Chapter 173
I knew Sophia was restless, but I never imagined she'd be this audacious. She had the nerve to ask for a house in Pansea Heights—one of Silverlight City's most exclusive villa districts. Money alone couldn't buy you in.
"Did your dad agree?"
Amelia shook her head. "Of course not. My dad cares about that baby, but he's not an idiot."
I nodded in agreement. Even though David was overshadowed by Leopold, he was still a Percy. No way he'd lose his head over a baby.
"That's good then. As long as your dad doesn't cave, Sophia's out of options."
"It's not that simple." Amelia's tone shifted, growing somber. "My dad's always wanted a son, but my mom's too old now to give him one. So he's been... busy outside these past years. My mom used to raise hell about it, but after he didn't produce any kids and they both got older, she stopped caring as much. But now Sophia's pregnant with exactly what my dad's always wanted—a son. He's thinking clearly this time, but next time? Who knows?"
The whole thing left a bitter taste in my mouth. I was an only child who'd grown up cherished by my parents. Whatever I wanted, they supported unconditionally, which made my heart ache for Amelia.
"You and your mom should prepare early, then. Don't let Sophia take advantage."
Amelia nodded lightly. "Don't worry. This isn't my mom's first rodeo. She knows what she's doing better than I do."
I squeezed her hand. "If you need anything, just say the word."
Amelia smiled at me. "Okay. I'll remember that."
As she was leaving, she suddenly added, "Cindy, after that video of my dad went public, it caused major problems for the Percy family. Leopold's in a tough spot right now. If he does something that upsets you, try not to hold it against him."
My mind sharpened. "Like what?"
Amelia quickly waved her hand. "Nothing specific. I'm just saying."
I looked at her steadily. "Amelia, let's not play games. Not between us."
At that, Amelia hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I just heard that Leopold's sent out a bunch of bodyguards recently, looking for someone. But last night I overheard him on the phone saying once they found this person... to silence them."
"Silence them!" I couldn't believe it. The only person Leopold would go to such lengths to find was Ethan. I couldn't think of anyone else. But I never imagined Leopold would actually try to kill Ethan!
"I only heard this secondhand—it might not be accurate. Don't jump to conclusions. When Leopold comes next time, you can confirm it with him yourself."
I suppressed my emotions and agreed.
After seeing her off, I immediately called Leopold, but after two seconds, I hung up. Amelia had told me this out of friendship. I couldn't betray her trust right away. I needed to wait—at least until I'd calmed down.
I stared at the lush greenery filling the garden as my muddled mind slowly cleared. After these past few days together, Tammy and Ada trusted me more than before, which meant Leopold's guard around me should have lowered too—though probably not enough for him to calmly discuss anything about Ethan. So I couldn't go to him directly. I needed to verify this through someone else. But Leopold was monitoring my every move. If I wanted to contact anyone else, I had to get out of here first.
My phone suddenly buzzed. I glanced down—Leopold was calling.
"You were looking for me?"
The moment I answered, Leopold's voice came through, more hoarse than usual, as if he'd been talking too much.
"Yes, I wanted to ask if you're coming for dinner tonight?" My hand unconsciously moved to my belly.
Silence on the other end. After a few seconds of nothing, I knew the answer.
"If you're busy, then—"
"I can make it."
My breath caught, my hand stilling on my abdomen. "Okay. I'll be waiting."
I sat in the garden for a while before heading back inside to tell Tammy and Ada that Leopold was coming. They quickly drafted a new menu and showed it to me.
"Looks perfect. Go ahead with this."
As they got busy, I went to rest in the living room. After the pregnancy was confirmed, I'd stopped taking medication. Worried my condition might flare up unexpectedly, I tried to sit whenever possible to avoid any accidents.
That evening, Leopold arrived as promised. After Tammy and Ada set out the meal, they tactfully withdrew. The vast dining room held only Leopold and me. We both had good table manners. The silence was thick around us, only the occasional clink of dishes echoing through the space.
After the meal, Leopold produced a rectangular gift box. "This is from that jewelry designer you love—their new collection. I thought you'd like it, so I got it for you."
I paused before reaching out to take it and open it. Inside was a sapphire necklace—my favorite kind.
"Thank you. I'll wear it next time I have a chance to attend a gala."
A faint light flickered in Leopold's eyes. Then he cleared his throat lightly. "I have a client meeting tomorrow. It's closer from here, so I'll be staying over tonight."
I nodded coolly. "Fine. The guest room's been kept ready. You take the master bedroom tonight—I'll use the guest room."
The light in Leopold's eyes dimmed. "No need. I'll take the guest room."
I didn't argue. I was already used to the master bedroom anyway.
That night, I'd just fallen asleep when the bedroom door quietly opened. Then the mattress beside me dipped slightly. A familiar scent—clean with a hint of alcohol—invaded my senses. My body stiffened slightly, but I didn't move.
An arm tentatively circled my waist, inching gradually toward my belly. A moment later, he pressed himself against my back. His chin settled carefully atop my head as he let out a sigh of what sounded like contentment.
I immediately opened my eyes, about to tell him to leave. But thinking of tomorrow's plan, I held back.
The breathing near my ear gradually became steady and deep. I had no desire to sleep. Through the gap in the curtains, I watched the lights outside until the sky began to brighten.
Leopold kept a regular schedule. No matter how late he stayed up, he always woke at exactly seven.
Just before seven, I got up and headed to the bathroom. The past couple of days, I'd been feeling nauseous in the mornings, though not severely. But this time was different. After staying up all night, the nausea was much worse. The moment I got inside, I started dry heaving.
Almost the instant I made a sound, Leopold's concerned voice came from outside. "Cindy, what's wrong?"
I couldn't stop the retching, no time to answer.
Soon, Leopold was knocking on the bathroom door. "Can I come in?"
The worst wave passed. I pressed a hand to my chest, voice hoarse. "Yes."
Leopold rushed in, checking my complexion while handing me a glass of warm water. "Drink some water. It'll help."
Afraid he'd see through me, I quickly turned my face away, voice low. "I feel awful. I can't drink anything. Can you take me to the hospital?"