Chapter 175
I stood frozen.
Sophia's gaze locked onto something behind me, her expression shifting dramatically.
"You're Leopold? How come your face looks like... Lucinda's pretty boy?"
Leopold offered no explanation. Neither did I. My breathing grew shallow.
"Lucinda, is what she said true?" Leopold's voice cut through the air like ice.
I knew I couldn't avoid this. Slowly, I turned to face him.
The moment I met the impenetrable coldness in his eyes, I couldn't suppress a shiver.
"I... didn't."
Sophia glanced between us, quickly accepting that Leo was Leopold. But hearing my denial, she didn't hesitate to expose me.
"She's lying! I heard her borrow someone's phone with my own ears. She specifically told someone to find Ethan and confirm if he was safe. She even said that when they found Ethan, they had to tell him right away—that she was waiting for him."
My mind went completely blank.
How could Sophia lie like that?
When did I ever say I was waiting for Ethan?!
Leopold believed her, his tone aggressive. "What do you have to say for yourself? Or should I track down that person and have her tell me exactly what happened?"
He'd coldly and bluntly called out my lie.
I was furious and humiliated.
"That day on the tarmac, you hurt him. I was afraid something might happen to him, so I wanted someone to check if he was safe. I didn't mean anything else by it. Don't read into it."
Leopold scoffed. "Lucinda, how long are you going to keep up this act?"
"I'm telling the truth."
Leopold's eyes were glacial as he stared at me. "You used feeling sick as an excuse, exploited my concern to get to the hospital, all so you could find a chance to ask about Ethan. So what's your next move? Once you confirm Ethan's safe, you'll find another opportunity to run off together? Or... are you planning to use the baby to manipulate me into letting you two be together?"
"That's not it." I quickly denied it. "I'm genuinely just worried about Ethan's safety. I don't have any of those ulterior motives."
Leopold pressed on. "You're worried he's in danger, but you're not worried that his staying in Silverlight City might threaten me?"
I froze again. Ethan staying in Silverlight City would threaten him? What did that mean?
"Leo, don't be upset." Sophia moved forward at just the right moment. "Cindy's known Ethan since middle school. They've worked together for years, trained under the same teacher. Of course, she'd be concerned—it clouds her judgment."
Hearing her fan the flames again, I couldn't help interrupting. "Can you just shut up?"
Sophia put on an innocent, frightened expression. "Cindy, I'm trying to help you! Why are you yelling at me? Leo, look at her—"
"Get out!"
Leopold's cold rebuke shattered Sophia's smug expression.
"Leo, this isn't the first time she's contacted Ethan behind your back. How can you still—"
Leopold interrupted impatiently again. "I said, get out. Don't you understand?"
Cowed by his terrifying presence, Sophia reluctantly headed for the door.
As she passed me, she deliberately bumped my shoulder.
I suddenly lost my balance and fell to the floor.
Before I could process what happened, Sophia was already jumping up and down in distress.
"Lucinda, I was just walking past you—what's with the dramatic fall? At a time like this, instead of properly explaining things to Leo, you're pretending to be weak to get sympathy. Do you even care about what Leo thinks?!"
In just a few sentences, she'd shifted all the blame onto me and accused me of faking weakness for sympathy.
I laughed coldly. "You're the one who pushed me."
"You're making that up!" Sophia vehemently denied it. "You saw Leo was angry and deliberately fell so he wouldn't have the heart to scold you."
I didn't want to engage with her. I pressed my hands against the floor to stand up, only to find my legs wouldn't work.
My expression changed instantly.
I'd actually thought Sophia had deliberately knocked me down, but now I realized—this wasn't her fault.
My condition was flaring up again!
"Lucinda, do you really not want to keep my child?" Leopold stood in place, staring at me intently.
Sophia looked at me in shock. "You're pregnant too?"
I ignored her, raising my head to look at Leopold.
Seeing him observe me with the cold detachment of a stranger, a sharp pain suddenly pierced my chest.
The trust between Leopold and me had always been fragile. Of course, he'd believe Sophia.
"Mr. Percy, Ms. Wipere doesn't look well. What if it's not—" Teddy, seeing my pitiful state, tried to speak up for me.
Sophia quickly cut him off. "What? You know Lucinda that well?"
Teddy shook his head hastily. "No, I've only met Ms. Wipere a few times."
"Then how do you know she's really not feeling well?" Sophia stared at me resentfully. "Women like Lucinda are experts at acting. She fooled you just minutes ago—have you already forgotten?"
Teddy had nothing to say.
Leopold's gaze grew colder and colder until only emptiness and disappointment remained.
He said, "Lucinda, enough of this charade! Since you don't value the freedom I gave you, from now on, you'll stay home for the pregnancy. Don't even think about leaving."
Hearing him sound like he was about to lock me in Pansea Heights permanently, panic seized me. I wanted to explain about my condition, but in the next second, a cramping, dragging pain shot through my lower abdomen.
I quickly spoke up. "Leopold, I'm really not lying... my stomach hurts..."
Leopold's pupils contracted. He instinctively took a step forward.
"Cindy, why won't you listen?" Sophia piped up again. "Leo's given you so many chances already. Why do you keep using the baby to deceive him?"
I was in too much pain to speak.
And my legs still wouldn't move. I felt absolutely miserable.
All I could do was shake my head at Leopold. I wasn't lying. I really wasn't lying...
Leopold's expression was grave, his jawline taut.
After a moment, he looked at me deeply, then turned and walked away.
"Leo, wait for me."
Sophia shot me a triumphant glance before hurrying after him.
Then an even more violent cramping pain swept through my nervous system.
I pressed both hands desperately against my abdomen, but nothing could ease the pain.
The cramping felt like knives stabbing into my belly. I felt like I was being torn apart.
The pain was unbearable.
I vaguely saw someone still at the door and called out weakly for help.
"Help me..."
But I heard no response.
Pain consumed all my senses.
Before long, several figures flashed across my vision.
They were talking, but their voices sounded like they were coming from somewhere far away.
"Lucinda, hang on!"
Someone was commanding me.
I wanted to see who it was, but my vision remained shrouded in fog.
After that, I heard many footsteps.
A flood of white light appeared before my eyes.
Someone asked me something, but I couldn't hear anything anymore.
When I woke again, I found myself lying in the master bedroom of the Pansea Heights villa.
I couldn't help feeling confused. Wasn't I at the hospital?
How did I get back here?