Leonardo’s voice seemed to reek of triumphalism upon careful listening.
Carl felt like he did not know Leonardo well enough in the past. He never thought that beneath Leonardo’s haughty and impassive face lay a showboating soul.
For the sake of friendship, Carl found it necessary to give Leonardo a reminder.
“Leonardo, do you know a popular saying online?”
“No.” Leonardo was evidently not interested in what he was about to say.
Carl could not have cared less if Leonardo poured cold water on him. He was determined to continue. “It’s fun to play hard-to-get until the role is reversed.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
His voice was threatening and cold, but Carl knew what answer to give even if he was an idiot.
“It has nothing to do with you?” It would be the opposite.
Leonardo hissed, but Carl did not forget why he called. “I will send you Sum… Miss Jarrett’s address. Come join us tonight.”
“I’m not going,” Leonardo rejected him categorically.
Disregarding what Leonardo said, Carl still sent Summer’s address to Leonardo after he hung up.
If Leonardo regained his memory someday, he would have no excuse to blame him for not helping him. At this point, that was all he could do.
Nevertheless, Carl found pleasure in thinking about how regretful Leonardo would be when he recovered his memories.
He was looking forward to it.
…
Summer called Leonardo twice, but he did not answer.
She initially thought that he was probably in a meeting.
However, when Leonardo’s bad attitude toward her recently occurred to her, she started to suspect that he might be avoiding her.
So, she called Carl, asking him to call Leonardo to sound him out.
Since Carl did not call back after a long time, she guessed that Leonardo may have answered Carl’s call and they were now talking over the phone.
She had mentally prepared for this but still felt depressed thinking of it. Leonardo did not want to take her call, and he did it on purpose.
Summer leaned back and sank into the couch.
She had been exhausted for the past few days. It was not that she did not want to call Leonardo.
It was all because he had uttered, “Dream on,” which hurt her dearly.
“Mommy!”
Rosie scurried out of the bedroom with a soft, pink bunny toy in her hands. She approached the couch, leaned her head on the edge of the couch, and looked at Summer. “Bunny!”
“Do you like it?” Summer asked.
She bought it for Rosie when she went out shopping yesterday.
“Mmm.” Rosie nodded.
Summer then reached to pat Rosie on the head.
That instant, Carl called.
She sprung up and sat straight on the couch. “How did it go?”
“Leonardo answered my call, but he…”
Summer guessed the outcome when Carl hesitated.
“He’s not coming, is he?”
“Yeah…”
“I know. Thank you so much. Please come over tonight for dinner. I’ve invited Jessica too.”
“I will.” As long as Jessica was there, he would be present no matter what—even if it was a trap.
Summer casually chatted with Carl for a while before she hung up.
Rosie seemed to sense that Summer was depressed. “Mommy…”
Summer touched Rosie’s face and said, “We’re going to have meat, veggies, and other stuff. We’re inviting Aunt Jessica and others over for dinner.”
“Meat and lollipop!” Rosie’s eyes brightened up.
Summer shook her head. “You can only have a lollipop tomorrow.”
Rosie loved that candy, but Summer needed to limit how many Rosie could consume—she could have one every alternate day.
“Today.” Rosie pouted, apparently not too happy.
Summer lifted Rosie up in her arms. “We’re having meat today.”
“Okay.” She could not get candy today, but at least there was meat.
…
Summer brought Rosie along as she took a trip to the hypermarket.
She had moved to a new place, and holding a housewarming dinner was a way for her to signify a new beginning.
At first, she had planned to invite Leonardo, Jessica, and Carl. However, Leonardo was not coming, so that left only the three of them.
Nevertheless, Summer still prepared a lot of food and some wine.
Jessica and Carl arrived one after the other.
Summer had taken Rosie out for shopping in the afternoon, so Rosie did not get to take her customary afternoon nap. She started to yawn big time during dinnertime.
Summer had to let Rosie have her dinner quickly, then send her to sleep.
Rosie hit the sack and fell asleep quickly. The new bed did not bother her at all.
After Summer made sure that Rosie was asleep, she placed the pink bunny in Rosie’s arms. Only then did she leave the room.
“Is she asleep?” Jessica whispered.
“Mhm.” Summer nodded. “The room has good soundproof material. It’s okay to speak louder.”
When she turned on the TV and went into her bedroom earlier in the day, she could not hear a thing from the TV.
Jessica took a glass and poured her some wine.
“Not too much, please.” Summer gestured with her hand.
Therefore, Jessica only filled half of her glass.
As she and Jessica clinked glasses, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Summer looked at the door out of the corner of her eyes as she took a sip of the wine.
Jessica gave Carl a good kick under the table, and he quickly stood up. “I’ll go answer the door.”
The moment he opened the door, he saw Leonardo standing outside.
He was transfixed for a second. “Leonardo, you’re here!”
Leonardo squinted at him, as though he was going to interrogate him. “What are you doing here?”
Leonardo looked at him as if he was a paramour, and that annoyed him.
“I’m not just your friend but also Summer’s. Get it?”
Leonardo shot him a glance before he entered the house.
Carl closed the door and followed Leonardo from behind. “I thought this man lost his memory? He has apparently become a petty man too,” he told himself.
After she finished half a glass of wine, Summer looked in the door’s direction, curious to see who had dropped by.
When she saw Leonardo, she was wide-eyed, and her mouth was half open. She only started to speak once Leonardo came close. “Leonardo? How come…”
Did he not say that he was not coming earlier?
It was not his style to go back on his word.
Leonardo looked at her. “You mean I shouldn’t have come?” His voice sounded menacing.
“No, that’s not what I mean…” She quickly got to her feet, ushering him to sit down next to her.
Summer held his hand, and he closed his hand around hers. Her hand felt so soft that it was as if it was boneless.
Summer let go of his hand after she sat him down, but he still felt a tingling sensation in his hand like there was an electric current.
Summer brought him a set of tableware. “Have you eaten?”
Leonardo had sensed her concern for him, but his words did not correspond to his thoughts. “I’m here to see Rosie.”