Summer’s tone was not extremely cold, but Jessica could not help but feel a chill run up her spine.
She curled her hand around Summer’s arm as she leaned over. “After living with the big boss for some time, you’re starting to sound as scary as him, Summer.”
“You’re also growing prettier by the day just as the online sales pitch says.” Summer chortled.
Jessica smacked her.
As soon as the two were out of the function hall, they saw Carl running toward them and panting.
He saw Summer as well as Jessica. “You two… are… leaving? Rosie…”
Summer chimed in, “Rosie is inside.”
“What?” Carl looked into the function hall in surprise.
The next second, Jessica hit him on the head with her handbag. “I thought you were supposed to look after the child? Weren’t you supposed to call Summer if something happened? Why didn’t you call when you couldn’t handle her?”
“Ouch!”
The CEO of a major entertainment company, one whom every female artist tried to get their hands on, was being hit by a woman. In addition, he could not fight back.
Summer looked on as Jessica hit him. When she saw someone exit the hall, she stopped Jessica. “All right. Knock it off.”
Her handbag was not big, just enough to store a mobile phone, a mirror, and two lipsticks. So, Carl did not really feel a thing.
He did not fight back only because he wanted to let Jessica vent her anger.
Jessica had cooled down somewhat, but she felt a pang of guilt inside.
“I’m sorry. If I hadn’t come up with this idea, Rosie wouldn’t have—”
Summer cut her off. “It’s not your fault. Rosie has always been this naughty, and she has a mind of her own.”
After she comforted Jessica, she turned to Carl. “What happened?”
Since more people were coming out of the function hall, Summer motioned them to move as they spoke.
“Rosie said she was hungry. I was about to call room service, but she insisted on having steamed buns. So, I thought of bringing her out… Then…”
He felt embarrassed for failing to look after a child. “The elevator was jam-packed. When the doors opened, she followed the crowd and ran out…”
Rosie was very well-behaved; she would not have run off on her own under normal circumstances.
Summer was silent for a while. “Was she thinking about looking for me?”
Carl nodded.
“Let’s move.” Summer went ahead of them.
“Amber is using Rosie to get to Leonardo!” Speaking of it, Jessica could not be more furious, and Summer was no different.
“Rosie will be fine with Leonardo taking care of her.” Summer had noticed that when Leonardo carried Rosie in his arms, he was very careful to hide her face.
She and Leonardo had never discussed the matter of making Rosie’s identity public, but they both had a tacit understanding to protect her and her identity.
Considering her current relationship with Leonardo, exposing Rosie would not do them any good.
Summer had contemplated the issue before. Maybe, because she and Leonardo came from unloving families, they wanted the best for Rosie and would not tolerate anyone vilifying her.
Children were innocent, but both Leonardo and Summer knew too well how sinister the world was.
In the eyes of outsiders, Summer and Leonardo got divorced three years ago. A lot of things had happened in between. She had even stayed with Stanley for some time. Rosie was three years old now, and it was difficult to explain them being together. People would have a riotous time gossiping about any of those things.
There was no guarantee that people would not make use of Rosie to create trouble.
The most important thing now was to protect Rosie.
That was partly why Summer had done those things in the function hall.
While Summer spoke, her trust in Leonardo was written across her face, and it also made Jessica calm down.
The three of them took the elevator and left the hotel.
At the parking lot, Summer took out her phone to call Leonardo.
Upon thinking for a second, she thought better of it and called Tim instead.
“Hello, Mrs. Emerson.” Tim picked up the call at warp speed.
“Where are you guys now?” she asked.
Tim looked at Leonardo, who looked back at him and seemed to guess who was on the line.
Tim then consciously turned on the loudspeaker. “We’re waiting for the elevator.”
“Tell Leonardo that I’ll wait for him at home.”
Leonardo heard what Summer said, and his face was impassive. “Tell her I’m not going.”
Of course, Summer also heard what Leonardo said.
Rosie had fallen asleep in his arms.
“Tell him if he doesn’t come home tonight, he can forget about coming over in the future,” Summer hissed.
“Tell her I insist on not going!”
“Tell him not to come if he dares!”
Tim was struck dumb as Summer and Leonardo had a shouting match over the phone.
He held the mobile phone but had no opportunity to chime in. He was caught in the crossfire of their tit-for-tat salvos.
While it seemed like they were having a huge argument, there was not much content in there.
“Are you sure you’re not coming?”
“I’m not going.”
Tim quietly handed the mobile phone to Leonardo, but he did not take it.
“Don’t pass the phone to me. I’m not talking to her.”
The line went dead the next second.
Still holding the mobile phone, Tim’s hand froze. He turned to look at Leonardo, who was staring at the mobile phone sulkily.
“She hung up on me?”
Tim nodded.
Leonardo sneered. Just then, the elevator arrived. He pressed the elevator button and walked in.
Rosie could not find a comfortable position in his arms.
She had been resting her head on Leonardo while sleeping. All of a sudden, she woke up. “Where is Mommy?”
She had apparently heard Summer’s voice in her sleep.
Rosie looked around but could not find Summer, so she set her eyes on Leonardo.
Still expressionless, he pressed Rosie’s head down on his shoulder with his big hand so that she would continue to sleep.
“Keep sleeping. She’s not here,” he said.
Rosie felt sad. Her mommy had promised to get her earlier.
She rested her head on Leonardo’s shoulder, her eyes welling up. But she fought back her tears.
Daddy was too fierce, and she missed Mommy.