold paused momentarily. "Yes."
Financial responsibility—another check mark. "Do you own property? A car?"
Caroline couldn't take it anymore. "Mom! What is this, an interrogation? Even the cops don't grill people like this!"
Leopold laughed it off. "It's fine, Mrs. Tudor. Yes, I own property and vehicles. Due to my work, I currently have four properties—three domestic and one overseas. And my car is... adequate."
Four properties, including one international location? Elysia mentally upgraded her assessment. The car was probably high-end if he was being modest about it.
"Leopold—" Before Elysia could launch another question, Caroline cut in.
"Mom, enough! This is the first time you're meeting him. Maybe tone down the Spanish Inquisition?"
Elysia smiled. "Leopold, you two carry on."
"Of course."
"Leopold?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Why don't you come over for dinner this weekend with Caroline? When you're off work."
Leopold began to agree when Caroline jumped in, "He's busy. No time."
"Did I ask you? Leopold?" Elysia persisted.
"I'd be delighted to come," he replied smoothly.
Caroline snatched the phone back, glaring daggers at Leopold before stepping out of the kitchen. "Mom, you're unbelievable! What's with the third degree?"
Elysia defended herself. "What do you expect? You suddenly have a boyfriend I've never heard about. I need to make sure he's not some con artist. There are so many scammers these days."
Caroline sighed in defeat. "Fine, Mom. He really does need to leave now."
Elysia offered her assessment. "This Leopold seems nice, apart from his job not being in civil service. The rest seems good."
"Mom, why are you so obsessed with government jobs?" Caroline shook her head.
"Fine, let him go. We'll talk after he leaves."
Elysia ended the call, and Caroline's arms dropped to her sides. Remembering Leopold was still in her kitchen, she exhaled deeply.
Leopold emerged with a plate of cut fruit, setting it on the table. "Have some fruit, girlfriend."
Caroline tensed, closing her eyes with a pained expression before slowly turning to apologize. "I'm really sorry about all that. My mom is pretty stubborn, and I was desperate. Don't worry—I promise this won't cause you any trouble."
She finished with another sincere apology.
Leopold dropped onto her couch with casual ease. "I'm not bothered."
His smile made Caroline falter. With his model-worthy looks, that smile was downright unfair. She found herself staring a beat too long.
They sat facing each other, an awkward silence filling the living room.
"My mom might ask about you again, but I can't suddenly say we broke up right away."
"Broke up?" Leopold's brow furrowed. "We just got together."
Caroline's lips parted slightly. "No, I mean—I only made up having a boyfriend to get out of the blind dates she keeps arranging. We're fake dating. I won't cause you any real trouble."
She leaned forward earnestly. "I just can't tell her we've 'broken up' yet—not until this blind date situation blows over. Once that happens and she asks about you again, I'll say we split. I absolutely promise not to disrupt your life. Scout's honor!"
Caroline was about to swear an oath when Leopold stopped her. "We've known each other long enough. I trust you."
"Good," she replied, swallowing whatever else she'd been about to say.