Chapter 44
I turned to look into the hospital room.
Sophia lay there pale and still, eyes closed.
Her wrists were indeed wrapped in thick bandages.
But I didn't believe someone like Sophia would actually attempt suicide.
I looked at Leopold, asking quietly, "Do you really believe Sophia tried to kill herself?"
Leopold's expression froze instantly. "Lucinda, say that again."
I knew he wouldn't believe me, but some things still needed to be said.
"I'll tell you one more time—last night's incident had nothing to do with me."
"Your grandfather chose the celebration venue. Your people handled all the arrangements. Except for running into Sophia at the boutique, I never saw her again."
"One more thing."
I gathered my courage and met his eyes.
"I'm not a sore loser. I wouldn't—and have no reason to—use such underhanded tactics against another woman."
Leopold stared at me in silence.
Those deep, cold eyes exerted an invisible but overwhelming pressure.
But I didn't back down, holding his gaze directly.
After several seconds, he looked away first.
He stepped back and sat on a plastic chair behind him.
Thinking he'd finally seen my sincerity, I started to relax.
But then his tone shifted abruptly.
"Lucinda, do you know what she said to me before losing consciousness last night?"
Not understanding his angle, I asked, "What did she say?"
Leopold pulled out a cigarette and lit it with deliberate slowness.
The flame flickered across his face, making his emotions impossible to read.
"She said not to blame you. That last night was her fault for not noticing something was wrong with those two men."
I found this absurd. "The incident had nothing to do with me in the first place. I don't need her false magnanimity."
"If you don't believe me, call the police. If I'm actually involved, I'll face the consequences."
Leopold's expression turned cold, his fingers tightening around the cigarette.
"Lucinda, you dare say that because you know the hotel's surveillance footage was overwritten. No one can expose you, right?"
I didn't understand. "What do you mean?"
Leopold scoffed bitterly. "What was I even expecting?"
He pressed his cigarette-holding hand against his temple. When he looked at me again, his eyes held nothing but emptiness.
"When Sophia wakes up, you'll apologize to her. Then this matter is closed."
"This is your last chance."
"If you don't want your parents worrying about you, take it."
His self-righteous attitude was laughable.
Sophia had orchestrated this entire charade to ruin my reputation, yet I—the actual victim—was supposed to bow my head and apologize!
What kind of twisted logic was that?
"Impossible. I won't apologize for something I didn't do."
"I didn't before, I won't now, and I never will."
Leopold's face darkened. He shot to his feet and yanked me forward.
"Still making excuses!"
"You really think I can't do anything to you?"
My wrist burned where he gripped it, but I couldn't break free.
All I could do was grit out, "Then produce your evidence and have me arrested!"
"You—" Leopold's fury blazed white-hot.
Just then, Sophia's shrill voice rang out from inside the room. "Stay away!"
Hearing her, Leopold immediately dragged me inside.
No amount of struggling helped.
Only after we entered the room did he release me, striding quickly to Sophia's bedside.
"Sophia, it's okay now."
"Leo!"
Seeing him, Sophia threw her arms around him, sobbing pitifully.
"Leo, I dreamed I didn't escape that room. Those two men locked me in, and no matter how much I screamed for help, no one came..."
Leopold only hesitated for a moment before extracting himself, adjusting her pillows so she could lie back down.
"Dreams are opposite to reality. You're safe now."
Sophia looked at him with reddened eyes. "Will you stay with me? I'm so scared to be alone."
Leopold agreed almost without hesitation.
"Alright. I'll stay with you today."
Only then did the terror fade from Sophia's face. "Leo, thank you."
I rubbed my swollen wrist while watching their tender exchange, a self-mocking smile tugging at my lips.
Sophia was truly formidable.
I was completely outmatched.
"Cindy, what are you doing here?"
Spotting me, Sophia first looked surprised, then immediately pressed closer to Leopold.
"Leo already agreed not to pursue last night's matter. Did you come specifically to see me about something else?"
Leopold fixed me with a cold stare. "Lucinda, you'd better know what's good for you."
Watching them present a united front, I smiled faintly. "You want an apology, right?"
"I'll apologize then."
With that, I grabbed a fruit knife from the nearby bowl and brought it toward my arm.
Just as the blade was about to break skin, a strong, elegant hand caught the tip.
"Are you insane?"
"It's just an apology. Is this really necessary?"
I watched blood seep from between his fingers, running down the blade to drip onto the floor.
After two dazed seconds, I quickly released the knife.
"I told you—I did nothing wrong, so I won't apologize."
"You're the one forcing me. So I can only trade injury for injury. Isn't that enough?"
Leopold's face turned glacial, the air around him cold enough to freeze.
"You're threatening me?"
I stared at the continuously dripping blood, my voice trembling slightly.
"I'm not."
"Cindy, if you don't want to apologize, that's fine. I'm not forcing you. But you can't take advantage of Leo caring about you and act so recklessly."
Seeing Leopold injured, Sophia's eyes reddened with distress.
Leopold erupted in fury, roaring, "Get out!"
"I don't want to see you again!"
His shout made me stumble back two more steps. My back hit the cold wall before I could steady myself.
Triumph flashed through Sophia's eyes before she adopted a concerned expression, coaxing Leopold to release the blade.
Only then did Leopold let go.
The fruit knife clattered to the floor.
"I already pressed the call button. The doctor will be here soon—go sit down first."
Sophia pulled him to the nearby sofa, then retrieved gauze from a drawer to clean his wound.
And Leopold—who normally disliked being touched by others—allowed her ministrations without protest.
Soon, a doctor entered with two nurses in tow.
All three blanched at Leopold's injury, immediately setting to work.
Once I confirmed Leopold was okay, I turned to leave.
But my racing heartbeat became overwhelming by the time I reached the ground floor. I found a bench and sat down.
My hand—the one that had held the knife—trembled slightly.
I hadn't expected Leopold to catch the blade barehanded.
If I'd known, I never would've been so impulsive.
Remembering the blood dripping steadily from between his fingers made my chest constrict painfully.
Finally, I covered my mouth and wept.
"Cindy! I didn't expect to find you here—I've been looking everywhere."
Recognizing Ethan's voice, I quickly wiped away my tears.
The moment my vision cleared, I saw him hurrying over from the opposite corridor.
"Ethan, you were looking for me?"
Seeing my face, Ethan visibly startled. "Did Leopold bring you here? Did he force you to do something you didn't want to do again?"