“No, Vincent loves me.” Pippa’s haunting cry turned to shrill all of a sudden as she vehemently seized Leila’s hand and started to bawl, “You know nothing about us, and you don’t know Vincent’s temperament well enough. He’s such a mild and gentle person, and it’s all because of Miyamoto that he has to give up on our relationship back then. The only reason that he has married you now is because you’re just a pawn to him since you’re Brian’s daughter! He won’t ever love you, so as long as you walk away from him, he will come right back to me.”
“You’re impossible, Pippa!” Leila sighed deeply as she felt sorry for Miyamoto, “My advice for you is to hurry up and go to Miyamoto while it’s still not too late, or you will lose the man whom loves you from the bottom of his heart as well!”
“Spare me!” Pippa shook her head violently while a look of despair had manifested on her delicate features as she mumbled, “It’s precisely because of my heedfulness and having Owen in the first place that I have married him, but look what have I gotten as a result? This time, I will never let Vincent go and give up on us anymore. Not a chance.”
Madness was displayed on Pippa’s agitated expression while her gaze on Leila exuded detestation, jealousy and agony all at once.
“Oh, please. Do you really think there is something between you two? Do you honestly think what exists between you and him is love? If he really loves you, why would he have gotten himself into a relationship with my sister at the outset? Aren’t you being overly confident in yourself, Pippa?” Leila was rendered speechless by the meek and gentle woman right before her eyes for the first time.
Leila’s biting questions had caused Pippa to burst into a flood of tears, and she was reduced to silence as her reddened eyes were filled with painful regrets while silent tears kept streaming down her cheeks. Despite being scathed by her cutting remarks, Pippa’s unwavering feelings for Vincent had not even dwindled for a slight bit.
“What’s going on?” Vincent was dumbfounded by the scene in front of him when he had finally pushed open the door and entered the room due to apprehension.
Leila shook her head as she replied, “Don’t ask me. She says she wants to get married to you, so take care of this mess yourself!”
She promptly walked out of the room after dropping her final words as she was afraid that she could not fight off her urge to beat Pippa up if she were to stay here any longer. Although she was always a mild-mannered and gentle lady, she had been driven up the wall at this moment, and her exasperation had compelled her to resolve this mess through the use of force as she wished she could slap some sense into Pippa.
“Vincent!” Pippa wiped away the tears on her face as soon as she had heard his familiar voice, and she swiftly got up on her feet and made a beeline for Vincent.
“Leila?” Vincent called out to her softly and quickly turned his body sideways to avoid catching Pippa whom was throwing herself at him, and he immediately walked up to Leila and said, “Let’s leave together!”
“Vincent!” Pippa was stunned on the spot while her extended arms were left hanging in the air, and her soft heart started to throb violently when she had set her sight on Vincent holding Leila in his embrace. Even Vincent was shunning her now!
Her son had discarded her! Vincent had also abandoned her! Even Miyamoto had decided to leave her too! All of them did not want her in their lives anymore!
“Why couldn’t we go back to the good old days, Vincent? We were happy back then, weren’t we?” Pippa shot her sorrowful gaze towards the apathetic Vincent as she caught up to him and grabbed his hand while muttering, “Remember how many people have said that we are such a great match for each other, Vincent!”
Vincent shot Leila an embarrassing look while Leila let out a huge sigh, “You two do indeed look like a well-matched couple, Mr. Vincent!”
“Are you jealous, Leila?” Vincent stared at Leila with an amusing look on his face as he added, “You can’t be serious.”
He withdrew his hand from Pippa’s grip on him in a cold and detached manner right after and uttered, “You’re just a sister to me, Pippa. You’ve always been my sister and always will be for the rest of my life!”
“Vincent!” Pippa stared at him in a wistful manner after hearing his rejection. Did he really not love her at all?
“Go back to Miyamoto, Pippa. He’s the one whom should be loved by you.” Vincent had abated his usual tenderness that he had always reserved specially for Pippa as his striking face assumed an expression as unsympathetic as remote while he grabbed Leila by her hand, “Let me tell you and my mother this, Leila is my wife in this lifetime, and this fact will never change no matter what happens.”
