âOh, ew. I donât particularly like watching animals make out.â Julia leaned on the wall, her arms crossed. She was looking at the couple in disgust. Julia had that kind of look that could strike anxiety into those who met her eyes. It felt like she could see through the deepest, darkest secrets of anyone she looked at.
Elyse stiffly removed herself from Leoâs embrace. She elegantly pushed her hair back and shot Julia a look of disapproval. âMiss White, that was inappropriate, especially for someone of your stature.â
Oh, here we go again. This b*tch never leams her lesson. Julia sneered. âThe adage goes âhonesty is the best policyâ, not âhonesty is inappropriate.â
âYou called us animals. Weâre not animals, Miss White,â Elyse argued.
âBut all I see are animals.â Julia looked around and sneered. âIt takes a lot more than mere clothes to make a human. Oh wait, I shouldnât have called you animals. Thatâs an insult to them. At least theyâre loyal to their humans. Some men wonât stay loyal to their own woman. Theyâd rather date a skank instead.â
Nobody but Julia would say something insulting, yet she managed to make it sound pleasant rather than vulgar.
Leo had kept quiet this whole time, but now he finally spoke. âWhat are you trying to say?â He raised his head, but his gaze was not on Julia. He was looking at someone behind Julia.
It was none other than the returning Amelie. I leave Julia for two seconds and sheâs gone. Darn. Sheâs already unhappy about my divorce. Now she knows Leo is here, I bet sheâs going to trash-talk him. She quickly went to look for her friend, and just like she expected, Julia was insulting Leo.
Amelie heard her insulting Leo and Elyse, and it made her feel helpless. She was about to drag her friend away when Leo opened his mouth, so she locked eyes with him.
His eyes were devoid of any emotion. Icily, he asked, âYou wanted the divorce. You gave up all reimbursement. I offered recompense, but you refused, and proudly. Why did you complain to your friend, then? I thought you were happy with the divorce.â
Before Amelie could say anything. Julia retorted, âOh please, like she needs your money. Your whole family is a sack of dicks. Slave drivers who shouldâve gone extinct centuries ago, and yet you survived.
You worked my friend to the bone and never even thanked her, and you expect her to stay in the hellhole you call home? Please, no amount of recompense can heal the scars you left on her. No.
Amount. So, save your money. You need it to fill your broken, empty soul.â
Even Leo felt affronted by that comment, and he had heard a lot of insults in his life. He was incensed.
Not only did Julia fire off at him, but she also dragged his whole family through the mud.
Nobody had insulted his family ever since he took over. His face was black as thunder, and a storm brewed in his eyes âIf you remain friends with someone who has no sense of decorum or courtesy, you will have no future.â Instead of arguing with Julia, Leo opted to speak to Amelie instead. No, he was giving her a cold reminder, more like. I am a businessman. A powerful man. I do not have to stoop to her level. He then held Elyseâs hand. âLetâs go.â
âHold it right there, Leo, Amelie stopped him.
Initially, she just wanted to take her friend away. Arguing with Leo was not in her plan, but now, she wasnât about to let that insulting comment go. She blocked the path of the leaving couple.
Elyse instinctively stood on her tiptoes and straightened her back, trying to look taller than Amelie, but Amelie didnât even spare her a look. Her eyes were on Leo âMy friend shoots straight, but you have no right to criticize her. At least she cares about her friend. At least sheâd help a friend. But you?â A smirk of contempt curled Amelies lips. âYou dumped your pregnant wife all alone in the freezing cold, leaving her for dead.
Youâre no more courteous than scum.â
Leo felt something squeezing his heart, and he came to a halt. He tried to argue, but not a single word came out of his mouth, and he looked awkward.
But then Elyse spoke quietly. âWhy bring up the past? Do you still wish to get back with Leo, Miss Dillon?â
That changed things around. Elyse managed to make Amelie sound like a jealous woman trying to get back with her ex-husband instead of a woman standing up for her friend. With an excuse in place, Leo assumed the position of indifference at once. âIf that is what you had in mind, then I suggest you give up.â He then turned around. âWhy didnât you stop her?â
His bodyguards stayed silent.
Amelie laughed mirthlessly. âYou have an active imagination, good sir. Maybe you should be a writer.â
âAgreed. You donât own this place. We can come and go as we please. No reports needed,â Julia snapped.
The ladies shared a smile.
âLetâs go.â They held hands and turned to the exit.
As Elyse saw them off, a frown started creasing her forehead. This shouldâve been my best moment in life, but they came and ruined it. She wanted revenge. After all, she had never been a generous woman. All her kindness and generosity were just a front. Now that her best moment was ruined, she would make Amelie suffer as well. Gently, she said, âMiss Dillon, I shall be dating Leo from now on.
Youâre alright with that, arenât you?â
The ladies stopped in their tracks. Julia was about to come up with a retort, but Amelie held her back.
Confused, Julia mouthed, âWhy arenât you doing anything? I can mess with her easilyâ.
Amelie gave her a look that said, Calm down. She turned around slowly and set her sights on Elyse.
âCongratulations. Send a marriage invitation my way. We might have had our difficulties making progress in the more⦠important areas, but Iâd still like to congratulate you.â
The coupleâs faces fell.
First, Elyse thought, Sheâs not fazed at all? And then she thought, Wait a minute. She just professionally called me a b*tch. âWhy you littleâ¦â She pointed angrily at Amelie, her face contorted with rage.
But the ladies were long gone. Elyse turned to Leo and complained, âThat was a bit too much, donât you think?â
But Leo wasnât listening. He stood petrified; it was as if he just saw Medusaâs eyes. When Amelie spoke to them, there was not a hint of emotion in her eyes. She looked at him like he was a stranger, and it hurt him.
Elyse had to call out to him a few more times before he snapped out of it. He looked at her coolly, ignoring what she had to say. His mind was still on Amelie, and everything Elyse said was filtered out.
âLetâs go.â
Elyse bit her lip, disgruntled. This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but now itâs ruined.
She wanted to throw a tantrum, but Elyse had promised sheâd be a good girl around Leo. In the end, she suppressed her frustration and nodded. âFine.â
When Elyse and Leo reached the hospitalâs entrance, they ran into the two ladies once more. This time, someone was standing in front of the ladies.
When Elyse saw who it was, she gasped. âHey, thatâs Chris, isnât it? Why are they with him?â