Chapter 94
Teddy got out of the car and opened the rear door.
"Ms. Wipere, please get in."
I didn't hesitate and got straight in. As I did, I caught a glimpse of someone watching me from the street corner. I instinctively looked over, but the spot was empty.
"What are you looking at?"
Leopold followed my line of sight.
"Nothing."
I settled into the seat calmly.
The car slowly pulled away from the hotel entrance. Silence spread through the air. I didn't want to talk, so I quietly gazed out the window.
This time, Leopold broke the silence.
"Don't you want to know where I'm taking you?"
"Doesn't matter."
Either the Percy Manor or his villa. I didn't care either way. There was still time—I couldn't let him realize I was planning to leave.
But my indifference only angered Leopold. He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me toward him.
"Are you waiting for Ethan?"
Forced to turn around, my eyes landed right on him.
"I'm not waiting for him."
Leopold's grip tightened. "Lucinda, you're not going anywhere without my permission!"
Hearing him seemingly pick up on something, I lifted my head to meet his angry gaze.
I asked calmly, "Where would I even go?"
Leopold's tense expression softened slightly, and his grip unconsciously loosened.
"You'd better not go anywhere."
I felt like he knew I was planning to leave with Ethan, but aside from my parents, I hadn't told anyone. My parents would never tell him either. Neither would Ethan. That meant Leopold had figured it out himself.
I'd have to be even more careful from now on.
"Mr. Percy, we've arrived."
Teddy brought the car to a smooth stop.
Only then did I notice that outside wasn't the Percy Manor or Leopold's villa—it was a haute couture dress boutique.
"Why did you bring me here?"
Leopold got out first, then extended his hand to me.
"What else do you do at a dress shop besides buy clothes?"
I hesitated for a few seconds before placing my hand in his palm. When his palm closed around mine, wrapping my hand tightly, my heart gave an involuntary flutter.
Buying a dress? That meant he was making me attend tonight's Percy Group eightieth anniversary celebration.
"Tonight's anniversary gala holds significant meaning for the Percy Group."
"Not only will Silverlight City's elite attend, but several international guests will also be there to celebrate. As my fiancée in name, you naturally can't be absent."
The Percy Group was deeply rooted and well-established. Besides developing domestic business, in recent years, they've also partnered with numerous multinational corporations. For their eightieth anniversary, it was bound to be quite the affair.
As I walked inside with my arm linked through his, I asked, "Making me attend with you—aren't you afraid Sophia will be upset?"
"Sophia knows the score," Leopold responded flatly.
I laughed inwardly. So I was the one who didn't know the score?
"Mr. Percy, all the current season's new arrivals have been sent to the VIP room on the third floor. Please, both of you, come this way to try them on."
The boutique manager, flanked by two shop assistants, approached with welcoming smiles.
Leopold gave a dignified nod and led me to the elevator to the third floor. The VIP lounge here was even larger than the one my mom had visited last time. The dresses were arranged in order by color and length. Each one was exquisitely designed with superior quality—all exclusive haute couture pieces not available in regular stores.
"Ms. Wipere, these have all been specially selected based on your measurements. Please see if any catch your eye."
The manager gestured for the assistants to bring over two rolling racks first.
I had no intention of trying on every dress here, so I randomly selected three.
"I'll try these two first."
"Of course, I'll hang them in the fitting room for you." The assistant took down the dresses.
"No need, I'll do it myself."
I took the dresses from her hands and walked into the fitting room. The moment I hung the clothes on the hook, I sensed an inexplicable cold draft in the fitting room.
Something felt wrong.
I had just turned around when I saw a man in black wearing a baseball cap emerge from the adjacent stall.
My eyes widened. I was about to call for help.
"Cindy, it's me."
He lifted the brim of his cap, revealing a gentle, handsome face.
"Ethan? How did you..."
Ethan nodded silently, then lowered his voice.
"Leopold suspected I was staying in Silverlight City for ulterior motives. Last night, he had people forcibly remove me from the hotel and take me straight to the airport."
"When they weren't paying attention, I switched clothes with someone in the bathroom and managed to escape."
"Now his people are searching the entire city for me."
I froze.
Was Leopold conducting a citywide manhunt for him?
"Why would he suspect you?"
"I'm not sure." Ethan shook his head. "But I'm certain he probably guessed you were planning to leave with me, which is why he's doing this."
"Cindy, we need to change the plan. We can't go to the airport. I have people attending tonight's Percy Group anniversary gala. When the banquet ends, we'll leave with them on a private jet."
My earlier suspicions were correct. Leopold had indeed caught on.
"Okay, but if Leopold's already suspicious, can we still leave?"
Ethan nodded firmly. "Yes. I absolutely won't let him bully you again."
A warm current surged in my chest.
I was about to speak when I suddenly heard approaching footsteps. I quickly signaled Ethan to leave. Ethan glanced at me, then swiftly returned to the previous stall.
I stripped off my jacket and grabbed the dress, pulling it over my head!
The locked fitting room door was yanked open with force. The doorframe shattered instantly. Through a cloud of wood splinters and dust, Leopold stood there, his expression dark.
His gaze swept over me, landing on my back where I hadn't yet pulled up the zipper.
"Is this dress that difficult to put on? Why haven't you finished after all this time?"
I clutched the front of the dress with one hand while guarding my back with the other, retreating warily into the corner.
"Of course it is. You're not a woman, so naturally you don't know how troublesome it is to put on a dress."
Leopold's eyes were ice-cold, yet the corners of his mouth curved into a slight arc.
"Is it the dress that's troublesome, or have you encountered troublesome company?"
My heart tightened, but my tone remained steady.
"This fitting room is only so big. How could anyone hide in here?"
Leopold didn't believe me. He signaled his bodyguard to check the adjacent stall.
My hand, clutching the neckline, silently tightened. My breathing quickened slightly.
Ethan wouldn't be discovered, would he?
No matter how nervous I felt inside, I couldn't let it show on my face—I was afraid Leopold would see right through me.
"Mr. Percy, we've searched everywhere. There's no one around."
The bodyguard returned to report to Leopold.
Only then could I breathe easier.
I pressed myself against the wall, looking at Leopold.
"Can you leave now? I still need to change."
Leopold's expression didn't improve. His well-defined hand lightly brushed my cheek.
"Since this dress is so difficult to put on, let me help you."
The bodyguard tactfully withdrew.
My heart sank again.
He wasn't reassured—he was going to personally watch me.
"Fine, then help me with the zipper."
I quickly turned my back to him, breathing lightly.
My breathing hadn't even steadied when my back suddenly felt a chill—like something soft had brushed against it, or like someone had lightly kissed it.
I clutched my chest tighter and asked in a low voice, "Leopold, what are you doing?"
Leopold leaned close to my ear, his voice carrying a hint of seduction.
"I can't help myself."
"Don't you like it?"