Summer bit her lip, then continued, “I even think the Rosie’s switch and abduction has something to do with what they’re trying to hide!”
This time, all she got was a long moment of silence on the other end.
She waited and still received no response from him, so she spoke. “Leonardo, what’s wrong?”
“I know, but do you remember what I told you last night? Stay out of this.” After he finished, he hung up straight away.
Summer stared at the screen of her mobile phone, which had returned to the contact screen, and spaced out. Why did Leonardo hang up on her? He used to let her hang up first after each call in the past.
…
After ending the call, Leonardo clutched his mobile phone in his hand with force, his knuckles turning pale.
When Tim came in with a stack of documents and saw Leonardo standing by the vast window, he put the documents on the desk, then greeted him.
“Do you have cigarettes?”
Leonardo was not looking at him, but he was talking to him. After all, there were only two of them in the room. Tim did not smoke but always carried a pack of tobacco with him.
Taking out the pack of cigarettes, he handed one stick to Leonardo.
Leonardo did not take it. Instead, he grabbed the entire pack while he took the lighter from Tim’s other hand. Leonardo looked down, fished out a stick of cigarette from the box, and put it in his mouth.
“Leave me alone,” he muttered.
Tim hesitated for a while, then gave Leonardo a reminder, “There will be a meeting in ten minutes.”
Leonardo did not respond, but Tim knew Leonardo had heard it. His duty was to stick around till the end, but he would not interfere in things beyond his scope of work, so Tim left.
Still standing in front of the vast window, Leonardo lighted up. As he finished, he lit up another, and this went on and on.
Ten minutes later, Tim came in to remind him about the meeting again. Choked by the smoke in the room, Tim coughed involuntarily as he walked over to Leonardo by the window and respectfully said, “Young Master, it is time.”
Tim saw, from the corner of his eye, the stubs and the empty cigarette pack that were strewn across the floor in front of Leonardo’s feet. Why did Leonardo smoke like there was no tomorrow? He was not known to be a chain smoker. Could it be that he had a fight with his wife again? It must have been a nasty fight judging from how many cigarettes he had smoked.
While Tim was still in thought, Leonardo had turned around and strode out the door. He swiftly picked up whatever documents he needed for the meeting and followed Leonardo into the conference room.
All the company top executives were present.
“Mr. President, this is our revised proposal. Please have a look.”
Leonardo took the file in his hand. After taking a glimpse, he leaned back on the chair and did not say a word. No one could read what was on his mind.
The top executive who handed Leonardo the file thought that Leonardo was not happy with the proposal. His face turned pale instantly while the rest looked at each other and dared not make a sound.
Tim took a glance at Leonardo and knew that Leonardo was not angry with the proposal, but there was something else on his mind. The conference room fell into a dead silence; no one dared to utter a word.
After a long while, Leonardo finally looked up. “If all of you have nothing to say, the meeting is dismissed.”
He then got to his feet and left. The rest of the people started to mutter to each other in the conference room. Right when Tim was about to follow Leonardo out of the room, one top executive called out to him, “Tim, is Mr. President happy or unhappy with the new proposal?”
The corner of Tim’s lips twitched. How on earth would he know? He was now a dab hand at handling such a situation. “I’m not so sure. Why don’t I take it to Mr. President so that he can have another look?”
“Thank you very much, Tim.” The top exec was all smiles.
“I’m just doing my job.” Tim took the file and left.
When he got to the office, he saw Leonardo sitting behind the desk, face solemn with his mobile phone in his hand. Tim had guessed that something was bothering Leonardo, so he just put down the file and left.
On his way out, Tim mumbled in his mind, “The young master and Mrs. Emerson must have had a nasty fight this time.”
Leonardo was staring at the screen of his mobile phone, not doing anything, and just feeling unsettled. After a long while, he suddenly got to his feet, took his jacket, and headed out.
At this time, Tim had made him coffee and wanted to send it to the president’s office. When he saw Leonardo come out, he quickly asked, “Young Master, where are you going?”
“You don’t have to follow me,” Leonardo said without looking back.
…
Leonardo drove straight to the old residence. In the midmorning of a working day, most people were not home.
“Young Master, you are back.”
“Good morning, Young Master.”
The maids greeted him as he entered and went straight to Violet’s bedroom. He came before the door and pushed it open.
Violet turned her head, and surprise flashed across her face when she saw Leonardo. “Leonardo, why are you here?”
“I have something to ask you.” He stood at the doorway but did not enter, his expression sinister.
Violet seemed to be afraid of him, her expression appearing a little unnatural. “Come in, and we’ll talk.”
Leonardo still did not go in. He just stood in the doorway with a grave expression. “Who is Adams’s biological mother?”
There were no changes in Violet’s expression as she shook her head. “I’m not sure.”
“Are you really not sure?” Leonardo went in, eyes locked on her. Violet started to feel the pressure and took two steps back involuntarily. “I really am not sure.” Her voice sounded calm at least.
Leonardo stared at her for a few seconds, then his lips curled up as he reached out to hold Violet’s shoulders and gently said, “Auntie, why are you so afraid of me? I’m just curious and asking. After all, Adams and I have been cousins for nearly thirty years…”
Violet seemed to be very surprised by how quickly Leonardo changed his face. “I know this might not be easy for you and Adams to accept…”
“What could we do even if we couldn’t accept it? We’re family, after all.” Leonardo pulled his hands back and tucked them into the pockets of his dress pants, distantness returning to his voice. “Auntie, you should visit Emerson Corporation if you have the time. You haven’t been there for many years.”
“Okay.” Surprise flashed in Violet’s eyes again.
“I still have things to do, so I have to go.” While Leonardo spoke, he turned around and headed out.
“Let me walk you out,” Violet said gently as she walked him to the main door of the residence.
When Leonardo got into his car, he opened his hand, and there it was, a long strand of the woman’s hair in his palm. He had picked it up from Violet’s shoulders when he placed his hand on them earlier.