Summer and Douglas had bought a trolley load of stuff in the hypermarket. Half of the things were snacks for Douglas. Winter break was just around the corner. As he said, he needed to enjoy himself.
At the cashier counter, just when Summer took out her wallet, Douglas stopped her. “Men should pay for women.”
When he lived on her in her rented house, he must have forgotten that he was a man. But Douglas got his money by freelancing, doing homework for others, and from gaming.
They were hard work nevertheless. Summer could not bring herself to let him pay, but she could not talk him out of it. What was more, despite his skinny build, he was strong as an ox, blocking Summer from the counter while he paid the cashier.
Summer gave up. It was only a few hundred bucks after all, and she could buy him something else later to make up for that.
…
In the evening, Summer brought the dishes to the dining table as Leonardo came into the dining hall, looking not too happy.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“His dad is throwing a party at the Golden Cauldron tomorrow night, asking him to bring you along,” Douglas came out of nowhere and answered the question.
She shot Douglas a doubtful look, then turned to Leonardo. “What party?”
Leonardo sat down at the table, saying nothing.
“You don’t feel like going?”
His expression said it all. Douglas whispered into her ear, “He just doesn’t want to see his dad.”
Leonardo was at odds with his father, Michael. And the only reason Summer could think of was over Leonardo’s mom. But that was all she knew, nothing detailed.
Back in his room, Leonardo was still stone-faced. Summer went up to him, helping him untie his tie. “If you don’t feel like going, he’s not going to force you.”
He stooped slightly so that Summer could get a better reach. As she was doing it, he wrapped his arms around her waist greedily.
Summer shot him a glare. “Hands off me!”
Ignoring her, he slid his hands up her back. “Since you’re already taking off my tie, why not undress me, too?”
“Go to hell!” Summer pushed him away a little.
“If not, let me undress you.” His fingers are now moving from the back of her neck to the front.
The room was warm as the heater was working overtime. Summer had taken off her outer garment the moment she came in, leaving only a blouse on her. His fingers slipped down her collar and expertly unbuttoned her blouse. Summer started to think that this man could not be any more shameless when behind closed doors.
…
On Saturday evening, Summer sat on the couch in the living room. Standing before her was a makeup artist, a stylist, and a fashion artist with a rack of evening dresses behind them.
“Who asks you all to send this?” Summer asked.
“It’s the young master, Mr. Emerson.”
She knew it was Leonardo; no one would send this stuff over there other than him. But she just could not help but feel annoyed. She had asked Leonardo whether he wanted to attend the party, and he did not answer. She thought he did not want to go, and so she did not give it a second thought. Now what? By sending over all these personnel and stuff, was he not preparing for the party? No, she was not ready for this.
“Mrs. Emerson, we’re running out of time. Do you want to try the dresses?” the stylist asked.
“Please wait for a while. There’s no hurry.”
Summer picked up her mobile phone, going to call Leonardo. Just then, he called. She pressed the Answer button, but neither of them said anything. After a while of silence, Leonardo asked, “Have you tried the evening gowns?”
“No.” With her mobile phone in one hand, she picked her nails with the other as she told him she could not care less.
Leonardo got the message and was not too happy about it. He seemed to snicker when he said, “I beg you this time, go to the party. I will grant you a wish.”
“Really?” She stopped picking her nails.
“Mm,” he replied.
“We are not going to sleep together!” Summer sat upright, her lips curling up.
“No way.”
Leaning back on the couch, she knew this man would not agree to it. “Fine. Then I’m not going to the party!” She had mood swings, too. Even if it was a last-minute decision, he should have informed her right away, not deciding for her by sending a team of stylists here without even consulting her. Who gave him the right to do this? Why did he always order her about?
There was nothing wrong about self-confidence, but not overbearing. Summer and Karen were different. Summer could not bring herself to live like Karen, who had her life arranged by Lynn without complaint—in fact, she was enjoying it.
Summer hung up, looking up at the personal stylists. “Leave now. I don’t need all of this.”
…
Leonardo looked at the mobile phone in his hand, bewildered. Did she just hang up on him? He had anticipated her displeasure earlier on when he made the last-minute decision to go to the party, but he never thought she would be so adamant about it.
The party started at eight, and it was six right now. It was only two hours away. He must not mess around. Grabbing his jacket, Leonardo got to his feet and headed toward the door. Just then, Carl walked in with a stack of files in his hands. Seeing Leonardo leaving, he stopped him.
“Where are you going? We haven’t finished sorting things out yet!” Who fancied working overtime on Saturday? If not because things were urgent, he could not have come at all.
“Not much left. You can handle it.” Leonardo patted him on the shoulder, his voice sounding as if he was serious. “If you hurry up, you might go home before twelve.”
Did he mean working overtime on Saturday until midnight was normal? Carl was almost tearful. “Now, whose company is this?”
Leonardo stopped at the doorway, looking back at him. “Yours.”
It was making his hackles rise with words choked in his throat. Instead of throwing the files to the floor, Carl cast them on the desk, pointing at Leonardo. “I’ve never seen a person as barefaced as you in my entire life!”
“I will take that as a compliment.”
With the corner of his mouth curling up, Carl looked up the browser on his mobile phone and typed in the search box: How to castrate a man with extraordinary intelligence and cautiousness?