Chapter 238
My dad thought carefully. "On my end, only you and your mom knew, but I'm not sure who knew on his side."
I quickly asked, "Can you still contact him now?"
"Let me try."
My dad immediately took out his phone to dial the number and put it on speaker.
"Hello, the number you have dialed is not available..."
Hearing this automated message, my dad's expression froze.
"Why is it off?" My mom asked, puzzled.
"Could something have happened to him, too?" I asked in a low voice.
My dad couldn't sit still. "I know where he lives. I'll go find him right now."
"Dad!" I quickly stopped him. "If something did happen to him, either you're too late now, or someone else will be waiting for you. Either way, you can't take that risk."
My mom agreed with me. "Right, James, you can't put yourself in danger. We can send a bodyguard to check. If there's trouble, he can handle it."
Only then did my dad abandon the idea, but the Wipere family didn't have bodyguards arranged. All the guards near the villa were from the Percy family.
So I contacted Teddy to arrange it. I hadn't planned to hide this from Leopold anyway.
"Understood. Please send me the address shortly, and I'll arrange for someone to go immediately."
After my dad sent me researcher Brian Scott's home address, I immediately forwarded it to Teddy.
Half an hour later, news came from Teddy.
"Ms. Wipere, the place is completely empty. According to neighbors, Brian's family moved out overnight. No one knows where they went."
This news caught us completely off guard.
My parents' expressions both turned grave.
After thinking, I pressed further. "Mr. Ward, is there any way to find out who he met that day?"
"I'll do my best to investigate and notify you immediately if there's news."
After hanging up, my dad looked full of self-reproach. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't asked him to examine this drug, nothing would have happened to him."
"Dad, we still haven't gotten to the bottom of this. What happened to him might not be related to the report. Maybe he learned something else he shouldn't have."
My mom also tried to console him.
It took considerable effort before my dad felt somewhat better.
After they returned to their room to rest, Leopold still hadn't emerged from the study.
I pressed my ear to the door to listen. No sounds inside—the meeting must have ended.
Suddenly, the study door opened from inside.
I was still pressed against it and didn't react in time.
"Eavesdropping?" Leopold sat upright in his wheelchair, looking at me teasingly.
I quickly straightened up. "I wasn't eavesdropping. I just wanted to see if your meeting was over."
Seeing my slight embarrassment, Leopold's thin lips curved into an arc. "Just finished. What do you need?"
I pressed my lips together awkwardly. What did he mean? What did I need?
"Since your meeting's over, you should rest early. Brady said you can't stay up late."
Leopold raised an eyebrow slightly. "So you came looking for me because of the doctor's orders?"
I caught the deeper meaning in that question and looked at him. "Sort of."
Leopold's gaze deepened instantly. "What does 'sort of' mean?"
I fell silent.
Why was he fixating on this question?
Not wanting to answer, I changed the subject to Teddy's matter. "Earlier, I had Teddy investigate someone. Did he tell you?"
Leopold sighed softly. "You're so tall, and I'm sitting in a wheelchair. Why don't we talk inside?"
I really hadn't noticed that and immediately agreed.
Just as I was about to enter, he grasped my hand. Before I could react, I was sitting on his lap.
The study door closed again.
I was somewhat speechless. "Don't you think this position isn't suitable for discussing serious matters?"
Leopold readily agreed. "Not at all. I'm in a wheelchair now—this angle is just right."
I felt somewhat numb and didn't continue that topic, directly telling him what Teddy was investigating.
Leopold's expression turned serious. "The matter of the new drug isn't that simple. Though it's still in the research phase, there are hundreds of research centers studying it together."
I didn't understand. "If so many research centers are developing it, why would both Brian and my dad have accidents because of it?"
Leopold gently caressed my hand. "Could be a progress issue, or it could be the other party's smokescreen."
I nodded silently.
"But the specifics depend on the final investigation results."
Sensing his breath drawing closer, I instinctively turned to look at him.
I accidentally brushed past his lips.
Just a brief touch, but a surging current shot through my body.
It raced through my bloodstream, quickly spreading to every corner of my body.
Leopold's breathing suddenly quickened.
The next second, he cupped the back of my head with one hand, gripped my waist with the other, and kissed me.
His breath spread across my lips.
In our entanglement, the surrounding air grew scorching hot.
My body trembled slightly, yet my heartbeat grew faster and faster with each intimate moment.
My entire body began to go soft.
Just as things were about to spiral out of control, Leopold released me.
He gripped my arms, his nose brushing against mine, breathing heavily and hotly.
"Cindy, I'm the one in your heart, aren't I?" His voice was hoarse as his fingertips traced across my lips, seeking confirmation in a low voice.
My body felt soft and weak. I could only lean against him, breathing lightly.
Though I didn't respond to his question, the answer was already in my body language.
Leopold understood my meaning and chuckled softly.
He pulled me back into his embrace. "No rush. We still have time."
I looked up at him briefly as heat silently climbed up my cheeks.
The next day, Leopold got up early, saying yesterday's matters weren't finished, and he needed to go to the company for another meeting today.
I saw him to the door, reminding him not to overwork, to drink water on time, and rest on time.
Leopold listened to my nagging, the curve of his lips impossible to suppress.
After I finished, he kissed the back of my hand. "I've remembered everything. Wait for me to come back."
I softly agreed and watched his car drive out the gate before returning inside.
"Leo went to the company before his injuries have healed? Can his body handle it?" My mom looked at me worriedly.
"He knows what he's doing, and I've already had Teddy watch him. If he acts recklessly, Teddy will contact me."
"That's good then." My mom handed me pills. "Don't forget to take your medicine. You haven't rested well these past few days. Go back to sleep after this."
"Okay."
I took the pills and reached to unscrew the thermos lid.
Suddenly, my brain felt like it had been emptied—completely blank.
I froze, looking at the white pills in my hand, and threw them directly into the trash.
I wasn't even sick—why take medicine!
Seeing the water cup nearby and feeling thirsty, I picked up the thermos to pour water.
The next second, scalding water poured from the spout onto the back of my hand.
Searing pain exploded.
The pain made me cry out. "Cindy, what happened!" My mom rushed over. Seeing my hand already red and swollen, she quickly pulled me over to run it under cold water.
The flowing water eased the stinging in my hand.
Just then, she seemed to discover something and asked me with shocked suspicion.
"Didn't I just tell you to take your medicine? Why did you throw it in the trash?"