Chapter 7
John paused for a few seconds, then grinned. "Because you're beautiful."
I fell silent.
Leopold said, turning his head to gaze at the starry sky, "I'm kidding. Honestly, I think you're the bravest woman I've ever met."
"Brave? I tried to end my life three times, and even got down on my knees begging him to take me back. Does that really count as brave?" I asked.
Leopold said, meeting my gaze, "It takes real courage to love fiercely and hate fiercely.
"When you loved him, you gave everything you had. When you stopped loving him, you had the guts to walk away. Isn't that brave?"
I looked at him, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
Leopold said with a mischievous smile, "You kissed me, so now you gotta own up to it."
I fell silent.
That night, we left all the heavy stuff behind.
Leopold shared some wild stories from his Liadicia University days, and I told him about my epic fails when I first started my business.
The two of us sat outside the tent, beers in hand, gazing at the stars and laughing our heads off like fools.
The next morning, I woke up to sunlight streaming in and realized I'd somehow ended up leaning on Leopold's shoulder.
He was wrapped in a blanket, and hadn't moved the whole night.
"Morning," Leopold said, his voice a bit hoarse.
"Did you even sleep last night?" I asked.
"I did, but not very well," he replied.
"Why?" I asked.
"I was worried you might get cold," Leopold said.
I glanced at the bags under his eyes, and suddenly felt a rush of emotions I couldn't quite explain.
Over the next few days, Leopold showed me around all kinds of places.
We explored the church, wandered through the street, and took in the breathtaking views at a lake...
At every spot, he'd pull out his phone and snap photos of me.
He grinned and said, "I want to make sure I remember every moment you look beautiful."
I shot back, "I'm so ugly and skinny right now."
Leopold just shook his head. "No way. This is the best you've ever looked."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you're smiling," he replied.
I looked at him, seeing how serious he was, and it hit me that I hadn't smiled like this in forever.
A week later, my complexion had improved, and I'd even put on a few pounds.
Leopold said, "It's time for you to head back."
"What about you?" I asked.
"I should head back too," he replied.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Port City," he replied.
"Didn't you say your wallet got stolen?" I asked.
He said with a grin, "Got it back the next day. I just wanted to keep you company."
Seeing his smile, I suddenly didn't really want to say goodbye.
"So, how about we head back together?" I asked.
"Sounds good," he replied.
*****
By the time the plane landed in Port City, it was already three in the afternoon.
I rolled my luggage cart out and immediately spotted someone waiting at the arrivals gate.
It was Leopold.
He was wearing a dark gray overcoat, his hair slicked back perfectly, but his face looked awful.
There were dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in days.
When he saw me, he froze for a moment.
I knew exactly why.
A week ago, when I left, I was so thin I barely looked like myself.
Now, even though I was still skinny, I looked a lot healthier. My eyes had some light in them, and I was actually smiling.
He strode over and reached out to pull me in. "Veronica, you're back."
But before he could touch me, another hand slid in from the side, blocking him without hesitation.
It was John.
He stood right next to me, one hand on the luggage cart, the other gently but firmly blocking Leopold 's hand.
The two of them locked eyes.
Leopold was a bit shorter, but his presence was just as strong. Years in the business world had made sure of that.
But John's aura was on a whole different level.
That wasn't something one could learn. It was in his bones.
He was calm, unshakable, unreadable.
It seemed that John was born at the very top of the food chain.
"Who is this?" Leopold asked, his gaze dark as he looked at me.
"A friend," I replied.
"A friend?" Leopold let out a cold laugh. "What kind of friend tags along to Dordor and comes back with you?"
"None of your business," I replied, sidestepping him and walking away.
He caught up and grabbed my arm. "Veronica, we're not even divorced yet, and you've already got your next man lined up?"
I yanked my arm free. "Leopold, watch your mouth."
He snapped, his voice getting louder as people started staring, "What's wrong with what I said?
"You spent a week in Dordor with this pretty boy, and you expect me to believe you're just friends? Do I look like an idiot to you?"
I said calmly, meeting his gaze,. "Whether you're an idiot or not is your problem. But let's get this straight.
"You were the one who cheated first, and you were the one who moved on before me. You have no right to judge me."
He was left speechless, his face turning pale and then red.
John suddenly said, "Girl."