Summer’s eyes were wide open. “Ad-”
Before she could continue, the masked man squinted and cut her off just at the right time, “Shouldn’t I be the one asking why you’re here?”
He had a pleasing voice, which was mixed with the right amount of sternness.
For a moment, Summer nearly thought that the man was her actual cousin. Her voice was a little puzzled when she said, “I’m planning to go home.”
“I’ll send you.” After he said that, the mask-wearing man got a hold of her hand and walked her out of the store.
The male colleague who came with Summer was not about to give up just yet. He stood in her way. “We have a job to do. Are you just going to leave like that?”
Summer smiled at him. “My cousin just got back from abroad. I need to take some time off to catch up with him. Could you please inform the office on my behalf?”
When the man still refused to let her go, the masked man took out his phone and said, “Do you want me to call the cops?”
The man finally gave way.
Summer followed the masked man into his car, then hesitated. She finally plucked up the courage and asked, “Are you Adams?”
The man took off his mask and smiled at her. “Am I that recognizable?”
“No, no… I’m just…” Summer shook her head from side to side, appearing a little excited. She could not bring herself to tell him that she had been his number one great fan for eight years. Her face was now smitten. She had watched all of his drama series and knew the expressions in his eyes like the back of her hand.
Seeing her smitten face, Adams nodded, his voice gentle. “I know.”
He looked straight ahead as he drove. “Where do you want to go?”
“Just somewhere with a crowd. I’ll take a cab home.” Summer never thought she would see Adams one day, and she was now nearly on cloud nine. However, her fondness for him was only limited to his drama series. Now that he had done her a big favor, she did not want to cause him more trouble in the name of being his fan.
When they arrived at a place with a huge crowd, Summer asked before she alighted, “Would you accept roles in new scripts?”
“If there are good ones, I will continue to act until I grow old and can’t do it anymore,” Adams said without thinking.
Summer’s eyes brightened up, and she nodded her head. “I will be your audience as long as you remain that good.”
Adams laughed. It seemed that she really liked his acting and was his loyal audience member.
“Thank you for today,” said Summer.
“It was nothing, but as a girl, you’ve got to be careful out there,” Adams said with a frown when what happened earlier came to mind.
“I will.” Summer smiled at him again before she turned and left.
Looking on as she walked away, Adams suddenly came to his senses and called out, “What’s your name?”
“Summer.” She looked up with surprise.
“Summer…” Adams mumbled her name in his mouth, his brows knitted together. If he was not mistaken, Leonardo’s new wife was Summer.
…
As soon as Leonardo entered the Golden Cauldron, he saw Tim there, whom he had sent abroad earlier and was now back. Tim came up to him and greeted him.
Leonardo raised his hand to check his watch. “Has my cousin arrived?”
“He just arrived,” Tim answered.
Leonardo headed straight to the private room.
The moment Leonardo opened the door and walked in, Adams looked up, a big gentle smile spreading across his face. It made him look even milder. “Leonardo,” he greeted.
Leonardo went up to him and sat across, putting the menu before him. “Haven’t you ordered yet?”
Adams was the son of Leonardo’s aunt and Tip Top Entertainment’s top actor.
“There’s no hurry.” Adams did not bother to look at the menu. Instead, he was more interested in something else. “How’s your marriage life with your wife?”
“It’s fine.” With brows knitted together, Leonardo did not want to talk about it.
Adams held a water glass in his hand and casually asked, “Is she clingy?”
Leonardo had no idea if she was clingy-she had never been that way with him. Adams was known to be slothful, but he was asking too many questions today. Leonardo leaned back and looked at Adams with his probing eyes. “That’s what you came back for? You’re worried about my married life?”
Adams realized that he had asked too many questions. He smiled and started to change the subject. “My mom said if I still failed to find myself a girlfriend, she wanted me to go on a blind date TV show.”
Leonardo became curious, thinking of what would come out of that. “The company isn’t going to allow you to appear on a blind date reality show. But as your boss, I can arrange a private blind date for you.”
Adams cleared his throat and said, “Then I would lose my fans.”
“You think you’re an idol?”
Adams replied with a shrug as if becoming a best-actor winner at twenty-eight was his fault.
…
When Leonardo returned home from work, he found that Summer was at home. Not only was she at home, but she had also prepared dinner for the night. On normal days, Summer would arrive home just as late as him. But today, she was early.
He went to the kitchen entrance and saw Summer emerging with a large bowl of steamy hot soup. She was wearing a pair of heat-resistant kitchen gloves, and she frowned when she saw him. “Douglas, get out of the way.”
Leonardo did not give way. Instead, he took the jacket hanging from his hand, placed it on her arm, then took the hot bowl from her.
“Be careful, that thing is hot!” Summer warned.
Leonardo held the bowl in his hands and placed it on the dining table without drama.
This guy must be made of steel.
As they sat down and tucked in, Leonardo casually asked, “Why are you early today?”
Summer poured herself a small bowl of soup and tilted her head to look at him. “Do I have to report to you?”
“What a sharp tongue!” Leonardo was half angry, half smiling. Stuck in the identity of Douglas, he could do nothing to her.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Summer was starting to believe that her conclusion about him was right; as long as she did not let herself look like an easy target, there was nothing that “Douglas” could do to her.
Leonardo squinted, staring at Summer. He was cocky and domineering. Even his eyes had an unusual kind of aura. His stares unsettled Summer. Just as she was about to say something, Leonardo spoke, “Summer, I am Leonardo.”
Summer sat there, riveted, and there was silence in the dining hall. Sitting face to face, their faces were equally grim.
Summer clenched the chopsticks in her hands tighter, and her voice was hoarse. “Is this a joke?”