Chapter 63 Marriage Fate
Leopold had chosen a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, securing a table near the beach. As night fell, bonfires dotted the shoreline, drawing Caroline's attention as music and laughter drifted through the glass. In the glow of firelight, they watched someone drop to one knee in proposal while onlookers applauded and captured the moment on their phones.
Maddox gazed at the newly engaged couple with a wistful expression. "Young people these days really know romance. Back when we were—" His voice cut off mid-sentence.
His smile froze instantly. Looking toward Leopold, he found his friend holding a wine glass against his lips, fixing him with an ice-cold stare as he took a deliberate sip.
In Maddox's mind, Leopold wasn't drinking wine—he was drinking blood. His blood.
God, Leopold, had mercy!
Leopold set down his glass, refilled it, and waited with predatory interest to see how Maddox would dig himself deeper.
Caroline and Erica both turned to Maddox in unison, waiting for him to finish. Erica propped her chin on her hand with deceptive innocence. "Back when you were... what?"
Maddox could only offer an awkward laugh, unsure how to proceed.
Despite Erica's seemingly carefree personality, she never messed around with important matters. If anyone embodied the concept of a wolf in sheep's clothing, it was definitely her.
"Nothing much," Maddox tried to brush it off. "Just remembering the past."
Erica wasn't easily fooled. With a mischievous grin, she pressed, "Come on, spill. I'm dying to know."
Maddox hid behind a smile. "Nothing special, really. College stuff—drinking, hanging out, talking trash. The usual."
Erica didn't buy his bullshit for a second. He was obviously hiding something, and with Caroline having just escaped one toxic relationship, she wasn't about to let her friend walk into another mess.
"Everyone's had their young and stupid phase," Erica said, deliberately poking at him. "But I think there's more to it. Let me guess—you got rejected by some girl and drowned your sorrows with Leopold?" She paused dramatically. "No, wait. I bet some girl had a crush on Leopold, he turned her down, then she got wasted and cried on your shoulder... and you two ended up together."
Caroline nudged Erica's foot under the table, silently warning her to stop speculating.
"No way!" Maddox blurted. "Leopold always had a thing for Allegra. He never messed around with other women." As soon as the words left his mouth, he covered his face in horror. "I need to use the restroom."
As Maddox fled, Erica made her own excuse to leave, conveniently abandoning Caroline and Leopold to sudden silence.
Leopold lowered his eyes, tongue pressing against his cheek as his fingertips traced the rim of his wine glass. The past didn't bother him, but having old history brought up in front of his current girlfriend made him worry Caroline might take it the wrong way.
Caroline offered a gentle smile. "They didn't mean anything by it. Don't worry about it."
Leopold sighed with relief.
He finally understood what an emotionally stable partner brought to his life—not just mental comfort and relaxation, but a powerful sense of support. This trust allowed him to be authentic without pretense.
Leopold hadn't intended to avoid the past. Since Allegra had been mentioned, he decided to explain.
"Do you want to hear about it?" He asked.
Caroline countered with her own question, "Do you want to tell me?"
Leopold considered for a moment. "I dated one girl in college—Allegra Watson, the one Maddox mentioned. Later, we both studied abroad. Before graduation, she decided to stay overseas while I planned to return home. The long-distance thing eventually fell apart."
His explanation was concise, avoiding who had initiated the breakup, though it wasn't hard to guess.
"Are you still in touch?" Caroline asked.
"We're still connected on WhatsApp," Leopold admitted, "but apart from New Year's greetings, we don't talk."
Though it was an ex, knowing her current boyfriend still had his former girlfriend in his contacts made Caroline feel a twinge of discomfort.
Leopold noticed her smile fade slightly. Without hesitation, he took out his phone, opened his conversation with Allegra, and showed Caroline the sparse exchanges over recent years—just holiday greetings. Then, right in front of her, he deleted the contact.
Caroline's eyes widened. "Why did you delete her? I didn't ask you to do that. Don't blame me later."
She turned toward the window, gazing at the bonfires on the beach.
His willingness to delete his ex without a second thought made Caroline feel better, though she wouldn't admit it.
Leopold teased her deliberately, "Oh really? So you don't mind? I can add her back then."
"Don't you dare!" Caroline snatched his phone. "Deleting and then adding her back? What's the point?"
Leopold laughed. "I was just messing with you because you looked upset."
"That's not funny," Caroline protested. "What if I got mad and stopped talking to you?"
Leopold leaned closer. "Are you easy to win over?"
Caroline shot him a pointed look. "Depends on the situation and what happened. I'm pretty reasonable about small things, but when it comes to principles, there's no negotiation. For instance, if I did something against my principles—if I betrayed you—would you forgive me?"
Perspective shifting—a powerful move.
Leopold had already learned Caroline's boundaries through the Atticus situation. He knew he would never cross those lines.
After all, what he wanted wasn't just a casual fling built on fleeting passion. Betrayal wasn't even in his vocabulary.
He answered firmly, "No, I wouldn't."
That "no" was exactly what Caroline wanted to hear. "Whatever standards you hold me to, I'll hold you to the same. I'm not trying to win some power struggle. Since we share the same goals, we'll naturally be on the same page. It's not about becoming the winner."
"I agree completely."
Leopold approved of her perspective. Mature people make mature judgments and set mature goals.
When being together made two people happier than being alone, you'd found someone who resonated with your soul.
Caroline gazed toward the beach. "They look like they're having so much fun."
"Let's join them," Leopold said, taking her hand. "Come on."
With their heartfelt conversation, the adjustment period in their relationship shortened considerably.
As they left the restaurant, Maddox emerged from his hiding spot in the corner, clutching his chest in relief.
"That was terrifying. I thought they might fight."
Erica appeared behind him, giving him a sidelong glance. "Caroline isn't like me. She doesn't get angry so easily."
Maddox followed her, saying, "They say passionate women are the most loyal. You've got a pretty good temperament."
Erica walked a few steps then suddenly stopped, her back unexpectedly colliding with Maddox's solid chest as he followed closely behind. His firm, well-developed pecs caught her off guard. Her heart skipped as she slowly turned around, eyeing him up and down with a smile.
"You know about these things, do you?"
Maddox flashed a seductive grin. "I also know a bit about palm reading."
Erica extended her hand. "Then read mine."
Maddox cradled her soft hand, his fingertips tracing her palm. "What do you want to know about?"
At this point, playing dumb would just be boring.
Erica answered, "My love life."