Chapter 43
"You bitch, give me back my one point eight million!"
"Yeah! You hired us and then pocketed our money? Cough it up now, or we all go down together! Nobody walks away from this!"
Watching them publicly betray Sophia filled me with savage satisfaction.
Human greed was predictable.
These two were gamblers willing to risk everything for two hundred thousand dollars.
If Sophia dared buy them off with money, she should've expected betrayal.
"You're lying! I'm the victim here—why would I set myself up like this?" Sophia quickly denied everything.
A faint smile curved my lips. "These two first claimed I hired them to hurt you. Now they say you orchestrated everything yourself. Which proves..."
I shifted my gaze back to Leopold, enunciating each word clearly. "Their testimony is completely unreliable!"
Sophia's expression flickered. "So you deliberately tricked them."
When I didn't deny it, she swayed as if struck.
"Lucinda, I can't think of a single way I've wronged you. Why would you scheme against me like this?"
"We're in the same company. When you take principal roles, I accept supporting parts. When you want championships, I voluntarily withdraw. Isn't that enough?"
"Can you really not tolerate my existence?"
Watching her deflect from the actual incident to our supposed personal vendetta, dread coiled in my stomach.
"You—"
"Lucinda, stop making excuses."
Leopold's casual dismissal pierced my heart like a blade.
My throat felt strangled by an invisible hand, suffocation washing over me in waves.
"Those two were obviously lying. Why won't you believe me?"
By the end, my voice broke with emotion.
But Leopold remained blind to my distress, a cold violence simmering in his eyes.
"Because Sophia would never lie about something like this."
The pain intensified. I bit out, "How can you be so certain? What if she orchestrated this entire thing?"
Leopold stared at me without speaking.
Sophia's soft sobs filled the silence. "Leo, please don't fight because of me."
"I shouldn't have come tonight anyway. I just wanted to congratulate Lucinda personally on her achievement—I came on my own..."
"Nothing actually happened, so let's just forget it. I'll be fine..."
Seeing her resume her act made my blood boil.
"Shut up. This isn't your conversation!"
"I'm sorry, this is my fault. I'll leave now..." Tears pooled in Sophia's eyes as she moved toward the exit.
"Sophia, wait." Leopold immediately stopped her.
"Let me go. I can't bear any more humiliation."
Sophia sobbed while struggling against his grip.
Leopold refused to release her. "Sophia, calm down."
"Let go! Let—"
Suddenly, Sophia's body went limp. She collapsed into Leopold's arms.
"Sophia!"
Leopold's face transformed. Without hesitation, he swept her up.
Not believing her collapse was genuine, I stepped forward to stop him. "Leopold, I really had nothing to do with—"
"Lucinda."
"I don't believe a single word you say."
Leopold delivered this ruthless verdict and shouldered past me toward the exit.
The impact sent me stumbling. I hit the floor hard, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.
"Cindy!"
My parents rushed to help me up.
My heart felt shredded into pieces, the pain unbearable.
"Cindy, don't cry. That bastard doesn't believe you, but I do."
Seeing my endless tears, Donovan's eyes reddened with distress.
"This is all that fool's fault. I'm going to teach him a lesson right now."
"Grandfather." My voice came out hoarse. "Don't bother. If he won't believe me, so be it."
"But—"
Before Donovan could continue, I cut him off.
"I'm exhausted. I want to go home."
Fanny wiped her eyes quickly. "Of course, sweetheart. Let's go home."
Before leaving, James exchanged a few words privately with Donovan.
Then my parents took me home.
Once there, I went straight to my bedroom without a word.
The moment the door closed, I collapsed.
I slid down to sit on the floor, back pressed against the door.
Though it was only early autumn, the air felt bone-chillingly cold.
Leopold's coldness and finality left me despairing.
Why wouldn't he believe me?
Why did he always choose Sophia whenever we opposed each other?
What did our ten years together even mean?
The room lay in deathly silence.
Only my ragged breathing and quiet sobs echoed endlessly.
The next day.
I dragged myself out of bed, completely drained.
The moment I sat up, my throat burned.
I wandered downstairs in a daze to get water from the kitchen.
After the warm liquid soothed my raw throat, I went to find my parents in the living room, but neither the common areas nor their bedroom showed any sign of them.
They'd probably gone grocery shopping.
I'd just set down my glass when someone knocked at the door.
Assuming they'd returned, I hurried to answer.
Leopold stood outside, radiating barely controlled fury.
"Come with me!"
Without waiting for a response, he grabbed my hand and yanked me toward the door.
I resisted, gripping the doorframe with my free hand. "Let go! I'm not going anywhere!"
Seeing this, Leopold's eyes turned glacial. Without hesitation, he pried my fingers from the frame.
His grip felt like it would crush my bones.
I couldn't help crying out. "You're hurting me."
"Then you brought it on yourself!"
Leopold showed no regard for my feelings, dragging me like some inconsequential object and shoving me roughly into his car.
His brutal coldness terrified me.
I didn't dare speak the entire ride, silently clutching my seatbelt.
The car raced to the hospital entrance.
"Get out!"
Leopold delivered this harsh command before opening his door and exiting.
As he circled to the passenger side, I asked tentatively, "Why did you bring me here?"
Leopold wrenched the door open violently. "Get out. Unless you'd prefer I drag you inside."
My hand still throbbed where he'd gripped it. Not daring to provoke him further, I climbed out obediently.
"Keep up."
Leopold turned and strode inside.
I hurried after him.
He finally stopped outside a hospital room door bearing Sophia's name.
"From now on, you're standing guard right here. You leave when Sophia wakes up—not a moment before!"
I hadn't expected him to bring me here just to make me stand watch.
"Why should I?"
Leopold whirled around, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"Because you nearly got her killed!"
I shot back indignantly, "When did I ever try to kill her?"
"Sophia attempted suicide last night!" Leopold's voice dropped to a furious growl.
Shock jolted through me. "Suicide?"
Leopold advanced on me, rage etched into every feature.
"Your actions last night destroyed Sophia's psychological defenses. She couldn't take it anymore. While I was at the payment desk, she slit her wrists!"
"If I hadn't gotten back in time, it would've been too late."
The raw anguish in his eyes cut deep.