Chapter 216
Olivia stood in the doorway, watching Leopold's utterly disheveled state. Anger and disappointment tangled in her chest, nearly burning through what remained of her composure.
She strode over and snatched the bottle from Leopold's hand, smashing it hard on the floor.
A sharp crack. Glass shards scattered everywhere.
Leopold raised his head with bleary eyes, his gaze hollow and detached. He crouched down, reaching for the broken bottle on the floor.
Olivia trembled with fury. "Look at yourself! One Lisbeth reduces you to this—are you even worthy of being the Hearst family's son?"
Leopold simply lowered his head without another word.
His half-dead demeanor only made Olivia's teeth grind harder. She took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down, but seeing her son willing to destroy himself over a woman only hardened her resolve.
Even if it meant bringing Elora into the family, she would absolutely never allow Leopold and Lisbeth to reunite.
The Hearst family's daughter-in-law could only be Elora.
"Do you know what your father tells people about you?" Olivia looked at him with anguished disappointment. "He says you're his most outstanding and capable son, the future leader of the Hearst Group."
"Don't let your father and me down."
Leopold lifted his head. The moment he spoke, alcohol fumes rolled off him. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you both. I've never been anyone's heir apparent, and I never wanted to be."
His dream had been to become a lawyer. He'd only returned to the Hearst family later, following his father's wishes to inherit the company and switching to finance—a field he never excelled in—entirely because of Elora.
Elora had cried to him about her brother's failures. Her parents wanted her brother to build a career, but Leopold had only been a lawyer back then.
No matter how skilled he was, even with his perfect record in court, he couldn't prop up a fledgling company—unless he returned to the Hearst family.
Olivia couldn't believe it. "You regret it?"
"Yes." Leopold lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling with vacant eyes, his voice hoarse. "I've regretted it for a long time."
Olivia bit down hard, cursing Lisbeth in her heart.
Silence spread through the air. No one noticed the figure that flashed past the doorway.
"Clean yourself up. I'll have the servants bring you something to sober up." Olivia took a deep breath, suppressing every emotion roiling inside her. Her voice turned cold. "Starting tomorrow, you pull yourself together. The Hearst Group can't function without you, and neither can the Hearst family."
"Regret or suffering—you have responsibilities you must bear. You don't have the right to regret, and you don't have the right to turn back."
Leopold closed his eyes.
No right to regret? But he simply couldn't force himself to continue this mistake.
Olivia turned and left the room.
She stood in the hallway for a while, watching the sky gradually darken outside the window. It felt like a shadow settling over her heart.
Her gaze sharpened. She pulled out her phone and dialed Elora's number.
"Mrs. Hearst." Elora's voice was soft.
"Lora, where are you right now?" Olivia's tone gentled. "Do you have time? Come to my house and keep me company."
Elora hesitated briefly on the other end. "Alright, I'll head over now."
Half an hour later, Elora arrived at the Hearst Villa carrying a fruit basket and health supplements.
She'd heard everything from outside the door earlier but didn't want to walk in at that moment—and certainly didn't want to shatter the paper-thin illusion they were all maintaining.
She'd rushed home, and after receiving the call, deliberately changed into an off-white dress layered with a light caramel cardigan. Her makeup was understated, and she wore no jewelry at all, projecting an image of gentle obedience.
This was Olivia's favorite look. She always said the Hearst family's daughter-in-law needed to embrace her role as the dutiful wife behind her man.
Elora privately scoffed at this.
But right now, she needed Olivia's support.
"Mrs. Hearst, I brought you some royal jelly. You can make it into a tonic—it's good for your health." Elora handed the items to a servant and sat down across from Olivia with a gracious smile.
The more Olivia looked at her, the more satisfied she felt.
Elora's family background might have its flaws, but she had an excellent education, a gentle temperament, and was obedient and sensible. Most importantly, she was devoted to Leopold.
"Lora, about you and Leopold... I'd like to have a proper talk with you." Olivia poured her a cup of tea, her tone warm.
Elora accepted the teacup, her fingers unconsciously tightening around it, though her face maintained its composed smile. "Of course."
"You and Leopold are engaged. By all rights, the wedding should've happened already." Olivia sighed. "But these past few months, Leopold keeps dragging his feet. I don't know why. Can you be honest with me... is there some problem between you two?"
Elora's heart clenched.
Of course, she couldn't mention her three-month agreement with Leopold, and she couldn't admit that Leopold's heart still belonged to Lisbeth. She had to play dumb.
She lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting shadows beneath them, her voice tinged with confusion. "Mrs. Hearst, I don't know either... Everything was fine between Leopold and me before. He suddenly changed recently, became so distant toward me. I don't know what I did wrong."
Seeing her like this, Olivia couldn't help but sigh. Though she was deeply dissatisfied with Bentley's actions, her opinion of Elora had always been positive. "Did Leopold bully you? Tell me. I'll handle it for you."
Elora shook her head, but tears she couldn't control began to fall. "No, Mrs. Hearst. Leopold's been good to me, really good. It's just... it's just that he..."
She trailed off, tears streaming harder now.
To Olivia, this looked like someone suffering tremendous injustice while still refusing to speak a single bad word about Leopold. Compared to Lisbeth, she was leagues better.
Olivia squeezed her hand with sympathy. "Don't cry. Take your time. Whatever you're upset about, I've got your back."
"Mrs. Hearst." Elora lifted her head, eyes brimming with tears. "A while ago, I saw Leopold go meet Ms. Whitaker... I don't know what they talked about, but after that meeting, Leopold's attitude toward me suddenly turned cold. I think... maybe he regrets it. Maybe he wants to break up with me."
Olivia's expression darkened instantly. Her voice turned ice-cold. "He went to see Lisbeth?"
Elora nodded, more tears spilling down. "I know I shouldn't be jealous. After all, Ms. Whitaker and Leopold used to be married, and they have Dennis together... but I... I can't help myself..."
She cried with genuine heartbreak, her shoulders trembling slightly. "Mrs. Hearst, I really don't know what to do anymore. I've tried talking to Leopold several times, but he always avoids the subject. Sometimes I think... if he really wants to leave me, I could let him go. All I want is for him to be happy. As long as he's content, whatever decision he makes, I'll support him."
Olivia's face turned ugly.
She knew it was Lisbeth causing trouble!
Jake had only told her that Leopold had recovered his memories, but judging by Elora's demeanor, she clearly had no idea about this development.