Chapter 151
Doris was certain. "It was definitely her! I remember her face."
Leopold's appearance at Victoria's birthday party was understandable, but Sophia's presence was far too coincidental. And right after I got drunk, she just happened to get bumped and injured by Doris, then a staff member just happened to appear to escort me to my room. Then Leopold just happened to show up and convince Doris—who'd wanted to check on me—to leave.
Everything was too convenient. So convenient it was impossible not to be suspicious.
Perhaps my silence had gone on too long. Doris couldn't help asking, "Cindy, what are you thinking? Is something wrong?"
My thoughts churned wildly. Both Donovan and the butler had said Leopold looked terrible that night and refused to discuss it afterward. He wouldn't even let Donovan ask about it.
That meant Leopold found the incident deeply distasteful and resistant to revisiting. Plus, he'd hinted multiple times before that I'd changed. Which meant whatever happened that night was connected to how I'd "changed."
But according to Doris, only Leopold and I had been in that room. Nothing should have happened to make Leopold think I'd changed.
So there were only two possibilities. Either Doris was lying to me, or there was something wrong with the "Leopold" she'd seen.
Clues I'd previously overlooked now flashed before my eyes, slowly connecting. I was leaning heavily toward the latter.
Following that logic, the "Leopold" could very well have been Leo in disguise. But if Leo had gotten close to me long ago and tried to sabotage Leopold and me, why would he risk his life to save me? Why help me deal with Sophia?
That didn't make sense either. My heart pulled back and forth between truth and doubt.
By the time Amelia returned, I still hadn't reached a conclusion. Doris got a call—something urgent came up, and she had to leave early.
Seeing the time, I figured I should head home too. Amelia and I walked her out together.
Just as Doris was about to get in her car, she suddenly remembered something and turned to look at me. "Cindy, Ethan Guise also knows about what happened three years ago. He came looking for you, too, saying you were safe. Why don't you ask him?"
Ethan knew, too? My heart sank. I'd tried feeling him out before, but he'd never mentioned going to check on me in my room.
"Okay, thanks, Doris."
After seeing Doris off, Amelia took a step back and studied me carefully. "Cindy, are you investigating something?"
I couldn't explain it to her yet. "I'll tell you later."
Amelia raised an eyebrow casually. "What VIP is your family hosting tonight? I happen to be free. Mind if I crash the party?"
I quickly refused. "Next time. Tonight's not convenient."
Leo and Ethan were already enough of a powder keg. Adding her to the mix would definitely cause chaos.
After being turned down, Amelia tried wheedling to change my mind. I didn't fall for it.
When I got back to my parents' house, I heard Leo chatting with my mom the moment I walked in. Following the voices to the kitchen, I found Leo's trim waist wrapped in a pink apron.
I couldn't help spacing out for a moment. Even his back resembled Leopold's.
Could there really be two people in this world whose features didn't match, but everything else about them was so similar?
"Good heavens! Cindy, you could've said something when you got back. You nearly gave me a heart attack."
I snapped back to reality to find my mom clutching her chest dramatically while scolding me playfully.
I quickly sweet-talked my way out of it.
"Leo, since Cindy's back, why don't you leave the kitchen and let her show you around the garden?"
Seeing my mom's obvious matchmaking attempt, I started to refuse. But Leo smiled and agreed first. "Sounds good. I'll keep Cindy company for a bit, then come back to help you."
Fanny beamed. "No need, no need. You young people work so hard. When you're resting, you should relax."
"Your mother's right. You kids chat. Don't worry about the kitchen." James chimed in, holding a scallion.
Their tag-team routine made even the kitchen staff suppress smiles. In the end, I had no choice but to take Leo to the garden.
I said we were strolling, but really I was lost in thought. We'd been walking when suddenly my hand was grabbed.
I looked up instinctively to find Leo frowning at me. "If you don't want to walk with me, just say so. What's with being so distracted?"
His tone was identical to how Leopold used to chastise me. I instantly recoiled, yanking my hand away and demanding angrily, "Leo, tell me the truth. Did you see me three years ago?"
Leo's expression froze instantly. "No. Why would you ask that?"
I didn't answer, pressing on. "Are you really not close with Leopold?"
Leo's pupils constricted, his expression growing darker. "We're not. What exactly are you suspecting?"
I bit down, clenching my fists. He gripped my shoulders tightly, urging in a low voice, "Tell me what's going on. Let me know."
I looked at him, enunciating each word. "I already made things clear. Our relationship is over. So why are you still coming to my house, trying to ingratiate yourself? I was your target from the start, wasn't I?"
Leo's fingers tightened further. "Did someone tell you something that's making you distrust me this much?"
"Don't change the subject." I stared into his eyes, not missing any microexpression. "I said you and Leopold aren't close, but why are your bearing and build so similar to his? Even your tone of voice sometimes sounds exactly like his. Who are you really?"
Leopold had gone so far as to use self-harm to deceive me for revenge. Leo resembled him so much—was he really not connected to Leopold? Or was he another chess piece Leopold had arranged?
After hearing me out, Leo's hands dropped from my shoulders abruptly, his expression full of shock. "You suspect I have ulterior motives?"
Seeing him guess so quickly made my expression stiffen, but I didn't deny it.
Leo's face gradually turned icy. He unbuttoned his cuff and slowly raised his arm. A prominent pink scar stretched across his skin like a winding centipede, jarring and conspicuous.
"This is from pulling you out of that hotel fire. I got burned."
My heart stabbed with pain. Then he unbuttoned his other sleeve. Two more scars marred the clearly defined muscle.
"These are from throwing myself over you during the car accident. The pavement tore them open."
My lips trembled, but I stubbornly refused to speak.
Leo stared at me intently, his tone slow and heavy. "Lucinda, ask yourself—who would risk their life repeatedly just to manipulate someone? I'm a living, breathing person too. I feel pain, anger, and sadness. You can't just trample on my genuine feelings and casually disparage my character because I happen to like you."
His words hit like a sledgehammer, shattering my suspicions to pieces.
"I'm sorry. I spoke without thinking..."
I dropped my head as fat tears rolled down my face.
Leo sighed, his cold voice tinged with helplessness. "You're the one who hurt me first. I haven't even held it against you yet, and you're already crying?"
As he spoke, he raised his hand, apparently to wipe away my tears. I instinctively moved to dodge, but inadvertently caught sight of something on the inner side of his sleeve—a family crest.