Chapter 60
When I emerged, Leopold was already asleep.
I quietly retreated to the outer sitting room and lay down on the sofa.
I'd thought returning to this villa full of painful memories would keep me tossing and turning all night.
But surprisingly, the moment I lay down, I fell asleep.
The next morning, when I woke up, I immediately went to check on Leopold.
But he wasn't in the bedroom.
Panic seized me, and I was about to rush out.
Just then, the bathroom door opened.
Leopold emerged wrapped in a towel, surrounded by steam.
His bare upper body displayed his defined chest and firm, powerful abs, every inch radiating intense masculine energy.
His impossibly perfect physique caught me off guard, and I frantically tried to look away.
But suddenly, I noticed a glaring bruise on his shoulder.
My gaze froze.
Was that from saving me last night?
Leopold seemed equally surprised to see me, then walked past me into the bedroom.
"Come here."
My hand tightened on the doorframe, then I resignedly followed.
Leopold casually tossed a towel onto the foot of the bed, then extended his hand toward me.
"What for?" I approached, confused.
Leopold's large hand gripped my waist, pulling me into his arms.
I quickly pressed my hands against his shoulders, asking nervously, "Don't try anything."
Sophia was still downstairs. Wasn't he afraid of hurting her feelings by treating me this way?
Leopold suddenly spoke, his voice calm. "I think my wound got wet. I wanted you to check it. How is that 'trying anything'?"
I was speechless. He had a mouth—he could just say so instead of making these suggestive moves.
Complaints aside, I still rose on my toes and carefully touched his bandage with my fingertips.
"Does it hurt here?"
Leopold's muscles tensed throughout his body, his voice growing husky. "Yes."
It did feel damp. I immediately stepped out of his embrace and pressed him down to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Sit. I'll change your dressing."
I went to the sitting room to find the medical kit, then returned to the bedroom to tend to his wound.
Even though I'd prepared myself, seeing that red, swollen, sutured wound still hurt.
Thinking about how he'd only rested one day before showering and getting his wound wet, anger rose in me. I couldn't help scolding him.
"You knew your wound couldn't get wet. Why would you shower? You're a grown man—don't you know how to take care of yourself?"
Leopold slowly straightened, his hand settling perfectly at my waistline.
"That's why I need you to take care of me."
Frustrated, I pressed harder with my hands.
Leopold sucked in a sharp breath. "Are you trying to murder your husband?"
Those words hit me like a cold wind, dousing my inexplicable anger.
He wasn't my husband anymore.
Why was I getting upset?
After finishing the bandaging, I gathered the medical supplies while saying, "My technique isn't very good. You should still go to the hospital later to have it properly redressed and get checked out."
"You won't come with me?" Leopold's voice was heavy.
I packed all the supplies back into the kit and picked it up, looking at him calmly.
"Leopold, I have my own responsibilities. I can't actually be with you twenty-four hours a day."
"But you promised me!" Leopold shot back coldly.
"I didn't promise you that. I only said I could visit you daily and take care of you when possible."
Seeing him about to argue more, my tone grew firmer too.
"Leopold, I've been waiting four years for this International Ballet Competition. If I miss it this time, I might never get another chance."
"Can you please stop making this difficult for me?"
Leopold's eyes turned icy, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "In your heart, I'm nothing."
I opened my mouth to argue, but swallowed the words back down.
I was afraid that if we kept arguing, I really wouldn't be able to leave.
After putting away the medical kit, I went straight downstairs and left.
Originally, I'd wanted to have Leo pick me up, but thinking that would be too conspicuous, I took a taxi to the dance company instead.
Walking into the lobby, I saw the TV playing news about our company winning the grand prize at last night's charity event.
I couldn't help pausing to watch for a bit.
Seeing everyone's smiling faces, I felt infected by their happiness.
If I hadn't been kidnapped, I would have been standing on that stage with the director and everyone else, receiving applause and awards.
But that joy came to an abrupt halt when I entered the changing room and saw the seal on my locker.
"Lucinda, you still have the nerve to show your face here!"
Jessie rushed up to me and shoved me directly.
"If you hadn't been absent for no reason, Mr. Percy, who was supporting us, wouldn't have left in anger, and the other dance company representatives wouldn't have given us the cold shoulder or taken away our grand prize!"
"It's all your fault! You're the bitch who ruined our entire company's reputation. How dare you still come here?"
I was pushed back against the locker door.
Because of my absence last night, not only did the company get the cold shoulder, but they lost the grand prize too?
How could this have happened?
"The director said you don't need to come to the company anymore! Get lost!"
Jessie tried to get physical again.
I snapped back to attention, caught her hand, and pinned it against the locker door.
"Jessie, my business is none of your concern!"
Jessie grimaced in pain but still stubbornly argued back.
"You think I want to get involved? If you hadn't let down everyone in the company's hard work, I wouldn't even talk to a bitch like you!"
"If that mouth of yours can't speak plain language, I don't mind ripping it off!"
I was about to make good on that threat.
Just then, another colleague rushed in.
"Lucinda, the director wants to see you. He said to come to his office immediately."
Only then did I release her. "Consider yourself lucky."
I'd never been one to suffer in silence.
Leopold was one thing, but who did these people think they were to bully me?
On my way to the director's office, I ran into several colleagues.
This time, not a single person greeted me. Their faces showed either sympathy or anger.
I paid them no mind.
After pushing open the director's office door, I got straight to the point.
"Mr. Flores, I'd like to know why my locker was sealed."
Samuel sat on the sofa in the meeting area, his expression stern as he countered, "Don't you know?"
"That's right, Lucinda. You've really embarrassed your dance company this time!"
A familiar mocking voice grated from nearby.
I turned my head and only then noticed Asher sitting across from Samuel.
He had his legs crossed, playing with a cigar between his fingers.
Looked like his injuries had fully healed.
"I don't understand what Mr. Wood means."
Asher took a drag on his cigar, exhaling smoke as he said disdainfully, "So many top dance company representatives showed up last night, and you deliberately didn't attend. You let your company be ridiculed and had your prize stolen."
"If that's not embarrassing, what is?"
"Mr. Wood, I disagree with what you're saying."
I calmly rebutted.
"First, I didn't deliberately miss last night—I was kidnapped."
"Second, I wasn't even there. If the company was ridiculed or had its prize stolen, that can't be blamed on me."
"Kidnapped?" Asher looked amused, pointing at Samuel with his cigar hand. "Look at that. To avoid responsibility, she'll even tell a lie like that."
"With this kind of liability in your company, how can I possibly partner with you?"