Chapter 164
Leo also realized something was wrong. His expression darkened as he said, "Someone hacked my WhatsApp. Whoever you saw definitely wasn't me. I'll look into this right now."
He pulled up his call log and ordered someone to investigate.
My mind was spinning. I sat at the dining table in silence.
I'd almost forgotten.
Leo wasn't some ordinary guy—he was Blueprint Tech's founder.
He could easily have arranged for someone to prep everything in the kitchen, then come back to play the role of Leo who cared only for me.
"Cindy, give me ten minutes. I'll get you a satisfactory answer."
After hanging up, Leo immediately made that promise.
I said nothing, gripping the table as I stood and walked into the kitchen.
I pulled out each pre-cut, plated ingredient and examined them one by one.
Finding nothing suspicious, I turned back to face him.
"Stop the act. I'm not an idiot, and I don't want to play detective anymore."
"Leo, whether today was a misunderstanding or the truth, we're done either way."
Leo's gaze fixed on my face, the light in his eyes dimming.
"Everything I said is true. Why won't you believe me?"
I forced myself to look away, refusing to meet those deceptive eyes.
"I'm tired. I'm so tired."
Leopold was like this.
Leo was like this, too.
I didn't know if I was just unlucky with men or genuinely that easy to fool—either way, they both found endless ways to play me.
Ending it here was the last shred of dignity I could offer.
Leo's eyes narrowed, the corners reddening slightly, like he wanted to make one last desperate attempt.
"If... if it were Leopold, would you still say we're done?"
I whipped around to look at him, my chest feeling carved out by a dull blade, sharp and relentless pain radiating through.
Leo knew Leopold was an unhealable wound in my heart, yet he still used him to hurt me.
A self-mocking smile twisted my lips.
Then I admitted it.
"Yes. If it were Leopold, I'd consider believing him."
"Does that answer satisfy you? Now leave, or I'll have the villa staff escort you out!"
But Leo didn't comply. Instead, he moved closer.
"Don't come near me!" I backed away quickly, my waist hitting the island's edge.
Leo didn't stop, using his body to trap me between him and the counter.
"Cindy, look at me carefully."
His voice came out low and magnetic.
I didn't want to hear it. I tried to cover my ears.
But he grabbed my hands, stopping the motion.
"Cindy, don't be afraid. It's me."
"Look at me, okay?"
I couldn't help glancing up. Just as I started to struggle, I saw Leo raise his other hand to his temple.
Something resembling human skin tissue was peeled away.
My breath caught sharply.
I forgot to struggle, forgot to resist.
I just watched as he removed the piece from the other side, too.
Those refined, handsome features instantly transformed into something sharper, more intense.
Until Leopold's face emerged.
An overwhelming sense of absurdity crashed over me like a tsunami, drowning all my reason and perception.
"You..."
I couldn't form coherent words, couldn't string together a complete sentence.
Why would Leo turn into Leopold?
"Cindy, I know this is hard to believe right now, but I can explain everything slowly."
Leopold gripped my hand, trying to comfort me.
But my brain was buzzing.
Images of Leo and Leopold's faces kept flashing and overlapping before my eyes.
Along with that person at the bar, saying those vile things.
All the scenes crashed together, colliding and spinning endlessly in my vision.
"Cindy, what's wrong?"
Leopold's voice suddenly shot up, pulling me out of that chaos.
When I came to, I found myself in his arms.
I shoved him away hard, pressing myself against the island, shaking my head frantically.
"Impossible! You're not Leo—you're lying!"
Caught off guard, Leopold slammed heavily into the doorframe.
But he didn't cry out in pain, just frowned slightly.
"I'm not lying to you."
"I don't want to hear it!" I shook my head, my voice sharp. "You're not Leo. You dressed up like him to trick me again, didn't you?"
Leopold and Leo were completely different people. How could they possibly be the same?
Fake!
This had to be fake!
Leopold steadied himself against the door, watching me with eyes like bottomless pools.
"No. This time I really didn't deceive you."
"You're lying!" I shook my head wildly, my whole body trembling. "How could you be Leo? How can you be Leo?"
"I don't believe it. Bring Leo back, or else—"
My eyes frantically searched the kitchen.
Spotting a knife set nearby, I lunged for it and grabbed a small blade, pointing it at him.
"Or else don't blame me for what happens!"
Leopold's face went pale, his voice cracking. "Lucinda, don't do anything rash! Put the knife down!"
"I wasn't trying to deceive you. I came here tonight to come clean. Trust me one more time, please?"
My hands trembled as I gripped the knife, shaking my head. "I don't believe you! Not a single word you say—never again!"
Something shattered in Leopold's eyes.
He slowly straightened up, looking at me with heavy, complicated emotions.
"Cindy, even if you don't believe me, don't use that knife."
"You're pregnant. What if you hurt yourself?"
Pregnant?
My expression froze. I slowly looked down at my flat stomach.
My already taut nerves finally snapped.
Thick rage and hatred surged through my chest.
"This baby is mine and Leo's. It has nothing to do with you!"
Leopold's face went deathly pale, almost translucent.
"You..."
"Don't talk to me!" I raised the knife again, enunciating each word. "Get out. I never want to see you again!"
Leopold's eyes contracted sharply, storms churning in their depths before everything went still.
He slowly turned around, hesitating for several long seconds before finally leaving the villa without another word.
Hearing the front door lock, my rigid body finally relaxed.
The knife clattering to the floor sounded like something breaking loose.
Overwhelming tears and pain rushed to my heart simultaneously.
I bent over, slowly curling into myself, wrapping my arms tight around my body.
Even biting down hard couldn't stop the sobs from escaping.
Once I'd cried myself out, my legs were sore and numb.
After a long while, I finally gripped the island and pulled myself up.
Back in the living room, I immediately contacted the private investigator, telling him to check on Leopold and Leo's movements right away.
After hanging up, my brain was still processing everything that had happened today.
I'd barely put down my phone when a message from Ethan came through.
[Cindy, the foreign specialist I contacted, is coming to Silverlight City. She'll arrive tomorrow morning. Are you free then?]
I agreed without thinking.
[No problem. Thanks for arranging the appointment.]
[Will do.]
After getting Ethan's reply, I immediately headed back to the hospital.
The moment I walked into my room, I saw Sophia sitting on the couch inside.
Like she'd been waiting for me.