Chapter 209
"Why did you stop talking? Haven't decided yet?"
Leopold scanned David expressionlessly, then slowly stopped beside me, assuming a protective stance.
The moment Leopold entered, Sophia deflated.
David, the old hand that he was, could still maintain his composure. "Leo, your timing is perfect. I was planning to find you anyway."
"Sophia finally conceived a son for me, but Lucinda caused her to miscarry. Not only won't she apologize, but she's even falsely accusing Sophia of smearing her reputation."
"Since you want to stand up for her, you must give me an explanation."
I didn't know what explanation David wanted, but I didn't want to owe Leopold any favors.
I immediately spoke up. "David..."
"But Lucinda wasn't wrong. Sophia did smear her reputation." Leopold unhurriedly cut me off.
Seeing David's expression turn angry, he continued, "Didn't Sophia tell you she caused her own miscarriage by falling?"
David's arm around Sophia tightened. He looked down at her. "Is what he said true?"
"I..." Sophia wanted to deny it, but was wary of Leopold.
In that moment of hesitation, David understood.
He immediately released his hold on Sophia and, abandoning his earlier accusatory manner, said with a laugh, "Leo, it's all a misunderstanding. I was deceived by Sophia—I thought Lucinda caused the loss of the baby."
"I was rash earlier. I'll apologize to Lucinda right now."
He turned to look at me, smiling warmly. "Sorry, Cindy. I didn't understand the situation and misunderstood you. You won't hold it against me, right?"
His attitude changed so quickly.
He effortlessly shifted all the blame onto Sophia, making himself the innocent party who'd been deceived.
He wanted to put on an act, but I didn't want to watch it.
"Mr. David Percy, you make it sound so simple. Just now, when you were favoring Sophia, you showed no mercy in your words. You even told me to please you."
David clapped his hands once. "You misunderstood me."
He explained with seeming sincerity, "What I meant earlier was, if you thought Sophia's demands were excessive, you could just tell a joke to amuse me, and we'd let the matter drop."
"You're my junior, and I watched you grow up. How could I possibly make things difficult for you?"
Sensing something was wrong, Sophia quickly spoke up. "David, that's not what you said just now! You..."
"You don't get a say in this!" David shoved her away, showing none of his earlier protective tenderness.
Sophia fell back onto the bed, sitting there stunned and speechless.
"Uncle David, don't take people for fools. Whatever you wanted to do, we all know perfectly well." Leopold moved behind me, bracing one hand on the back of my chair. "This isn't something a light apology can cover. If you're truly sincere, why not give half of your current project to the Wipere Group?"
My heart skipped a beat. Why would he say that?
David's expression immediately soured. "Leo, I know you value the relationship between the Percy and Wipere families, but business isn't about sentiment. I already have partners for this project."
"I see." Leopold's arm bent slightly as he suddenly leaned closer to me. "Uncle David, how about directly giving Cindy 3% of the Percy Group shares as compensation?"
He wasn't speaking to me, but his magnetic voice and heated breath wrapped tightly around my nerves.
I clenched my hands silently.
The Percy Group's assets were enormous. Even just 3% of shares would represent a very substantial return.
Making such a demand—David couldn't possibly agree.
"Leopold, what nonsense are you spouting? How can the Percy Group shares be given away so easily?" David's mask of warmth shattered. He ground his teeth in anger.
Leopold lifted his head slightly, his tone icy. "Uncle David, I'm not negotiating with you. I know about everything you've done. When it hits the news tomorrow, the Percy family won't cover for you."
David's expression changed again. He stared at Leopold with resentment.
The hatred in his eyes made even me, an observer, feel chilled to the bone.
But Leopold didn't care at all. He even patiently reminded him, "Uncle David, think it over carefully."
The muscles in David's face trembled slightly.
Just when I thought he would refuse, he suddenly relaxed his expression. "Fine. We'll do as you say."
I couldn't believe it. Clearly knowing Leopold had made an outrageous demand, David had actually agreed!
What exactly had David done behind the Percy family's back?
But these weren't matters an outsider like me could interfere with.
Having achieved his goal, Leopold left with me.
The moment we left, the sound of things being smashed came from the hospital room.
Leopold paid no attention to it.
Once we were back in the car, he picked up my hand to examine my palm. "It's all red. Don't do this kind of thing yourself next time."
I froze for a moment before realizing he meant slapping Sophia.
Withdrawing my hand, I asked flatly, "Aren't you afraid that breaking with David will affect the Percy family's image?"
Leopold reached out and grasped my hand again. "I used to value the Percy family's image too much, which let certain people mistake it for my weak spot."
"I don't want to be so concerned anymore."
On the surface, he was talking about the Percy family, but in reality, he wasn't just talking about the Percy family.
My chest suddenly tightened. Did he know about Alicia coming to see me?
Just as I was thinking this, Leopold added, "My grandfather has been talking about you constantly since learning you're back. When do you have time to visit him?"
I wanted to withdraw my hand, but he held it too tightly. Unable to pull free, I could only avoid his gaze. "I'll let you know when I'm free."
Leopold raised his other hand and turned my face back toward him. "Lucinda, what are you avoiding?"
"I'm not." I immediately denied it.
Leopold's pupils contracted. "You're hiding something from me."
Not a question—a statement.
My heart clenched sharply.
By denying it too quickly just now, I'd instead aroused his suspicion.
"If I hadn't come earlier, do you know how dangerous that was for you?" Leopold suddenly changed the subject.
My taut nerves relaxed slightly. "David would at most humiliate me with a few words. He wouldn't dare do anything to me."
Leopold's gaze suddenly sharpened. "That's because you don't understand him."
Thinking of David's earlier suggestive remarks, I didn't respond.
Leopold removed his hand from my face, instead gripping my hand even tighter.
"I'll handle the online situation. You don't need to worry about it. The woman in the video was AI-generated. I've already had the tech department prepare an analysis report. As for Sophia..." He suddenly looked at me, his eyes deep as a whirlpool. "I'll pursue it to the end as well. I won't give her another chance to hurt you."
In the past, I'd always been waiting for this day.
But this day had come too late.
I could no longer trust him.
"I can handle it myself."
Leopold's gaze shifted, the darkness in his eyes gradually deepening. "Must we be this estranged?"
His voice was heavy, each word landing on my heart.
I looked at him. "I already told you—we can't go back."
The storm in Leopold's eyes was about to erupt. "If we can't go back, that's fine. We can move toward the future together."
I didn't understand. "Why must you..."
"Lucinda." Leopold interrupted me, his voice somewhat hoarse from restraint. "We've been together for ten years. In those ten years, we've had arguments and sweetness. Our souls and lives have become tightly intertwined. I can't let you go."
"And I don't believe you've truly let me go either."