"Oh, thank you, but I am too full for another meal. I already had mine at home. " He smiled and averted his gaze to glance at Leia.
"Ahem.." Amy abruptly cleared her throat, drawing their attention, and stared intently at Leia. "I missed you a lot, sis. I thought of visiting you one time, but... I kind of realized I didn't know the way." Her tone switched to a pessimistic one as she said the last word.
"Oh, really?" Leia fluttered her eyes and nodded her head in understanding when she replied, Yes. "Don't worry about it. Just give me a call next time you feel like visiting me, and I will send some men to pick you up. " She smiled at her and continued to eat her meal.
Amy's hands, which were hidden under the table, balled into a tight fist and her gritted teeth tightened.
"Um, Mr. Avalanzo-" She spoke his name with a cute smile on his face and Adrik shifted his gaze to her, "-I just realized that we haven't familiarized ourselves." She fluttered her lashes, and Adrik slightly nodded his head.
"My name is Amy, Leia's lovely younger sister, who is just a few months younger than her." She reached out her hand and touched Adrik's hand, which was placed on the table.
Adrik's eyes narrowed sharply, and he retracted his hand and smiled at her behind the mask that was latched onto his face. "It's very nice to meet you." He said in his deep voice, and Amy flickered her eyes and charmingly smiled at him.
Leia halted her fork at her lips and raised her gaze to stare viciously at Amy. She dilated her pupils and smiled dangerously to herself.
Adrik secretly grabbed her hand from under the table, and she turned her head to look at him, only to see him staring at her with a smile on his face. He secretly blinked his lashes twice at her, and a half-smile appeared on her lips.
She picked up a spoon of soup to drink, but as though a fishbone got stuck in her throat, she began to cough uncontrollably.
Adrik's eyes dilated immediately, and he began to pat her on the back. "Are you okay, little wife?"
The moment he called her that, everyone's gazes fell on him. "Little wife." The nickname struck their heads, and their eyes couldn't help but flutter.
Leia breathed heavily and raised her head, only for them to see tears welling up in her eyes.
"Are you okay? You should take it easy. " Mr. Adolpho asked, with a fake concern written all over his face.
Leia smiled at him and casually waved her hand. "I am fine. Thank you. " She took a deep breath and turned her head to gaze at him. "I need to use the bathroom." She smiled awkwardly and stood up from the chair, then left the dining area towards the stairs that led up to the second floor.
Adrik turned to the three and nodded his head at them. "She will be fine."
They slightly nodded back at him and resumed eating their dinner.
While they were eating, Leia, who had walked up the stairs, arrived at the hallway that led to different rooms, and her eyes glanced around.
She sneakily and hurriedly began to walk forward. The moment she was about to reach the end, which was where her father's room was, a few maids appeared from nowhere, and she immediately pushed the door nearest to her open and slipped inside, gently shutting it.
Her heart thumped rapidly within her and she rested her head on the door, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. She placed her ear close to the door and when the sound of their footsteps faded completely, she carefully opened the door and slipped out.
She looked from left to right and proceeded towards the end of the hallway. A brownish-modern door came into view, and she let out a low breath.
She walked towards it and turned the knob to open it. However, a scowl emerged on her face when she realized that it was locked. "Shit! I knew it. " She cursed and opened her purse, then grabbed her hairpin.
She squatted down, inserted the pin into the lock, and began to twist it. A few seconds later, the lock creaked, stating that it had been successfully unlocked.
She smiled proudly to herself and stood up, then pushed the door open. She slipped in and shut it behind her, locking it by the bolt from the inside.
Her eyes darted around the room, and a memory she didn't want to think of emerged in her mind. Her frown deepened, and she shook her head, pushing the recollections away.
She stepped towards the table that had a mirror placed on it and glanced down at it. The first thing her eyes fell on was her father's strands of hair that were tangled in a comb.
"Bingo." She screamed to herself in a low tone and immediately pulled out a small transparent bag from her purse. Carefully, she transferred the strands of hair into the small bag and stored them back in her purse.
"Ahem." She cleared her throat and adjusted her clothing, then, with no expression on her face, she opened the door and walked out, shutting it behind her.
She made her way out of the hallway and arrived at the stairs, then slowly began to walk down.
She proceeded towards the dining table and took her seat beside Adrik.
"Feeling better?" Mr. Adolpho asked, and she nodded her head and smiled at him. "I feel so much better. Thank you." She shifted her eyes to her side, only to realize that Jenny was gone.
"Um, where is Jenny?" She asked with raised brows, and Amy rolled her eyes. "She left for the bathroom a minute after you did."
Leia's heart instantly thumped within her, and she secretly squeezed Adrik's hand, letting him know that they needed to leave immediately.
"Oh, I see." She nodded her head, and Adrik suddenly coughed. He stood up from the chair and adjusted his suit, then turned to Mr. Adolpho. "We will have to take our leave now as it's getting late. Thank you for the warm welcome. "
Mr. Adolpho nodded at him and they exchanged handshakes. Adrik interlocked his hands with Leia's and they proceeded to leave.
"Till we meet again, father." She slipped her hand from Adrik and perked Mr. Adolpho on the cheek, then proceeded to leave with him.
"Goodbye, Mr. Avalanzo." Amy waved at Adrik and secretly winked at him.
Adrik ignored her and walked out of the mansion with Leia.
They boarded the SUV, and the driver drove them out of the compound and onto the road.
A deep breath escaped Leia's nose, and she relaxed back on the chair.
"You really impressed me back there." Adrik patted her head as he said, and Leia turned to stare at him. "Did I? " A leisurely look emerged on her face as she asked, and Adrik nodded at her.
"I didn't think you could code and control yourself to this level, considering how..." Adrik trailed off as he saw her brow rise in a bit of displeasure.
"Considering what?" She narrowed her eyes and stared viciously at him.
"Well... considering how short-tempered you are." Adrik chuckled softly, and contrary to his expectations, she just shrugged and placed her head on his shoulder. "I know. To be honest, I am surprised at myself. I thought I might get furious at just seeing his face. " She half smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Adrik tucked her in and gently caressed her arms.
________
Within the Adolpho mansion,
Jenny walked into her father's room and her eyes fluttered in confusion. 'What exactly did she come in here to do?' Her face altered in bewilderment, and she began to look around.
At the dining area, when Leia said she needed to go to the bathroom, a feeling of suspicion had arisen for no reason, and she was tempted to follow her.
So a minute after Leia left, she also made an excuse to use the bathroom and left.
She had gotten upstairs and seen no sign of her. She had the thought that maybe Leia did go to the bathroom and decided to walk back. However, the moment she was about to turn and leave, she noticed one of the doors creaking open and her eyes narrowed.
She immediately shifted, hiding behind the wall, and saw Leia walk out of the room. Deep suspicion arose in her heart and she intently stared at Leia, walked to their father's door, and turned the doorknob.
When the door didn't open, she squatted down and inserted something she knew to be a hairpin into the lock and began to twist it.
"She picks locks." Jenny's jaw fell in shock, and she continued to watch Leia's every move.
A few seconds passed, and the door creaked open, and she watched Leia slip inside and shut the door.
Her eyes dwindled and she hurried towards the door to open it. However, she realized that the door was locked from the inside, so she quickly hid behind the pillar near the door.
A few minutes passed, and she heard the door creak open and close.
She peeked from behind the pillar and saw Leia tilt her head up and begin to walk back to the dining room. And right after she was out of sight, she walked out from behind the pillar.
Her eyes glanced around and she pushed the door to her father's room open and walked in.