Chapter 67
Looking at Leopold's furious expression, my heart felt like it had been plunged into ice water, bone-chilling cold instantly spreading through my entire body.
"Leopold, there's something I've wanted to ask you for a long time."
"Why is it that whenever I explain, you never believe me, but when Sophia acts pitiful and plays the victim, you believe every word she says?"
"What were these ten years we spent together? How unbearable must those ten years have been for you to not even have basic trust in me?"
"You're the one who brought up our ten years together."
Leopold sneered as he advanced on me.
The ice in his eyes could freeze the air itself.
"In these ten years, whether your feelings for me were genuine or fake—I can't even tell anymore."
"How dare you demand I trust you?"
I felt like a thousand arrows had pierced my heart.
Ten years together, ten years of wholehearted devotion, only to be met with "I can't tell if it was genuine or fake."
Just days ago, he'd risked his life to protect me. How had everything reset to zero today?
No—not even zero.
At zero, we'd at least have some fellowship as former schoolmates.
Now all we had left was resentment and hatred.
"So that's how you've always seen me. In that case, asking for your trust really was expecting too much."
Leopold frowned in displeasure. "What are you implying? Are you upset I exposed you, or do you think you've been wronged?"
I laughed coldly. "I don't even have your trust—how could I feel wronged?"
"You think Sophia would never lie? Then what about those three men who kidnapped me? Did you interrogate them? Did they reveal who hired them?"
Leopold's eyes darkened. He didn't respond.
"Looks like they didn't." I glanced at Sophia kneeling on the ground. "Your people are pretty useless if they couldn't even get the mastermind out of them."
Sophia's expression tensed, and she shot me a wary look.
The next second, she was wailing dramatically again.
"Cindy, it's all my fault. Don't blame Leo."
"I shouldn't have interrupted when you and Mr. Guise were having a private dinner, and I shouldn't have let my mom say those awful things."
"But my intentions were good—I just didn't want Leo to get hurt. If even that makes you angry, I can apologize. Just please let my mom go, and I'll do anything!"
Her words seemed like explanations, but were actually insinuating something improper between Ethan and me.
I'd had enough. I slapped her across the face.
Sophia cried out in pain, covering her cheek as she looked up at me from the ground.
Behind the hair covering her face, her eyes held pure hatred.
"Lucinda, stop it!"
Leopold rushed forward angrily and shoved me away.
I stumbled backward from the force, finally falling heavily into a chair.
Gripping the armrest, I looked over at them.
Leopold carefully helped Sophia up, his tone full of concern.
"Are you all right?"
Sophia looked aggrieved but shook her head. "I'm fine, as long as Cindy feels better."
I tightened my grip on the armrest and shot to my feet. "I don't feel better. What are you going to do about it?"
Sophia acted like a frightened rabbit, immediately leaning into Leopold's embrace with tearful eyes.
"Leo."
"Enough." Leopold seemed to have made some decision. He looked at me again. "Lucinda, how far are you going to take this before you're done?"
"Who's making a scene here?" I stared directly at Leopold, the warmth draining from my eyes. "I just had a meal with my senior. How is that some heinous crime?"
"What does what happened to Sophia and her mother have to do with my senior or me? Why should we take responsibility for it?"
Leopold's expression darkened, as if I'd crossed a line.
"Just a meal? You make it sound so simple. But did you really just have a meal?"
Something felt off. "What else do you think happened?"
"Leo, don't say it. Right now, my mom's still in Mr. Guise's hands. I'm really worried about her. Why don't you come with me..."
Before Sophia could finish, Leopold suddenly picked up his phone and ordered whoever was on the other end, "Come in."
Less than a minute later, Teddy, whom I'd met before, walked in quickly.
"Mr. Percy, what can I do for you?"
"Take some men immediately and accompany Sophia to rescue her mother."
As soon as Leopold finished, Sophia grabbed his hand.
"Leo, are you coming with me? What if..."
Leopold pushed her hand away. "You don't need me for something this trivial. If you're worried about your mother, leave now."
Sophia bit her lip reluctantly. "But I want you with me. Otherwise, I'll be scared."
Leopold continued to refuse. "If you're scared, call the police. With officers there, even Ethan won't dare do anything to you."
With that, he had Teddy escort Sophia out.
However unwilling, Sophia had no choice but to leave.
But my mood didn't lighten with Sophia's departure.
Especially when I met Leopold's razor-sharp gaze.
"Is there something you want to say to me privately?"
Leopold yanked at his tie forcefully, even unbuttoning the top button.
His entire demeanor was agitated and oppressive.
"Lucinda, I'm giving you one more chance. What exactly did you and your senior do?"
His suspicious tone infuriated me. "We just had a meal together, then went our separate ways. No matter how many times you ask, that's my answer."
The moment I finished speaking, a cup shattered at my feet.
The sudden incident made me jump.
"Leopold, you—!"
Before I could finish, Leopold grabbed my hand and forcibly dragged me back to the bedroom.
Inside, Leopold shoved me toward the bed. I fell to my knees beside it, my knees hitting the bedframe hard enough to steal my breath.
"Lucinda, don't think I don't know anything!"
A stack of photos rained down from above my head.
Like falling snowflakes.
Scattering across the floor.
I looked down despite the pain, and a chill shot up from my feet.
In the photos, I was leaning against Ethan's embrace while he touched my head, smiling tenderly.
From any angle, it looked intimate.
Ignoring the pain, I grabbed another photo.
It was from when I'd choked during our meal, and Ethan had patted my back.
But whether due to the angle or something else, it looked like Ethan was embracing me from behind and kissing my forehead!
"These photos..."
Leopold crouched down, gripping my chin hard. "Nothing to say now?"
Tears welled in my eyes from the pain, but I tried to explain. "These photos are misleading. My senior and I didn't do anything..."
"Even if nothing happened this time, what about when you tried to elope with him at the airport? Another misunderstanding?"
Leopold's words shocked me. "I didn't elope. I was just seeing my teacher off."
"The airport was a misunderstanding, and today it's the camera angle. You have an excuse for everything, don't you?"
Leopold's gaze grew colder. "Lucinda, if you want me to believe you, call Ethan right now and tell him you'll never see him again."
"Just make the call, and I'll believe you."