Summer did not have any feeling toward Jerome now, even though she knew he was sincere. So she waited for him to finish before she spoke.
“Just be yourself. As for me, I’m happy with Leonardo.”
“Are you sure you can spend the rest of your life with him?” Jerome had been doubting the relationship between her and Leonardo.
Summer thought for a moment, then replied matter-of-factly, “There’s never a fleeting second where I think of being together with anyone else except Leonardo.”
This was her most unpretentious thinking. She could not imagine herself living with another man. So she would persevere even if it was difficult.
“I got it.” Jerome let out a self-deprecating smile.
After that, they tried to think of something to say without paying much heed to what they were saying, mostly catching up with old times. But it was mostly Jerome who talked while Summer listened.
After the meal and as they came out of the private dining room and just about to leave, they bumped into Adams and Vicky at the restaurant entrance.
Vicky still brooded over Summer’s rejection of her. So she made sure she seized every chance she could get to dig at Summer. Her eyes darted between Summer and Jerome, then she raised her voice. “After failing to seduce Leonardo, now you are messing with Jerome again?”
After getting the DNA report and now saw Adams, Summer could not help keeping her eyes on him.
Seeing that, Vicky came up and stood in front of Adams. “What are you staring at, you greedy pig? How shameless are you?!”
Adams did not mind at all. He said hi to Summer.
“Mr. Wilson.” Summer acknowledged it indifferently.
Meanwhile, Jerome was studying Adams. The difference in work and social circle meant that Jerome and Adams rarely had the opportunity to meet. Obtaining the DNA report was pure coincidence. So he was curious about Adams, who was the illegitimate child of Michael. But was it that simple?
“Adams!” Vicky was not too happy about Adams talking to Summer.
Adams looked down at Vicky, his eyes full of gentleness. “Summer is still your younger sister no matter what. You might not be able to work with her in The Lost City, but there is always next time, don’t you think?”
Vicky became as meek as a lamb upon hearing Adams’s words. Summer squinted as she finally realized that it was because of Adams what Vicky had gone to The Lost City’s audition. Having acted in many thriller films in the past, Adams knew a thing or two about script selection. But it was hard to tell whether it was because he liked this script or because he just wanted Vicky looking for trouble with Summer. Summer knew bad Adams could be.
Not wanting to talk to them any further, she whispered to Jerome, “Let’s go,” and off they left.
Summer did not go home but drove straight to Leonardo’s place. She had the key to his apartment.
She opened the door. Inside was pitch-dark. Leonardo had not come home. She turned on the light and checked every room. Dust on the countertop in the kitchen told her that Leonardo had never cooked—more so because he did not know how.
Aside from a few bottles of water and beer, there was nothing else in the fridge. It did not look like someone was living here.
Summer waited. By 11. 00 pm, Leonardo had not come home. So she took a shower, turned off the light, and hit the sack.
Leonardo arrived home after 1. 00 am. Stepping into the house and turning on the light, he saw a pair of ladies’ shoes on the floor beside the door. Who else if not Summer could enter his house?
The corners of his lips curled up in a smile, and the tiredness on his face vanished. He threw the jacket on his arm to one side and undid his tie as he walked into the bedroom.
The light in the bedroom was not switched on, but Leonardo had memorized the room layout like the back of his hand. He carefully made his way to the bedside and turned on the bedside lamp.
Summer wrapped herself in the duvet and slept on her side in his bed with her black long hair spreading on the pillow.
Coming home from work and seeing Summer sleeping in his bed was a scene that only appeared in his dreams.
He swallowed as he got closer, reaching his hand to draw her hair away from her face, and then gently kissed her.
Since returning to Hoover City, Summer had been having shallow sleep. His kiss woke her even though he had done it gingerly. She opened her eyes, turning her head over, and she saw Leonardo.
“You’re back.” Her voice was husky with a hint of childishness.
Leonardo sat down on the edge of the bed and caressed her face. “Yeah, you waited for me?”
She nodded, reaching to grab her watch on the bedside table. Leonardo knew what she wanted and caught her hand. “It’s almost two.”
“Are you working overtime recently?” While speaking, she sat up on the bed.
He held her shoulders to help her up. “No,” he replied.
Summer knew he was lying; he denied it so categorically. She looked at him with her head tilted; she would not be fooled.
“I don’t believe you. I’ll ask Tim.”
“Things will return to normal after this period.” Leonardo smiled. She looked so beautiful under the soft light. He could not help but lean forward to kiss her. It was just a peck on her lips, and he pulled away.
“You sleep first. I’m going to take a shower.”
“I’ll wait. I’ve got something to talk to you about.” The thought of the DNA report still bothered her. She wanted to tell Leonardo about it as soon as possible.
He was transfixed for a second before nodding his head.
She had brought the DNA report that Jerome had given her. She had kept it in the drawer of the bedside cabinet. When Leonardo reemerged from the bathroom, she handed the DNA report to him.
“What is this?”
Leonardo took it in his hand; his brow creased in just a glance. He sat down on the edge of the bed and started to read. Summer flipped the report to the last page. But he seemed to know what it was all about. After a long while, he looked up at her.
“Who gave you this?”
His voice was solemn. As if he knew who the parties were in the DNA report.
“Jerome gave it to me,” she told him frankly.
He squinted, and his voice turned low. “You went to see him again?”