“Vincent –” Pippa’s ashen face was bathed in tears while her infatuated gaze was fixated on Vincent’s countenance that she had missed and longed for, and she slowly strengthened her feelings for him deep down in her heart as she resolved to never let him go no matter what.
When Miyamoto had finally returned out of worry and laid his eyes on the scene that had unfolded, a brief look of sorrow and agony flashed across his aloof expression when he had taken in Pippa’s blatant display of feelings for another man. He had decisively quitted the underworld for her, the woman whom he had loved for so many years, but why couldn’t she perceive his love for her and only had eyes for Vincent all this while…
Miyamoto suddenly felt like he could discern his old self whom had also grown to hate her because of his unrequited love for her when he had taken in Pippa’s bigotry at this moment. He let out a deep sigh and swallowed his pain, forcing a smile on his chiselled face soon after as he said to Vincent, “She needs two advanced practice nurses to look after her, and I’ve instructed them to come here!”
After finishing his sentence, he left the room in a determined manner again.
It seemed hard to get one’s head around something sometimes, but when it had come to the time where one had figured it all out, she would get to know that the hardest part was only the process of thinking things through, and relief would ensue after the process of thinking it over was completed.
Pippa stared at Miyamoto, who was walking away from her with her glassy eyes and reverted her gaze back to Vincent, and her drifting consciousness was soon gathered again with her intent gaze on him while fanatical obsession was aroused in her heart once again.
Vincent breathed out a deep sigh, and two advanced practice nurses had entered the room at that moment.
He stayed silent and walked out of the room while taking Leila by her hand, and he asked after he had caught up to Miyamoto, “Why do you even bothered to give her freedom if you can’t let her go?”
Miyamoto paused for silence before he opened his mouth, “I won’t cling onto her anymore when I’ve said that I will give her freedom as I too am tired and worn out! I’m just worried that she will take things to heart and head to her doom by taking her own life as she was diagnosed with depression!”
“She’s suffering from depression?!” Both Vincent and Leila were taken aback by this surprising piece of news.
“Yes! Even if I have to let go of her, I still don’t wish for her to die!” Miyamoto smiled faintly as he added, “I’ll leave Owen in your hands now!”
Leila sighed deeply when Miyamoto had taken his leave, “Miyamoto has really treated Pippa well, but it’s such a shame that she couldn’t appreciate him! Why does she suffer from depression though?”
Vincent cast his glance towards Leila and replied, “Once a perfectionist like her has realized that reality is nowhere as perfect as what she has envisioned, and when she couldn’t accept the chasm between her ideal state and reality, there would be deviation in her mental health which could cause her to be psychologically vulnerable. Pippa has always been living in her fantasies!”
“Do you feel sorry for her?” Leila turned around and shot a glance towards Vincent, “Are you guilty…”
Her remaining sentence had been abruptly broken off by him at that moment as she had to swallow them when he had kissed her while they were still waiting for the elevator!
His scorching masculinity had pervaded Leila’s every sense which had stunned her as she stood transfixed on the ground and let him steal a kiss from her lips.
Her remaining traces of anger towards Pippa had seemed to vanish the moment Vincent’s lips had touched her skin as his unexpectedly gentle kiss had fallen softly on her which had quelled her anger.
His kiss was truly a stark contrast with his fierce look, and all she could do was to stare at him with her eyes wide open as she was at a loss as to what to do while their breaths blew onto each other’s faces in proximity.
After a long while, he finally came back to his senses after someone had walked out from the elevator when the door had opened. He cleared his throat awkwardly and walked into the elevator while taking her by the hand, and when there was only the two of them left, he uttered again, “To be honest, I do feel sorry for her when I see her in that state!”
“Do you think you should be held accountable for her?” Leila had subconsciously softened her tone after his domineering kiss earlier which had also encompassed his promise to her, and her floating syllables had come to a surprise for her as well, “Do you think you have some inescapable responsibilities towards Pippa now that she has turned out like this?”
