Chapter 81
My grip tightened on the glass. "You're sure this is just a sleeping pill?"
"Of course. I'm the person who loves Leo most in this world. I'd never hurt him. Unlike you..."
Sophia gave me a mocking look. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts?"
I gripped the cup harder. "You don't need to provoke me. I know what I'm doing."
"You can go now. If someone sees you, this whole thing falls apart."
I returned to the bedroom.
I'd assumed Leopold was inside, but after checking everywhere, he was nowhere to be found.
If he wasn't here, he had to be in his study.
I glanced at the cup in my hand, hesitated for a moment, then decided to find him there.
I hadn't expected to run into him at the door—he was just coming in from outside.
Seeing me, he froze.
"This late, and you're going out?"
I gripped the cup tighter. "No, I thought you were in the study. I wanted to bring you some milk."
Only then did Leopold glance at the glass. "For me?"
"Yeah." I held it out. "Grandpa said milk helps you sleep. He asked me to bring you some."
Leopold casually shut the door and slowly walked toward me.
To avoid showing weakness, I fought the urge to back up and kept the cup extended toward him.
"You're not going to drink some first?"
Leopold stared at the glass, his expression unreadable. "Grandpa really told you to bring this to me?"
My breathing hitched. I didn't answer directly. "What, you afraid I drugged it?"
Leopold's smile faded, his eyes giving nothing away.
I understood his silence. With a self-deprecating laugh, I said, "Fine. You don't want it, I'll drink it myself."
I pulled the cup back and lifted it to my lips, tilting my head back.
His hand shot out and snatched the glass away.
"You gave it to me. Why are you taking it back?"
Watching Leopold tilt his head and drain the milk in one go left me speechless.
A second ago, he'd been treating me like a criminal, and now he just... drank it?
Without a moment's hesitation...
Leopold wiped the corner of his mouth, his eyes locked on mine.
"Just this once. Don't bring me any more. I don't like milk."
He shoved the empty glass back into my hands.
I looked at the cup, then at him, and somehow found myself asking, "You weren't afraid I actually drugged it?"
Leopold's eyes were unfathomable, his tone half-joking, half-serious. "Then I'd just fuck you right here."
The crude words made my shoulders instinctively draw in.
"You're overthinking. I didn't drug it."
"If you want me to believe you, let me test it."
Before I could process what 'test it' meant, he had me pinned against the wall, his mouth claiming mine.
Sophia said the drug would kick in after a minute.
I couldn't stay here much longer.
After a few moments, I could feel his body temperature rising, his breathing growing increasingly ragged.
Wasn't it supposed to be a sleeping pill?
Why was his body reacting faster than the drug should work?
No time to think about it. If this went on any longer, I wouldn't be able to leave.
I quickly pulled away.
"Wait—Grandpa just said he needed to see me. Told me to come right after I delivered the milk."
Leopold buried his face in my neck, his voice rough. "After we're done."
"I can't. I promised Grandpa I'd go see him. I'll come back to you later."
I hurriedly pushed him away and rushed out of the room.
As I closed the door, I deliberately glanced back inside.
Leopold had thrown his jacket on the floor, his tie yanked loose.
He was sprawled on the couch, pressing his hand to his forehead in obvious discomfort.
I quietly shut the door.
I'd just pulled out my phone to text Sophia when she emerged from the shadows.
"Did it work?"
Hearing the impatience in her voice, I let out a slow breath.
"He's on the couch. Go ahead."
Sophia's eyes lit up. She opened the door and went straight in.
The door clicked shut.
Sharp pain spread from my chest to my heart.
Suffocating.
I didn't leave. Just stood there quietly.
If Sophia just wanted to spend one night with Leopold, why rush in so early?
Waiting until midnight when Leopold was sound asleep would've worked just as well, wouldn't it?
Why bother drugging him...
My mind suddenly cleared. Something was wrong!
Leopold's reaction had come way too fast—nothing like what should happen during normal intimacy.
That wasn't a sleeping pill. It was an aphrodisiac.
The realization made the crushing feeling in my chest even worse.
I had to lean against the wall, gasping for air.
Sophia had lied to me!
I grabbed the door handle, ready to burst in and throw her out.
But then I thought about those intimate photos I'd seen last night. That miscarried baby...
My hand slowly slid off the handle.
Sophia was Leopold's first love. She'd lost his child.
And now Leopold protected her at every turn, determined to marry her into the Percy family.
What right did I have to interfere?
"Leo, slow down, you're hurting me..."
My vision went black. I nearly collapsed.
Too late for everything...
My nose stung as my vision blurred rapidly.
Clear tears slid from my eyes, soaking into the thick carpet one drop at a time.
The dampness spread.
I couldn't bear to listen anymore. I pushed myself up and stumbled toward the guest room.
I'd barely reached the guest room door when sudden noise erupted behind me.
I turned around and found myself staring into Leopold's ice-cold eyes.
The next second, Sophia came running out, panic written all over her face.
"Leo, you misunderstood! I didn't mean to go into your room..."
My heart clenched violently. What was happening?
Hadn't they already started?
"It was Lucinda!" Sophia suddenly pointed at me. "She said she wanted to help us be together. That's how I got in."
"The drug in your system—she gave it to you. She opened the bedroom door for me. She said as long as we slept together at the Percy Manor, no one would oppose us anymore, and you'd finally let her go."
This turn of events came so fast that I couldn't organize my thoughts enough to explain.
Leopold whipped his head toward me, murderous rage blazing in his eyes.
"Lucinda, you lied to me again!"
"I—"
I opened my mouth to explain, but my mind went completely blank.
The air around Leopold turned glacial in an instant.
He shoved Sophia aside and walked toward me step by step.
His oppressive presence filled the entire space.
"I told you."
"You drug me, I fuck you right here!"
His vicious demeanor terrified me. I kept backing up.
"It's not like that, I didn't expect—"
"Lucinda!"
Sophia suddenly rushed forward, cutting me off.
"Things have gone this far, and you're still trying to pin the blame on me?"
"If you hadn't helped me, how could I possibly have gotten into the Percy Manor? How could I have gotten into your bedroom with Leo?"
Leopold's hand closed around my throat, lifting me up.
"How can you keep lying to me over and over?"
The pressure made my brow furrow in pain. My hands clutched desperately at his arm.
"I didn't. I didn't lie to you."
I shook my head hard, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.
A single tear landed precisely on the prominent bone of his knuckle.
Leopold's entire body went rigid. Then he released me.
He turned his back, roaring, "Get out!"
"I never want to see you again!"