Summer pushed him away. “No, I want to go.” She knew it. Leonardo would not allow her to go on the trip.
He did not say a word and just looked at her with his deep-set eyes. They had no particular emotion inside, but somehow, Summer felt that they looked bitter.
“It will just be a week…” Summer pouted, thinking she could have misread the expression in his eyes. Leonardo was not that clingy, and she would be away for only a week.
“Mm.” He held her hand. “Let’s go to have dinner.”
…
Back to the bedroom at night, Leonardo threw her on the bed. “You have two choices; either you fulfill the quota for the entire week tonight, or compensate me once you are back.”
Summer was struck dumb. She would choose neither. Letting out a hiss, she propped herself up with her hands, wanting to go into the bathroom. It was an unequal and unreasonable demand, and she would not agree to it. Yet, she still ended up making out with him in the bathroom. Back in bed, they went at it another time before he let her off.
The next morning, she was awakened by Leonardo. “It’s time to wake up.”
She opened her eyes, and saw Leonardo smartly dressed, a direct opposite of the greedy and wild man in the bathroom last night. She was awake but still groggy, her voice sounding a little husky.
“What time is it?”
“Six.” He had brushed his teeth and everything, so his voice was normal.
Half an hour for cleaning up and breakfast, and about an hour ride to the airport; he had timed it perfectly. She closed her eyes. Calculating the time in her muddled mind, she was about to fall back into sleep.
“If you don’t feel like waking up, then you can sleep,” said Leonardo into her ear, adding fuel to the flames.
She immediately opened her eyes, fully awake. He tortured her last night and now dragged her out of bed this early; obviously, he had planned this; he did not want her to go on the trip. How sinister!
Summer bounced up, sitting on the bed, mumbling, “Sinister!
He said nothing, just looking at her.
…
Leonardo drove her to the airport. There, they met up with Alexander, who was seeing Leonardo for the second time since he was back.
“You could have just let the chauffeur send her. Anyway, thank you,” Alexander said.
Leonardo glanced at Summer and said, “I’m free after all.”
She looked calm on the surface, but deep inside, she was giving him a mental kicking. He was obviously busy as a beaver recently but still pretending to be as free as a bird.
Alexander nodded to him, as if not intending to speak any further.
Leonardo suddenly said, “I’m counting on you to take care of my wife in C City, Mr. Jarrett.”
He always appeared cold and impassive in front of people, but he could not hide the intimidation in his voice. Even Summer could sense it, let alone Alexander.
Alexander’s expression stiffened. But he regained his composure quickly. “Summer is my granddaughter. It’s my duty to do so.”
Leonardo just curled his lips with no smile on his face.
Alexander turned to face Summer. “It’s time to check in.”
Summer pushed her luggage and moved forward, looking back at Leonardo and miming a telephone sign with her hand, telling him she would call him once she got to C City.
Wearing an expensive custom-made suit, Leonardo stood tall among the crowd like a lighthouse; he looked the most eye-catching yet lonely and proud figure in the airport. Summer looked back at him several times before she headed to the security check.
Only then she realized how dark Alexander’s face was. He must have felt insulted because of Leonardo’s intimidation. Despite what Leonardo had said, she had a sense of propriety to carry the luggage for Alexander. With no assistant or secretary, Summer had no choice but to do these menial things.
Seeing Summer taking over his luggage, Alexander looked over at her, and she returned a smile. Never spending time alone with Alexander before, Summer felt a little awkward. Fortunately, Alexander did not talk to her. They did not even talk on the plane as they were just taking some shut-eye.
…
Two hours later, the plane landed at C City International Airport. The hotel had sent transport to pick them up.
Summer switched on her mobile phone, and immediately there were two missed calls from Leonardo. She replied with a text message.
“Just landed.”
Two seconds later, he replied.
“Mm.”
As she put down her mobile phone, Alexander said, “There will be a business dinner this evening. Until then, we are free.” He leaned back to get some shut-eye again as soon as he got into the car. His eyes remained closed even when he was talking.
Arriving at the hotel, Summer’s first task was to take a shower. After that, she dropped in bed and slept like a dog. When she finally woke up, it was late afternoon. She dialed the hotel intercom to order room service, then checked her mobile phone. There was an unread message from Leonardo.
“Send me the hotel’s address.”
When Summer imagined Leonardo was sitting behind the desk in his office, typing messages to send to her with his brows knitted together, she could not hold back her laughter. She felt like a daughter leaving home for work, and Leonardo was her old-aged father worrying about her. She found the analogy funny, but she still told him the hotel’s address.
…
Summer accompanied Alexander to the business dinner in the evening. Almost every single person coming to the dinner was an old man, who seemed to have not had a bad relationship with Alexander.
It took Summer a few days to realize it. The trip was not for business but Alexander catching up with his old buddies. The reason for bringing her instead of Vicky along was an obvious one. Vicky was too proud and presumptuous. Alexander must have thought that bringing her along might do more harm than good.
“This is my granddaughter,” Alexander introduced.
“I have a grandson, too. Should we get them together?” someone joked.
“That would be impossible. She is married.” Alexander shook his head.
“Who’s the lucky man who has married your lovely granddaughter?”
“He is from the Emerson family.”
Now everyone knew that Summer was married into the Emerson family. Summer was a little uncomfortable with this. Alexander did not come only to catch up with his old friends, he was using her to prop up his stature. He knew that he had been absent from their presence for so many years; it was only natural for their relationship to have become less cordial over time. But if he could show that he had a granddaughter who had married into the Emerson family, these people would at least show him some respect.