Vicky was hell-bent on killing her.
Vicky could not do anything about her, but if Vicky discovered Rosie’s existence, the things she would do to Rosie were unimaginable. So, letting Rosie stay with Leonardo was the best option.
Summer took a deep breath as she leaned against the wall and took out her mobile phone to call Leonardo.
The phone rang for a few moments before her call was answered.
But Leonardo did not immediately speak.
“Leonardo?” Summer asked.
“Just talk,” Leonardo spat in utter coldness.
Summer could sense the dissatisfaction in his voice. After she pondered for a moment, she guessed that Leonardo was probably not too happy about her sending Rosie to his house.
“I’m sorry for not informing you in advance before sending Rosie to you,” she said.
“Don’t think about getting her back after sending her here.” Leonardo’s low voice sounded full over the phone, but there was no hint of emotion.
She had gotten used to Leonardo’s behavior recently.
“Okay,” she acknowledged.
Leonardo did not immediately respond. There was a silence for a few seconds on the other end before the line went dead.
Summer looked at her mobile phone and forced a smile.
The man was so distant that sometimes, she just did not know how to get along with him.
She tucked her mobile phone away and went on her way in a bad mood.
Such an event was pretty tiring, so she planned to give Eliza a heads-up before she left. Just then, a tall figure came up to her.
“Summer!”
She heard the person’s voice, looked over, and was transfixed for a few seconds before she was able to respond.
“Jerome Patel?”
The person who came up to her was none other than Jerome. Her last memory of him was vague. All she could remember about him was stuff from his teens. So in a sense, Jerome was a stranger to her.
He was wearing a navy-blue business suit with a fitting cut, which made him look especially elegant. He appeared a bit excited. “It’s really you!”
Jerome walked up to Summer and held out his hand. But the next moment, he pulled it back and seemed to be at a loss, as though something had occurred to him.
“There were media reports of your reappearance a few days ago. I can’t believe that it’s really you.” He sighed, then repeated, “I can’t believe that it’s really you.”
He said the same thing over and over again.
After three years and a brush with death, Summer’s views on a lot of things had changed.
If Vicky had not insisted on blaming Adams’s death on her, she would have probably been willing to bury the hatchet with Vicky. Besides, Jerome stopped owing her anything a long time ago.
“It’s me.” Summer’s lips curled up in a smile. “It’s been a long time.”
“It’s been a long time,” Jerome echoed.
She noticed that Jerome was clenching his fists and releasing them. It was the reaction of someone nervous.
Summer looked at him, and a complicated feeling rose within her. “A friend’s waiting for me. I have to go.”
“All right.” He nodded like a robot and stood on the spot, looking on as she left.
While Summer walked away, she could sense Jerome’s gaze on her. That made her want to pick up her pace.
She returned to the event venue but could not find Eliza, so she picked up her mobile phone and called her. Luckily, Eliza answered the call quickly.
“I’m tired, so I’m thinking of going home now.”
“All right. Go ahead, but please watch out for reporters.”
Had Eliza not reminded her, she would have totally forgotten about it.
“I know. You should go home early too.” She then hung up and headed out. When she exited the venue, it dawned on her that she had not seen Jessica there today.
Speaking of the devil, as soon as the thought came to mind, she heard Jessica’s voice. “Summer!”
Summer looked up and saw Carl, as well as Jessica, walking in her direction.
“I didn’t know you were coming to the event. Had I known earlier, I would’ve given you a ride,” Jessica lamented the moment she went up to Summer. “It’s all Carl’s fault. That idiot took a few wrong turns, and we’ve just arrived.”
Carl caught up after Jessica. “It’s my fault? Weren’t you the one who asked me to take a detour to avoid the traffic jam?”
Jessica turned back and gave him a dirty look, and he shut up instantly.
She then turned to Summer. “Since you’re here at this event, what about Rosie?”
“I sent her to Leonardo’s place.” Summer checked the time. “I think you two should go in now before the event ends.”
“Okay.” Jessica nodded. “Are you leaving now?”
“Yeah, I have to go.”
Summer waved them goodbye and left.
With Eliza’s reminder in mind, she was extra cautious as she left. Yet, no matter how careful she was, those reporters still smelled her presence.
Before she could walk past the exit, a group of reporters spotted her and swarmed her.
“Are you the screenwriter of The Lost City?”
“Where have you been and what have you done for the past three years?”
“Will there be a sequel to The Lost City? Who are you going to work with?”
“Did you really write The Lost City?”
“Is it true that you secretly got married and gave birth abroad, just as the rumors imply?”
Some reporters were more interested in her private life than her work.
It had been a long time since she was last ambushed by reporters. She was a slightly overwhelmed, and it did not help that she was nearly blinded by the camera flashes.
Right then, a white jacket was placed on her, covering her shoulders. Immediately after, security personnel came and kept the reporters at bay.
“Please don’t gather around here. Thank you for your cooperation…”
Summer looked back and saw Jerome standing there.
He held her shoulders. “Let’s get out of here.”
They dodged the reporters and ended up standing by the roadside.
Summer handed the jacket back to him. “Thank you for tonight.”
Jerome did not take the jacket, though. “Aren’t you cold?”
“Not really.” She shook her head.
She felt cold, but it seemed inappropriate to take his jacket.
Jerome looked a little dismayed. “Is it because you know that I like you, so you’re keeping a distance from me? We can’t even be friends?”
“Yes.” As always, Summer’s reply was definite.
Nevertheless, Jerome refused to accept defeat.
“I know you love Leonardo. I’m not asking for more, just to be your friend. I hope we can be friends if you’re okay with that.”