Chapter 26
My emotions, which I hadn't had a chance to release, were forced back down.
I snapped at Sophia, "What are you doing in here?"
Sophia crossed her arms, her posture dripping with arrogance. "Lucinda, I overheard your parents. How pitiful that they still don't know their daughter will never marry Leopold."
She smirked. "Should I go tell them right now? Save them from getting their hopes up for nothing?"
"Don't you dare!"
I could tolerate a lot of things, but when it came to my parents, I wouldn't let her run wild. "Keeping this from our families was something Leopold and I decided together. If you ruin our plan, Leopold won't let you get away with it!"
"Lucinda, I've played these games long before you. You can't fool me. I'm going to find your parents and let them know the truth!" Sophia turned to leave.
I quickly grabbed her arm. "Stop! If you don't believe me, call Leopold right now!"
Sophia yanked her arm free and shoved me hard against the wall. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to! Leopold's busy with a major project right now and told me not to disturb him."
"You're deliberately trying to get me to make him angry! I won't let you get what you want!"
My shoulder throbbed from where I'd hit the wall, but she was already heading for the door. My mind went blank with panic.
Without thinking, I lunged forward, grabbed Sophia by the hair, and yanked her back. "I said you're not going anywhere! Are you deaf?"
"Ahh—let go!" Sophia's head snapped back as she began struggling violently. She clawed at my arms, breaking the skin in several places. But I didn't let go.
I pinned her to the floor and demanded, "Promise you won't say anything, and I'll let you go!"
Sophia's face turned bright red. "Lucinda, you dare to hit me! Just wait—I'll make sure Leo teaches you a lesson!"
"Don't mention him to me!" I pressed my elbow against her throat. "I said, I'll let you go if you promise me."
Sophia glared at me with hatred. "I'll never agree. You're so afraid of your parents finding out because you want to use them and Mr. Donovan Percy to pressure Leopold into marrying you, right? I'd rather die than agree to that."
Seeing she wouldn't yield, I didn't dare release her. "That's just your imagination. Leopold and I agreed to keep our broken engagement quiet because we're worried about Mr. Donovan Percy's health."
"If you truly care about Leopold, you should respect his choices instead of forcing him to be tied to you."
Hearing my words, Sophia suddenly laughed. "How do you know he isn't willingly tied to me?"
I froze for a moment. That split second of hesitation was all Sophia needed.
She grabbed my throat, flipped our positions, and pinned me beneath her. My breathing cut off instantly as a wave of suffocation crashed over me.
"Lucinda, you're still too green to go up against me!" With those words, she grabbed my head and slammed it against the floor.
Just once was enough to make my vision explode with countless white spots. The impact radiated from the back of my head through my nerves to my temples, gradually gathering into a sharp ringing, as if countless steel needles were piercing my skull all at once. The pain was so intense I couldn't even scream.
Sophia was saying something above me, but I couldn't make out a single word. After what felt like forever, I faintly heard her say: "...This time, you're finished."
Then, as if she'd gone mad, she slapped herself hard across the face twice and tore at her own dress, making herself look utterly disheveled. Not satisfied, she scratched at her own neck until blood appeared. Only then did she nod with satisfaction.
She yanked me up and positioned herself on the floor.
Dizzy and disoriented, I could barely stand, instinctively clutching the sink for support.
The bathroom door was kicked open! The first to enter was Leopold, his face contorted with rage.
"Leopold..." My temples throbbed painfully. I could barely stand straight and called out to him instinctively.
"Leo, it hurts so much." Sophia's voice followed, choked with tears and self-pity.
Leopold went straight to her without hesitation. Unable to bear it anymore, I silently crouched down.
Beside me, Sophia continued her accusations. "I bid on a pair of earrings with the money you gave me. But Cindy wouldn't listen to my explanation. She thought I was deliberately competing with her, so she attacked me when I came to the bathroom. Look, I'm hurt all over."
I wanted to explain, but I felt too awful. My whole body was freezing, and my head felt like it was about to explode. I couldn't speak.
But even in this state, Leopold showed me no mercy. "Lucinda, why won't you leave Sophia alone?" He roughly grabbed the arm I was using to support myself on the sink.
I lost my balance and crashed into the wall again. Pain shot through my entire head like an electric current. I couldn't take it anymore. I clutched my head and curled into a ball.
"It hurts... it hurts so much... Dad... Mom... help me..." My consciousness grew increasingly foggy until everything went black.
I don't know how much time passed before I woke up, feeling completely drained, my throat painfully dry. Gathering what little strength I had, I managed to speak. "Thirsty..."
My voice was raspy, and my throat burned with every word.
"Lucinda, you're awake." I never expected the first person I'd see upon waking would be Leopold.
"Are you thirsty? Here, drink some water." When he placed a straw in a cup and held it to my lips, I didn't open my mouth. I turned my head, searching for my parents.
"Don't bother looking," Leopold spoke again. "Your parents stayed with you all night. I sent them home to rest."
I turned back without looking at him and silently took a few sips of water. The lukewarm water soothed the burning in my throat.
"Are you feeling dizzy or nauseous? Or is your head hurting?" After putting down the water, Leopold sat on the edge of my bed and questioned me.
I didn't want to talk. I started to shake my head but immediately felt darkness creeping into my vision.
"Don't move!" Leopold steadied my head, his expression grave. "The doctor says you have a concussion. You can't move around or you'll make it worse."
A concussion? I suddenly remembered Sophia slamming my head against the floor.
"Where's Sophia?" At the mention of her name, Leopold's expression darkened.
"She has scratch marks and multiple soft tissue contusions. She's resting in the next room."
Hearing this made my blood boil. She had the nerve to rest! "I want to see her." I only pulled her hair in a moment of panic. But she tried to kill me!
Leopold refused my request. "The doctor says you need complete rest. It's better if she doesn't come."
I stared at him without moving. "What if I insist on seeing her?"
Leopold pressed his thin lips together, his jawline tensing. Just then, there was movement at the door. Someone was coming in.
I turned my head to see Sophia, her face covered in bandages, sneaking into the room. "Leo, is Cindy awake? I've been so worried, I had to come check on her."