Chapter 104
Brady's head pooked out from behind the door.
"She's right—patients say all kinds of things when they're delirious. But Leo, she needs to stick to a bland diet for the next couple of days."
"Also, I'm sensing some old injuries. When you get a chance, bring her in for a full workup so I can prescribe the right treatment."
My face went pale. Why couldn't he mind his own business!
Brady arched an eyebrow at me, then pulled the door shut again.
"What old injuries? You have old injuries and didn't tell me?"
Leopold's expression shifted as he started scrutinizing me.
Uncomfortable under his gaze, I looked away reflexively.
"It's nothing. I've been dancing for years. Old injuries come with the territory."
Without warning, Leopold seized my hand.
"When the hotel caught fire, the bodyguards said you didn't come out for a long time. What were you doing?"
His sudden questioning about the hotel made guilt twist in my gut.
"I fell asleep. Someone rescued me."
"Fell asleep?" Leopold bent down, bracing his hands on the bed, leaning into my space. "The smoke didn't wake you up?"
His stare made my skin crawl. "Why are you grilling me about this now? If you hadn't left me at that hotel, would I have fallen asleep in the first place?"
Leopold's eyes darkened. "I left bodyguards with you."
I pounced on that. Turning to stare at him, I shot back, "You left bodyguards to watch me, not protect me."
"That's not true."
"Then why did Sophia show up right after you left, fake a stomachache, and take the bodyguards you'd stationed there?"
To sound more convincing, I deliberately stretched the truth a little.
"Sophia came to see you?" Leopold sounded genuinely surprised.
"Don't play dumb. You orchestrated the whole thing."
Leopold grabbed the back of my neck in frustration, caging me beneath him.
"Don't talk nonsense. I didn't know she'd come, and I definitely didn't know about the fire."
Forced to look up at him, I said, "Right. You don't know anything, but you're still determined to keep me trapped here."
"Leopold, what's your endgame? Do you actually want me, or do you just get off on having both Sophia and me feeding your massive ego?"
Leopold released me abruptly, straightening up and taking two steps back.
As if seeing me for the first time.
"If I don't keep you here, am I supposed to watch you run off with Ethan?"
"Don't make it sound so sordid!" I sat up sharply. "Compared to you sneaking around with Sophia and getting her pregnant, my relationship with Ethan is completely above board."
Leopold clenched his fists. "So you admit it. You're planning to run away with him?"
There was no getting through to him. "No matter what I say, you won't believe me anyway."
"So think whatever you want. I don't care."
Leopold's face turned ashen with rage.
Finally, he stormed out.
Before leaving, he made a point of ordering the people outside.
"Guard this place. No one gets in without my permission!"
Hearing his command, I leaned back against the headboard with a bitter laugh.
He was locking me up again.
That seemed to be his only move.
I lay back down.
By afternoon, I couldn't take it anymore.
My legs had recovered enough, so I got out of bed and headed for the door.
The moment I reached it, a bodyguard blocked my path.
"Mr. Percy's orders—you're confined to your room today."
Furious, I snapped, "Then you tell Leopold he has no right to hold me prisoner!"
The bodyguard's expression didn't change. "My apologies."
I huffed back to the bed.
Suddenly, I remembered my phone. When Leo rescued me, I hadn't had it with me.
After searching the room, I couldn't find it.
I went back to the door. "Let me borrow your phone. I need to make a call."
The bodyguard responded politely, "One moment. I'll need to check with Mr. Percy."
I was speechless.
Fortunately, as difficult as Leopold was, he hadn't stripped me of phone privileges.
Once I had the phone, I realized I couldn't remember anyone's number except my parents'.
After thinking for a moment, I handed the phone back.
"Call Amelia Percy for me."
This time, the bodyguard complied.
Ten minutes later, Amelia showed up.
"Cindy!" Her eyes went wide when she saw me. "What happened to you? You look like death warmed over, and your lips are so chapped."
I pulled her to the far window before speaking. "I got into some trouble. It's complicated, but I need your help."
Amelia asked carefully, "What kind of help? If it means betraying my cousin, I can't. I'm no match for him. If he found out, I'd be toast."
"Don't worry, it's not going against him." I gripped her hands, earnest. "Amelia, this isn't about betraying Leopold, but if things go south, you might catch some heat."
"But I'm desperate. If I stay here any longer, my whole life is over."
Amelia's eyes widened. "That serious?"
I nodded. "I already got an invitation to the Royal Ballet, but Leopold won't let me leave. I only have five days left to report, and I'm running out of options."
"You run a dance studio. You know how important this invitation is for a dancer."
Amelia's expression turned sympathetic. "Cindy, you're so talented. You absolutely have to join the Royal Ballet."
"Thank you," I said gratefully. "So I need you to deliver a message to my senior."
Amelia didn't hesitate. "Okay, shoot."
"Tell him I haven't forgotten the time of our teacher's birthday banquet, and he must attend on time."
"That's it?" Amelia looked confident. "Don't worry, I'll definitely pass it along!"
After she left, I returned to the sofa.
The message had a hidden meaning.
Victoria's birthday banquet was on the twenty-fifth at eight in the evening, at the Garden Restaurant downtown.
Asking him to attend on time meant to meet me in three days, on the twenty-fifth at eight PM, at the Garden Restaurant.
Though Amelia was my friend, she was also a Percy, and she feared Leopold's authority.
So I couldn't be explicit.
But Ethan would understand.
Next, I needed to deal with Leopold's imprisonment.
This couldn't be rushed. I'd have to wait for another opportunity.
That afternoon, my parents learned about the fire and my close call. They rushed over to see me and offered to take me home to recuperate.
But Leopold refused, citing the risk of me being kidnapped.
Since it concerned my safety, my parents couldn't insist. They left looking defeated.
I was anxious inside but didn't dare show it.
Even my parents couldn't take me out of here.
Who else could?
That very evening, I got my chance.
After Leopold went out, Alicia showed up in person and demanded to see me alone.
"Lucinda, for the sake of the longstanding relationship between the Percy family and the Wipere family, I'd prefer not to use forceful measures against you."
"But you need to know your place. You're not worthy of Leo. Leave Silverlight City while you still can."
That last part was music to my ears.
But I didn't agree with the first part.
"Mrs. Percy, if you care so much about the relationship between the Percy family and the Wipere family, why did you arrange to have me kidnapped?"
Alicia's expression froze. Her gaze swept the surroundings before she dropped the act.