Chapter 112
I instinctively shut my eyes, but the pain I expected never came.
I snapped my eyes open to find a bullet hole in the door just a step away.
So Leopold hadn't actually intended to kill Ethan.
Realizing this, I immediately looked toward him.
Leopold's eyes held an unrelenting coldness as he slowly lowered his hand.
I thought he'd say something, but he remained silent.
"Cindy, are you okay?" Ethan turned and helped me up, checking me carefully.
I pulled my gaze away and shook my head gently. "I'm fine."
Ethan exhaled in relief. "That was too reckless. What if you'd actually gotten hurt? Don't be so impulsive again."
"I..." I shook my head again. "I wasn't thinking."
I was just afraid Ethan would get hurt, and things would escalate beyond Leopold's control.
"You..."
Ethan was about to say more when his shoulder trembled. He covered his mouth and started coughing again.
Only then did I notice his pallor. "Ethan, are you sick? We need to get you to a hospital."
Ethan shook his head. "It's nothing."
"Mr. Guise, you've been running a fever for two days. You need medical attention."
Ethan's head of security stepped forward quickly, helping him up with a serious expression.
Hearing this, I finally noticed how warm he felt. "Ethan, is your wound infected? You need to go to the hospital."
Ethan shook his head slightly. "The wound's fine. Just caught a chill the past couple of days. Nothing serious."
"Who said you could touch him?"
Leopold approached from behind and yanked me to his side.
Then he fixed Ethan with an icy stare. "Get out of Silverlight City. Next time, I'll make sure you disappear for good."
"Leopold, don't take out our problems on other people." I shot back angrily.
If it weren't for helping me, Ethan wouldn't have gotten hurt, wouldn't be hiding here, sick and unable to go to the hospital.
Leopold shot me a sideways glance. "You trust him that much? What if he's faking it to make you feel guilty and sympathetic?"
I looked him straight in the eye. "Ethan isn't that kind of person. He wouldn't stoop to manipulating me like that."
A glint of cold light flashed in Leopold’s eyes, his voice laced with a mocking sneer. “You’re protecting him so much that I can’t even say a word about it?”
His grip on my hand suddenly tightened, fingers digging into my flesh.
"Don't forget who you belong to."
I winced in pain. "Let go of me."
"Leopold, you're hurting her. Let go!" Ethan called out.
Leopold pulled me into his arms and stepped back, putting distance between Ethan and us.
"What happens between Lucinda and me is none of your concern."
"Instead of wasting time here, you'd better go check on your family."
Ethan's expression darkened. "Leopold, if you dare hurt my family, I won't let you get away with it!"
Leopold's lips curved slightly, but his eyes held no humor.
"You?"
One simple word dripping with scorn.
I grabbed his collar. "Did you really go after Ethan's family..."
Leopold looked down at me, violence still simmering in his eyes.
"Say one more word, and I'll finish him right now."
My heart plummeted. I fell silent and let him lead me away.
When we emerged from the hotel, reporters swarmed toward us, trying to interview Leopold.
But his security team held them back.
"Mr. Percy, what brings you here?"
"We heard there was a fight inside the hotel. Are you involved?"
"Mr. Percy, rumors say your grandfather was hospitalized because you missed the Percy Group's eightieth anniversary, angering some board members. Is that true?"
"Mr. Percy, don't leave! We've heard you were close with Sophia from the Guise family. Who's this woman in your arms?"
The reporters' questions came rapid-fire.
Each one more pointed than the last.
Even I was getting angry, let alone Leopold.
I started to speak, but Leopold stopped me.
He stopped and swept his gaze over each reporter coldly. "If you're planning to spread lies and slander for clicks, you'd better think carefully about what you're up against."
"The Percy Group's legal team is at your service anytime."
The chattering reporters fell silent as if someone had hit mute.
The area went instantly quiet.
Leopold guided me into the car.
We'd barely settled in when Teddy turned from the passenger seat to report to Leopold.
"Mr. Percy, Sophia came out of surgery three minutes ago."
I wanted to hear more, but Teddy stopped.
I knew he was waiting for Leopold's permission.
"Continue." Leopold's tone was flat, emotionless.
Only then did Teddy continue. "The baby's safe, but the doctor says Sophia can't handle any more stress or she'll miscarry. She may never be able to conceive again."
The baby was safe.
I exhaled silently. That was good.
I despised Sophia, but I didn't want an innocent baby to lose its life.
"Back to the hospital."
Hearing Leopold's order, I couldn't help speaking up.
"I shouldn't go back there. I won't go up when we arrive."
Leopold shot me a cold glance. "Hiding won't help. If you don't go up, how will you prove you had nothing to do with what happened?"
His words stirred confusion in my chest.
He sounded like he knew I hadn't pushed Sophia.
The moment that thought formed, fury blazed through me.
"Leopold, weren't you trying to force me to admit guilt earlier? Why are you saying this now?"
"You think saying this will make me grateful you're giving me a chance to prove my innocence?"
"You're shameless!"
If he'd known from the start that I hadn't pushed Sophia but acted so aggressive anyway, he was deliberately humiliating me.
How was that any different from a backstabbing snake?
Leopold saw my anger, but instead of backing down, he leaned in, crowding my space.
"What if I insist?"
My pupils contracted. The fire inside me burned hotter.
He was forcing my hand.
"You're really going to push me?"
Leopold traced his finger along my cheek, his gaze roaming my face silently.
"Lucinda, you're the one pushing me."
"Ethan gets a minor injury, and you're ready to die protecting him. But with me, you won't even defend yourself."
"Am I really that worthless to you?"
That last question had echoed through my own mind so many times.
I never expected to hear it from his lips.
How ridiculous.
"How can you even compare yourself to Ethan? He would never hurt me."
Leopold froze, dark currents churning in his eyes.
"Never hurt you?"
"He's been interfering with us from the start, repeatedly driving wedges between us. That's not hurting you?"
I ground my teeth in anger. "Leopold, Ethan is a good person. Even knowing I'm unhappy, he's never tried to drive us apart."
"All of this—you brought it on yourself!"
Leopold's eyes went cold. "Good person? If he hadn't tampered with that report, my grandfather wouldn't be in the hospital!"
"And you and I wouldn't be like this!"
I went rigid.