Chapter 252
"Why are you telling Cindy this!" Donovan interrupted Alicia's words with obvious displeasure.
When he turned to look at me, his tone immediately softened. "Cindy, it was indeed my idea to call you here tonight. Your grandmother did something foolish, and Leopold got upset and argued with her, then said he'd give up his Percy family status in the heat of the moment."
"We watched Leopold grow up. We know his temperament, which is why we wanted to ask you to help us persuade him not to react rashly."
I glanced at Alicia. Seeing her watching me silently, I understood this was her intention as well.
After thinking for a moment, I said to Donovan, "Grandpa, I'm afraid I might not be much help with this..."
"I knew you'd refuse!" Alicia furiously cut me off.
She clutched the bed rails and hoisted herself upright,, the bracelets on her wrists clinking crisply against the metal. "Leopold is willing to give up everything for you. All we're asking is for you to talk to him, and you can't help! I think you just feel that now Leopold has nothing, he's not good enough for you, so you want to abandon him!"
Fury instantly surged through me. "I've never had such thoughts. Please don't ascribe ill intent to me."
Alicia spoke righteously. "If you don't have such thoughts, then why won't you agree to our request? The Percy family doesn't demand our grandson's wife be extraordinary, but you can't even meet this simple requirement. Do you deserve to be part of the Percy family!"
"Shut up!"Donovan scolded her sharply. "You drove Leopold away, and you asked me to get Cindy's help. How can you speak to her this way!"
Alicia's chest heaved violently, her lips pressed into a tight line.
After catching her breath, she retorted, "You treat an outsider like a treasure. Whose grandfather are you, exactly!"
"I can't reason with you. I'm talking to Cindy—don't interrupt." Donovan turned his back to her, pulled me aside, and patiently explained, "Cindy, this matter may put you in a difficult position, but we have no choice."
"Leopold is too stubborn. Though we contained the news tonight, You know David is both reckless and malevolent.. If we can't persuade Leopold to return to the company and take charge, I'm worried tomorrow's public opinion will harm the Percy Group."
"Leopold has worked so hard for so many years. If it truly affects the Percy Group, he'll be impacted too."
I understood everything Donovan was saying.
"Grandpa, to be honest, when you called me, I was already on my way to see Leopold. I just came here first because I was worried you might have something urgent."
Donovan was pleasantly surprised. "That's wonderful. If Leopold is willing to see you, there's still room to turn this around."
"Grandpa, I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best."
I was afraid Leopold wouldn't listen to me either, so I set expectations with Donovan in advance.
Donovan expressed understanding. "Just do your best. If Leopold insists, we won't blame you."
After we'd finished talking and turned around, I discovered Alicia had raised her upper body and was listening in.
Seeing us both turn, she quickly sat back on the bed and took the offensive. "Donovan, what were you two discussing? Why can't I know?"
Donovan answered coldly, "You should just focus on resting and recovering. Don't meddle unnecessarily."
Alicia's expression grew angrier, but as if remembering something, she changed her approach. "I feel tightness in my chest. Have the family doctor come check on me."
I didn't want to be alone with Alicia and immediately said, "Grandpa, you stay here with her. I'll go find the doctor."
But Alicia said, "Do you look down on this old woman, or are you afraid I'll discover some shameful secret about you?"
I found her entirely unreasonable. "You—"
"Never mind, Cindy. I'll go find the doctor. There's a butler outside. If you need anything, just call him."
Hearing Donovan say this, my heart settled a bit, and I agreed.
In the past, I'd always wanted to resolve the knot in my relationship with Alicia, so I'd tried several times to explain things clearly.
But later I realized Alicia's prejudice against me stemmed from Leopold's regard for me.
So I had abandoned that notion.
Still, sharing the same space created an awkward atmosphere.
"I'm thirsty. Pour me some water." Suddenly, Alicia spoke.
I looked up to see her staring straight at me. Without saying anything, I poured her a glass of warm water.
But Alicia didn't reach for it. She said coldly, "I like to drink hot water. This glass doesn't even have any steam. Are you trying to freeze me to death?"
I knew she was deliberately being difficult. I turned to heat the water.
Returning to the bedside, seeing her about to say something else, I spoke first. "Water that's too hot is bad for the esophagus. This is the temperature the doctor recommends."
Unable to find fault, Alicia's face hardened with anger. She regarded me without moving.
After a brief standoff, I casually set down the glass. "If you don't want to drink it, I'll just leave it here."
"Lucinda, you're getting bolder by the second. You don't even take my words seriously anymore." Alicia mocked with displeasure.
I walked to the foot of the bed, maintaining the maximum distance from her. "You're sick and in a bad mood—I understand. But you can't pin everything about Leopold on me. Leopold is a person. He has his own thoughts. No one can control him."
"It's all your fault!" Alicia completely ignored my explanation, insisting, "Leopold never used to defy us, much less talk about leaving the Percy family."
"He used to visit me every year, but after being with you, he rarely comes. He's even twice wanted to give up his position as Percy family heir because of you."
"Lucinda, Leopold is the heir to the entire Percy Group. He bears the honor and disgrace of the entire family.He doesn't need overwhelming emotional entanglements. You are his most unpredictable factor."
This was the first time I'd heard such an absurd argument.
"Mrs. Alicia Percy, Leopold is human. He has emotions and desires—they can't be controlled artificially. Likewise, I'm not his variable. His only variable lies within himself."
"You just love control too much. You wish you could control everything in the palm of your hand, but you know very well that control itself is uncontrollable."
Alicia flew into a rage. "Silence! Who do you think you are to lecture me!"
I was about to speak when the door was pushed open.
I thought Donovan had returned, but instead a servant entered with her head bowed respectfully.
"Mrs. Alicia Percy, it's time for your medication."
She walked toward the bed with her back bent, carrying a tray.
I felt something was amiss, but couldn't identify precisely what.
The next second, the servant pulled a gleaming small knife from beneath the tray, her face twisted viciously as she stabbed toward Alicia!
The change came so suddenly I couldn't react in time. Instinct drove me toward the bed.