There was a subtle change in Kate’s expression; she did not know about it. According to her plan with Amber, they would keep Leonardo in the dark and let him think that Amber was Rosie’s biological mother since he had forgotten what happened in the past. With her help, Amber did not have to target Rosie.
“Amber may have been careless, but you’ve brought Rosie back, haven’t you? She looks fine now…”
Amber was in the wrong. Kate knew that despite her efforts to put in some good words for Amber. When she saw Leonardo’s expression, however, she stopped talking.
Right then, her phone rang.
“Kate, has Rosie gone home? I brought her out today, but she wandered away from me. I haven’t found her yet…” Amber sobbed uncontrollably before she could finish her sentence.
Kate glanced at Leonardo, then said, “She’s home.”
“Really? I’ll go over now!” There was an undisguised surprise in Amber’s voice.
Kate hung up, thought for a moment, and then said to Leonardo, “Please talk to Amber nicely when she comes over. She’s Rosie’s mother, after all. I’m sure she feels bad too…”
Leonardo said nothing, just glancing at her impassively.
Amber arrived quickly. She looked a sight with her hair and clothes soaked in rainwater. Her makeup had melted, and her face was pale. Kate took pity on Amber, who had been her best friend for years, so she instructed a maid, “Go get Amber some hot tea and a towel.”
“No need.” Amber shook her head helplessly. Her eyes brightened up, and she walked toward Leonardo when she saw him. Just as she reached out to touch his hand, he evaded her by taking half a step back.
“Leonardo, has Rosie been found? It’s my bad. I was too careless…” While she spoke, her eyes welled up again, but she fought back her tears. She looked like she was beside herself with sadness.
Yet, Leonardo just stared coldly at her with his penetrating eyes. Amber felt that Leonardo had seen right through her. She blinked and let her tears roll down her cheeks.
“Leonardo, where’s Rosie now? I want to see her.”
“Do you deserve her?” Leonardo appeared even frostier.
Amber’s expression evaporated. “Leonardo, you… you’re not going to forgive me?”
Leonardo suddenly raised his hand and motioned the bodyguard behind him. A moment later, the bodyguard came up with a check and a pen. Leonardo took them and wrote a figure on the check before he threw it at Amber.
“Rosie will have nothing to do with you from now on. Please don’t come to the Emerson family again.”
The check was thrown onto Amber’s body, and it dropped to the floor. Amber gawked at the check in disbelief. She could not believe that Leonardo could be so heartless. No, it was worse than that. He was humiliating her. She had been trying her utmost best to marry Leonardo. She was not after his money; she had money.
Kate went through the roof when she saw what Leonardo did. Pointing at him, she demanded, “Leonardo! How could you treat Amber like that? I want you to apologize to her!”
Leonardo was not someone who could be ordered around. He would even defy Grandpa Emerson, let alone Kate. Ignoring Kate, he turned and entered the dining room.
The maids had no control over Rosie and indulged her, letting her have as much ice cream as she wanted. When Leonardo came in and saw a group of maids surrounding Rosie, trying to coax her and take the ice cream from her, he approached them. “Rosie.”
Rosie was enjoying her ice cream when she heard his voice. She jerked her hand and quickly hid the ice cream box, which was almost empty now, behind her. At the same time, she looked up with an ingratiating smile. “Daddy!”
Leonardo stood in front of her and looked down with his arms crossed.
Rosie pursed her lips, her big eyes fixed on him with an innocent look on her face. However, she quickly surrendered. Rosie took the ice cream box out from behind her and handed it to Leonardo.
“How much did I say you could have?” Leonardo did not take it.
“Half a box…” Rosie answered softly.
“Then how much did you have?”
“I ate… this much.” Rosie tiptoed and raised the ice cream box in her hand, looking scared.
“No more ice cream for you next week.” Leonardo took the ice cream box from her and put it aside, then carried her up in his arms. “It’s time to sleep.”
The Emersons’ old residence was vast, with ingenious design. The dining and living rooms were not connected, so Leonardo could avoid Amber and bring Rosie back to her room. After he coaxed Rosie to bed, he came out of the room and returned to the living room. Kate was still there, but Amber was gone.
“I’ve asked the driver to send Amber home.” Kate stood up as Leonardo came downstairs.
Without even looking at Kate, Leonardo instructed a maid, “Cook me a bowl of noodles and send it up to my reading room.” He then turned around and was about to go back upstairs.
Kate suppressed her anger although she had been brushed off. “Leonardo, I hope you can talk with Amber nicely when you have time.”
“Have you had your dinner?” Leonardo turned to look at her but ignored what she said.
“I had it earlier.” She did not know why he asked her that question all of a sudden.
Leonardo smirked. “I haven’t.”
“Didn’t you just ask the maid to cook you noodles?” Kate’s voice softened involuntarily.
“You and I are twins; we’re family by blood. When I came out of my coma three years ago, I trusted you. When you told me that Amber was my girlfriend, I believed you. When you said me and Carl from Tip Top were not close friends, I believed you too.”
His voice was calm without a hint of reproach or displeasure, but Kate’s expression collapsed with every word he said. After a while of silence, Leonardo looked at her with a faint smile.
“My trusted sister didn’t even care if I had my dinner. Instead, you cared more about the feelings of an outsider. How altruistic.”
“Leonardo, you…” Kate tried to calm down. “Amber and I have been best friends for many years. You know that. I was just…”