“About the case at the police station?” Summer did not look at him. She was struggling with the marrowbone in her bowl. “Someone was trying to screw Jessica over. They took her clothes and wanted to take her nude photos—”
“You know that I’m not asking about that,” Leonardo bluntly cut her off.
She suddenly lost her appetite. Wiping her hands as she got to her feet. “I’m done.” Why did he not ask before he stormed out of the room last night? And now he was questioning her?
Obviously, Leonardo had no intention of leaving her alone. He got up, strode, and caught up with Summer. Grasping her wrist in his hand, he drew her into his arms and clenched her jaw with the other. “Summer, look at me.”
Summer looked at him as told for a few seconds, then nodded. “Still as handsome as yesterday.” Her perfunctory tone of voice agitated him, and he clenched her jaw even tighter.
She frowned, and with a half-smile, she said, “You’re hurting me. As if spraining my ankle wasn’t enough. Now you’re going to break my wrist and displace my jaw?”
Leonardo’s face was scarily grim, but Summer did not appear to be scared even though her chin was being forced upward. She was proud like a queen. Not wanting to be outdone, she stared into his eyes. But soon, she flinched and looked away when his dark eyes showed her that he seemingly wanted to cannibalize her.
“Since you hate me, don’t pretend that you don’t care. It’s ugly.” Leonardo let go of her jaw. He moved his hand over to her hair, stroking her a few times. His face was cold and gloomy, but his actions were gentle.
His overpowering attitude and unfathomable look were irritating her. She became helpless in front of Leonardo, too hard to conceal herself.
“I’m not pretending. I’ve just gotten over it.” Summer was still looking the other way. “Rachel was your old friend, and I feel sorry for you because of the tragic accident. It was only natural that you took a liking to me when you saw that I looked like her.
“If I were you, I would also take a double look and interest in someone who looks like her. It’s that simple. I understand that.”
Indeed, it was just that simple. Since she looked like Rachel, it was only in his human nature that Leonardo treated her differently. By the same token, Leonardo treated her so well only because she looked like Rachel. She totally got it. But then, why was she still a bundle of nerves?
“Very well.”
Leonardo let go of her, taking half a step back as he looked down at her with a half-smile.
He had that unfathomable expression that no one could guess how he felt. He did so probably because he did not want to be understood, Summer thought. He knew everything about her, yet she knew nothing about him. He liked to be in control yet never revealed his real self. It was utterly an unfair struggle from the beginning. She was too naive.
This confrontation seemed to become a watershed in their relationship. For a long time after this, their relationship appeared cold and distant. They no longer slept together. They went to work in separate companies. Even when they had dinner together, there was not much to be said. Their relationship was nothing but strange bedfellows and a marriage of convenience.
But Douglas had to suffer collateral damage. In such a depressing atmosphere, he was starting to see his upcoming winter break turning into painful days. So he decided to find his real brother, Adams.
Summer remembered that Adams had wanted to ask her and Leonardo out for dinner. She did not know if he had called Leonardo because Leonardo had never talked about it. She guessed there would be none. Or was it that Leonardo had declined him?
Douglas had chosen Saturday to move. It so happened that Adams was free on this day, and he came to fetch Douglas personally. So he ran up to Adams as soon as he saw him coming.
After packing up for Douglas and coming downstairs, Summer saw Adams standing in the living room. A few weeks had passed since the party. She thought she would feel awkward if she saw him again. But it turned, she did not.
Adams gave her a gentle smile. His smile always had the magic effect of putting people at ease.
“I’ve packed more stuff for Douglas.” Adams might not have the attention to detail like she had.
Adams took the stuff from her. “Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it.” Summer turned to look at Douglas. “Remember to do your homework during the winter break. If you think like coming back, just call your cousin and ask him to collect you.” Year-end was a busy time for most companies, including Tip Top Entertainment. During this period, Leonardo would go out early and come home late. He even stayed back on Saturday.
The brat seemed to do it on purpose, Douglas carried his stuff and went out, leaving Adams and Summer alone in the living room. Adams’s smile had faded and was replaced by a more serious expression.
“I need to apologize for what I’ve done last time.”
Summer let out a casual smile. “You have apologized once, and I have accepted it.”
Adams smiled.
…
In the conference room of Tip Top Entertainment.
“These figures are all wrong!”
“I can’t believe that you have come up with this!”
“Don’t you all want a year-end bonus? Or are you all carried away because New Year is coming?”
The bunch of senior executives kept their heads low, everyone as quiet as a church mouse. They were living under pressure recently. Previously, the big boss was the bad cop who would stare them down with his powerful personal force field, and President Jones played the amiable good cop. But things had changed for the past few days. The rarely-seen big boss seemed to be staying in the office, monitoring them every day. And President Jones seemed to have a gentlemen’s agreement with the big boss, too; he was arriving early and leaving late. Never mind his workaholism, he was even starting to come down on them like a ton of bricks.
When Carl finished his angry lecture, he threw the files onto the conference table. “Redo everything! Everyone stay back until you all finish things!”
Leonardo, who rarely said anything just now, began to speak. “I need you all to come up with a workable solution on the project by tomorrow.”
After Leonardo and Carl left, all the senior executives got a face like a wet weekend.
“I think these two bosses have gone mad.”
“I don’t know about President gu. But I suspect that Big Boss must have had a fight with his wife!”
“How did you know that?”
“He is also a man after all. Do you remember when he left the meeting to answer a call last time? I bet my two cents it must be a woman…”