Chapter 154
My heart jolted. That tattoo looked exactly like the one the private investigator had shown me. The one supposedly symbolizing membership in some underground organization from the Gravenford Kingdom.
I wanted another look.
The man glared at me with blue eyes and made a throat-slitting gesture.
I was certain—it was him! The foreign man who'd picked up Sophia before.
After his figure disappeared around the corner, I quickly pulled out my phone to contact the PI, telling him where I'd encountered the tattooed man.
"He's wearing a black hoodie, on the thin side. Check if he lives around here. Also, see if he's been in contact with Sophia recently."
The PI responded quickly. "Got it. I'll start investigating immediately."
Call ended.
I composed myself and entered Blueprint Tech's lobby.
A young woman received me.
"Hello, I'm looking for..."
The words caught in my throat. I suddenly remembered Leo had given me that name himself. I didn't actually know what his full name was.
So I tried tentatively, "Leo. Do you know him?"
She looked puzzled at first, then noticed the soup container I carried. Understanding flickered in her eyes.
"Leo? Of course, I know him. But his assistant mentioned earlier that he's in a meeting. If visitors arrive, please wait a moment."
"Okay." I glanced at the reception area nearby. "Could you let him know I'll wait over there?"
"No problem." She agreed immediately.
Settling into a plush sofa, I pulled out my phone and absently logged into social media.
Leopold and Sophia's engagement was still trending, dominating discussions.
Though I already knew about it, seeing netizens envying their "perfect love" still sent sharp pains through my chest.
Among tens of thousands of comments, some mentioned me.
Though the scandal about me interfering in Leopold and Sophia's relationship had been cleared, some users still didn't believe it, calling it PR manipulation.
Their words swayed other commenters.
Among a sea of congratulations, occasional criticisms of me popped up.
I didn't want to keep reading.
Just as I set down my phone, a familiar mocking voice came from nearby.
"Lucinda, you really are like a bad penny that keeps turning up!"
I looked up to find Sophia standing not far away, watching me.
Her makeup was flawless, but barely concealed irritation and anger flickered in her eyes.
I withdrew my gaze, responding flatly, "Don't think so highly of yourself."
My words enraged her. She stepped closer, the anxiety in her eyes transforming into deep mockery and disgust.
"Stop acting all high and mighty. You came here hoping to run into Leopold, didn't you? I'm telling you, as long as I'm around, you'll never see him again!"
I frowned in displeasure. Was Leopold here?
Leo had mentioned recently that he might consider collaborating with Leopold.
Had they started negotiations already?
"You're reading too much into it. I'm not here to see him."
Sophia didn't believe me. Her gaze swept over the soup container on the table as she sneered, "Stop pretending. This is Blueprint Tech. If you didn't know Leopold was upstairs, why would you come here? Bringing carefully prepared soup, no less!"
I looked at her coldly. "Believe what you want."
"Lucinda, you're already my defeated opponent. How dare you act so arrogantly!"
Sophia lost it completely. "I'm about to become the lady of the Percy household. Believe me when I say one word from me could ban you from this building permanently!"
She buzzed around like an annoying fly. I'd had enough.
"Fine. Try it."
Sophia ground her teeth. "Just wait!"
She whirled toward the staff, shouting, "Are you all brain-dead? Didn't you hear me? Throw her out now!"
The young woman who'd received me looked at her skeptically but said nothing.
Seeing no one move made Sophia even angrier. She pulled rank.
"I'm the fiancée of Percy Group's CEO! I don't want to see her here. Throw her out immediately, or I'll have my fiancé cancel your collaboration!"
Only then did the silent woman speak. "I apologize, but Ms. Wipere is also an honored guest of our company. We can't treat her so discourteously."
Sophia clearly hadn't expected that response. Her expression darkened instantly.
"Are you deaf? Didn't you hear who I am? I'm the fiancée of Percy Group's CEO, the future lady of the Percy household!"
The woman responded respectfully but firmly, "This is Blueprint Tech, not Percy Group. Please conduct yourself accordingly."
"You—you're asking for it!"
Sophia's face and neck flushed red with rage. She raised her hand to strike.
I spoke immediately. "Sophia, this is Blueprint Tech—Leopold's most valued tech project. Are you sure throwing a tantrum here won't make Leopold angry?"
Sophia's hand froze mid-air. She lowered it resentfully.
A moment later, she gently touched her lower abdomen. Her expression gradually improved.
"Lucinda, I'm not afraid of you. I just can't be bothered dealing with a clown like you. After all, Leopold insisted on our engagement despite his grandfather's objections. He's welcoming me into the Percy family with great fanfare. I can't cause him trouble."
Her words were like fine needles laced with poison, stabbing at my softest spots.
I suppressed the pain, laughing lightly. "You're quite the actress. If you care so much about Leopold, why did you abandon him years ago to leave Silverlight City with another man?"
The smugness froze on Sophia's face.
She looked at me like she wanted to devour me whole.
"Lucinda, who told you about that?"
I didn't follow her thread, changing the subject. "Funny thing—I just ran into a foreign man. He had a sharp black tattoo on his chest. You came in right after he left. Didn't you see him?"
The color drained rapidly from Sophia's face. Her lips trembled. "You—you really saw him?"
Seeing her guilt, I sensed her relationship with that foreign man wasn't simple.
So I tested, "Yes. I even took a photo. Want to see?"
Sophia's shoulders began trembling. "No, no need."
"It's just a photo. Why so scared?"
I calmly pulled out my phone, pretending to open my gallery.
Sophia's face grew paler and paler. The next second, she completely broke down.
"I said I don't want to see it! Get away from me! Don't come near me!"
She frantically knocked my hand away.
My phone clattered to the floor.
Sophia, face ashen, kept backing away.
The reception area had a low step up from the ground level.
But she seemed oblivious, stepping directly into empty air.
Seeing her about to fall, I rushed to grab her.
But someone moved faster, catching Sophia.
"What are you doing?"
A low, indifferent voice cut through the air.
The surroundings turned cold.
My heart sank.
Leopold.
Sophia recognized Leopold's voice, too. Her expression improved immediately.
She clutched Leopold's hand, her voice aggrieved and urgent as she tattled.
"Leo, finally! They're all bullying me!"