Chapter 216
Leopold's gaze was deep and heavy, with a heart-stirring intensity.
Especially when I saw him step forward as if to enter the room, I immediately gripped the doorknob tight and forcefully shut the door.
Noticing my action, a flash of hurt appeared in Leopold's eyes.
But I didn't stop.
The door closed firmly.
I leaned against the door, my breathing heavy.
A cold sensation spread from my spine to my chest.
But I couldn't care about that—my entire body was tense.
Only when the footsteps outside gradually faded away did I let out a heavy breath.
However, this relief didn't last long before an indescribable feeling gripped my heart.
Tonight's Leopold was completely different from before.
In the past, he would have forced his way in, kissing me without a care.
But this time, he actually left.
That was fine. At least tonight I didn't need to figure out how to deal with him.
To avoid being disturbed, I even locked the bedroom door.
But even so, I couldn't sleep well.
Finally making it to dawn, I got out of bed to wash up.
Yesterday I'd promised Amelia I'd check on Irma today.
The moment I opened the door, I heard sounds from the kitchen.
It was already seven-thirty. Leopold should have already left for the office.
I walked out with relief.
As soon as I stepped out, I smelled a familiar aroma—the wraps I loved.
"Tammy, are we having wraps today?"
I'd just reached the kitchen doorway when I froze.
Inside wasn't Tammy, but Leopold wearing a white shirt with an apron tied over it.
He'd rolled his shirt cuffs up to his elbows, revealing taut, defined forearms. With the cooking motions, his back showed tight muscle lines.
"Go wait in the dining room. The wraps will be ready soon." Leopold glanced back at me, speaking gently.
I instinctively obeyed.
Only after sitting at the dining table did I belatedly realize something was off.
Why hadn't Leopold left?
And he'd gone to the kitchen to make wraps?
Before I could zone out completely, Leopold skillfully brought out a glass of milk and a plate of wraps. "Try it while it's hot. See if it's the flavor you like."
I looked at the fragrant wraps before me, then at Leopold's expectant expression. My awareness became hazy.
Back at Bayview Villas, Leo used to take care of me like this.
But this haze didn't last long, shattered again by the reality that Leo was Leopold.
"I don't like eating wraps, and I don't like drinking milk either."
The expectation in Leopold's eyes turned to dimness, but he still spoke gently. "Alright, then I'll go prepare something else."
I couldn't stand seeing him like this and spoke bluntly. "Leopold, no matter what you make, I won't eat it."
"And no matter if you put on Leo's face or use Leo's methods to take care of me, you're not him."
"Not before, not now, and not ever!"
The person who once accompanied me through my most difficult period wasn't him.
Leopold's motion of picking up the bowl froze, his voice slightly hoarse. "I understand. I'll have Tammy prepare breakfast for you."
Seeing him untie the apron and place it on the table, I didn't feel satisfied—instead, I felt stifled. My chest felt like it couldn't breathe. "No need. I'll eat out."
I quickly left the dining room, grabbed my bag, and rushed out of the villa.
My thoughts were in chaos.
Only after walking out of the residential area did my brain clear again.
Fortunately, this villa area wasn't too remote. After leaving, there was a commercial center just six hundred feet away.
I took out my phone and called a rideshare.
Just as I was about to get in the car, my peripheral vision suddenly caught Leopold's car parked thirty feet away.
As if he'd specifically followed me but was afraid I'd get angry, so he deliberately kept his distance.
I bit my lip and quickly got in the car and left.
After arriving at Crescent Ballet Company, I deliberately checked behind the car before getting out.
I didn't see Leopold's car.
I imperceptibly breathed a sigh of relief.
After getting out, I headed straight for Amelia's office.
"Cindy, why are you so out of breath? Is someone following you?" Amelia was applying lipstick. Seeing me rush in, she quickly put it down.
"No." While regulating my breathing, I said, "Pour me some water. I'm so thirsty."
Amelia quickly poured me a glass of warm water. "Here, drink slowly."
After gulping down most of the glass, I finally caught my breath completely.
Seeing Amelia still waiting for an explanation, I casually said, "It's nothing. I just don't want too much contact with Leopold."
Hearing this, Amelia perked up. "Leopold's been picking you up and dropping you off every day these past few days. Haven't you noticed he's different from before?"
I gripped the water glass tighter. "No."
"How can that be? Let me tell you, this morning Leopold specifically asked me if you'd signed up for the Valeria International Ballet Competition. I remember he didn't really pay attention to these things before. For him to be so concerned this time, he must want you to enter the competition."
"Not necessarily. We can't guess Leopold's thoughts." I put down the glass and changed the subject. "Did Irma come in today?"
Amelia could tell I didn't want to discuss this topic and stopped probing. "She did. I saw she's in good condition today. I'm planning to call her over in a bit."
"Okay, I'll step out when you do."
"No need to be so cautious. You can help give your input, too."
Hearing this, I didn't insist further.
Before long, Irma arrived.
Today her long hair was loose, and she wore an elegant long dress.
Looking at her like this, she resembled the old me even more.
"Lucinda, thank you for yesterday. If you hadn't appeared in time, I wouldn't have known what to do." As soon as we met, she thanked me.
I smiled. "No need to be polite. Just be more careful in the future. You might not be rescued every time."
Irma glanced at me and nodded with a smile.
Amelia echoed my sentiment, then brought up the competition.
Irma expressed great interest. "Amelia, I've prepared three dances in advance for this competition. Could you and Lucinda help me choose which one is best?"
When I saw she'd chosen "Summer Forest", I was somewhat surprised.
That was the dance I'd performed to win the Valeria International Ballet Competition championship.
Her style tended toward soft and flowing.
But this piece emphasized strong emotional impact and technical skill. With her current abilities, her chances of success with this piece weren't great.
So I suggested, "You could choose one of the first two. They both suit you better and can showcase your strengths more effectively."
Amelia agreed with my assessment.
But Irma seemed hesitant. "I really want to choose 'Summer Forest' though. Although my strength isn't enough right now, there's still time before the actual competition. I believe I can practice it well."
Amelia frowned. "There are less than five days between registration and the competition. Trying to master 'Summer Forest' is still quite a stretch. If you injure yourself, you won't even have a chance to compete."
But Irma said, "I know, but I still want to try. My style is similar to Lucinda's. She won the championship with this dance. I believe if I work hard, I have a chance too."
Amelia's expression changed, about to say something.
I shot her a look, then said to Irma, "As long as you've thought it through yourself."
Irma looked at me, a smile curving her lips.