“Yeah.” He nodded his head and continued, “If we were not close to begin with, maybe it would not have come to this! My mother is also to blame for how Pippa has turned out. Both of us are to be held accountable!”
“Have you ever loved her?” Leila asked quietly.
Vincent’s expression went dark with some unfathomable emotions the moment he had heard her question, and even though it was hard to decipher his mood, his cold and menacing aura was immensely frigid to the extent that it could freeze everyone in his surroundings.
Leila was startled for a moment as she asked, “What’s with your expression?”
“Did you just ask whether I had loved her before?” Vincent raised his eyebrows and continued, “Do you really think I have the time to fall for and love so many women in this world?”
A dazzling smile bloomed on Leila’s initially worried face as soon as she had gotten his reply, and she said with vivacity, “So you’ve never loved her before!”
Vincent felt dejected by her reaction as this little liar had always misunderstood him. Did he seem like the kind of person whom had always offered his universal love to everyone? A smile had broken out on his face as well when he had perceived her face to brighten up with joy as relief crept up onto him. However, a wave of melancholy would still come over him whenever Pippa’s matters had crossed his mind.
Leila was blushed scarlet when she had discerned the captivating smile lingering on his lips, and she lowered her head at once to hide her shyness.
Owen and Charles had suddenly moved into the villa after that.
It had never occurred to Leila that Charles would move in as well, plus he was to live in as the assistant of Vincent’s mother. He had even announced that he would stay in F City for some time until Owen had got used to his life here, and only then would he leave their place.
Leila was still very much frightened of Charles due to the incident in the elevator.
“I’m afraid that Charles and Owen have to stay here with us for some time, Leila!” Vincent walked into the room and broke the news to her as she was the lady of the house after all.
Leila nodded and asked, “Does Charles really have to stay in our house, Mr. Vincent?”
“Why?” Vincent frowned in suspicion, “Do you dislike him staying here?”
“I know that he’s the man in the video, and he’s your mother’s assistant. Am I right?” Leila asked softly while she put on a resigned look on her face.
“You know that it’s him?” Vincent was slightly startled by her remarks, “That’s why you were asking him about the video in the hospital?”
Leila remained silent while her whitened face was veiled with solemnity, and it was obvious that she had kept her feelings bottled up.
“How about I let Charles stay at the sea-view room, Leila?” Vincent said huskily as he stared at her.
“It’s fine!” Leila shook her head and continued, “Just let him stay since he’s your guest, plus it wouldn’t look good if you were to drive him out!
Vincent did not utter anything else anymore, but his gaze had gradually darkened after knowing about her concern.
Vincent had gone to work to attend to some business afterwards, and Leila had to stay in due to the arrival of Owen and Charles. She had spent some time playing with Owen after they had settled in, and it seemed like the little kid was very fond of her, hence they had no problem getting along with each other.
Charles was watching the financial news on the TV in the living room when Leila had brought Owen back in after their playtime, and Charles swiftly turned around and cast her a glance.
A smile had crept across his face while he winked at her, and his actions had startled Leila which had caused her senses to be heightened as this man was too dangerous.
“Play with me, Charles!” Owen immediately threw himself at him.
“All you know is to have fun and play around, you little kiddo!” Charles reached out his hands and caressed Owen’s head as he asked, “What have you played with Leila?”
“Mm!” Owen gave it a thought and replied soon after, “We were playing soccer in the lawn just now!”
“Oh! Is that so?” Charles chucked lightly upon hearing the kid’s reply, and the smile that was worn on his face when he was speaking to Owen had made him looked less evil, and there was even some hints of innocence in his expression that did not seem feigned at all.
Charles abruptly turned his head around after discerning Leila’s wary gaze on him, and he stared at her coldly while a touch of mischief and playfulness had flashed across his eyes soon after. He proposed to Owen right away, “How about we ask Leila to play with us?”