The Ex Who Became His Obsession - Chapter 42: Chapter 42
You are reading The Ex Who Became His Obsession, Chapter 42: Chapter 42. Read more chapters of The Ex Who Became His Obsession.
When Alyssia arrived at Clairivera Group to see Milena, Rocco was there, too. Rocco stayed out of it the whole time. But that didn't mean he missed a thing.
"The butterfly brooch?" Leonard tilted his head slightly, rubbing his brow. "Who do you think is lying between them?"
Alyssia adamantly accused Milena of stealing her brooch, but Milena flatly denied it.
Rocco, seasoned and never quick to judge, said, "Honestly, I can't tell. Ms. Clairmont seems genuinely angry, while Ms. Johnson looks truly aggrieved."
Rocco mused, 'If either of them is lying, she's truly Best Actress.'
"Alternatively," Rocco suggested thoughtfully, "they might both be telling the truth. Could it just be a misunderstanding?"
'If it's just a misunderstanding,' Rocco thought, 'then uncovering the truth is the only way out.'
"Have Joseph look into it." Leonard started to give the order, then abruptly changed his mind. "No, you handle it."
Rocco froze for a moment and wondered, 'Is Mr. Rivera really going to let me get involved in his private affairs?'
Rocco had worked with Leonard for years and believed he understood him well, but Rocco knew he was far less trusted than Joseph.
Leonard was highly guarded, seldom letting anyone into his private life.
For all his years of diligent service, Rocco's presence at Rosewood Manor had always been confined to the living room.
"I'll conduct a thorough investigation," Rocco pledged solemnly.
"Okay," Leonard mused absentmindedly, "They're both gifts from me, so why does she treasure one so much, yet cast the other aside without a second glance?"
As he spoke, he produced a dragonfly brooch set with colored diamonds.
Rocco winced.
'This is way out of my league,' Rocco thought. 'Does Leonard truly want to hear the truth from me? She treasured it before because she loved him. Now she just doesn't care. Naturally, because she's fallen out of love.'
It was such a simple truth that Rocco could hardly imagine how Leonard failed to grasp it.
Of course, Rocco wasn't foolish enough to say that out loud.
Rocco hesitated for a long moment before offering a careful guess. "Maybe one of them holds a truly special significance for her. It's irreplaceable in her heart.
"No matter how wonderful the others are, nothing else would ever compare, and she simply wouldn't want anything else."
Leonard paused in thought, then nodded slightly, not making things difficult for Rocco anymore.
Beside him, Rocco stole a glance at Leonard and discreetly wiped the sweat from his temple. He finally understood why Joseph always looked like he was walking on eggshells.
'If I had to answer these kinds of no-win questions every day, how long could I possibly survive?' Rocco thought to himself.
Leonard rolled his slightly stiff neck, and a relaxed expression settled on his face. 'So that's how it was,' he thought.
When Alyssia was in her teens, the auction house once sent an auction catalog to the Rivera Estate.
After Leonard noticed Alyssia had looked through it, he discreetly tore out one of the pages when no one was looking.
Leonard had been discreetly monitoring Alyssia's every move. Sure enough, when the auction day arrived, she slipped away to the auction house.
It was an intimate jewelry auction. The piece that caught Alyssia's eye was an exquisitely crafted butterfly brooch.
But Alyssia didn't have enough money with her, and in the end, could only watch helplessly as another socialite bought the brooch at the auction.
Leonard memorized the socialite's license plate, tracked down her identity, and showed up at her door, relentlessly hounding and coaxing her.
In the end, he spun a completely ridiculous story before finally getting his hands on the item.
The moment Leonard tossed the brooch to Alyssia, she froze in place.
In an instant, her eyes sparkled like stars as she gazed at Leonard, as if he were capable of anything.
After that, Leonard gave Alyssia many more gifts. Alyssia would always thank him, smile, and seem happy, but Leonard could never quite see that same sparkle in her eyes again.
Perhaps the very first time he gave her exactly what she wished for was the most precious of all.
Leonard's lips curled into a faint smile, an inexplicable sense of delight washing over him.
No sooner had Leonard arrived at the airport than he gave Rocco a new assignment. "Trace the origins of this brooch and find out who else at home has one."
Rocco picked up his phone. Leonard sent him a photo. Prominently featured in the photo was a delicate, exquisitely crafted butterfly brooch.
Alyssia ended up being late after all.
Dinner went by without a hitch, but at the bar that evening, Alyssia suddenly found herself pressured by her colleagues to down three penalty shots.
Alyssia pleaded with everyone, "Please go easy on me." She had always been the well-behaved girl in the Rivera family. She never drank a drop of alcohol except during wine tasting classes."
She had always followed Beatrice's advice to the letter.
Beatrice advised, "For a young woman out there, the only way to stay sober is simply not to drink at all. If you can't drink, then just don't start. Otherwise, once you take that first sip, you won't be able to refuse the rest."
Later, Leonard also told her that when he was out on business, he always controlled himself and tried to avoid alcohol as much as he could.
Leonard said, "Alcohol dulls your senses and clouds your judgment. You never know where the pitfalls lie. The only way to steer clear is to always keep your wits about you."
Yet despite his words, there were times when Leonard would return to Rosewood Manor reeking of alcohol.
"Sometimes, you really can't say no. Take one sip, and everyone will line up to toast you," Leonard said, speaking from experience and proving Beatrice right.
"Rocco doesn't drink. He keeps watch for me. Having someone I trust stay sober by my side makes things safer." Leonard added, "Joseph also helps fend off drinks for me."
Alyssia had never told anyone that she secretly loved Leonard when he was just a little tipsy.
Alcohol always seemed to soften him, melting away the usual tension in his features.
Sometimes he would talk to her a little more. Sometimes, he would even smile at her, which brought a glimmer of hope to her dull and unsettled life.
Now that Alyssia was on her own, there was no one she could trust anymore.
She waved her hand. "I'll treat everyone to coffee another time. I've never had alcohol outside. I don't drink at all."
"Come on, there's a first time for everything. You'll get the hang of drinking soon enough," one of her colleagues pressed relentlessly.
"Alyssia, this really won't do. When you're out covering stories and networking, being able to hold your liquor is a must. If you don't start practicing now, you'll be at a real disadvantage out there."
"Come on, Alyssia, the drinks are all lined up for you. Let's kick things off with a bang."
Alyssia was at a loss for how to refuse.
Suddenly, someone leaned over, grabbed the glass of liquor from the table, and downed it in one gulp.
The lively buzz in the private room vanished instantly. The entire room fell into a stunned silence.
Everyone stared in stunned silence at Charlie, who suddenly appeared.
Without a word, Charlie picked up each of the three drinks set before Alyssia and downed them one by one, to the last drop.
Finally, Charlie set down the last empty glass, swept his gaze across the room, and said coolly, "How many more? Bring them all here. I'll take care of them."
No one dared to utter a word. All of them hung their heads, looking utterly deflated.
Charlie's expression was icy.
'Getting them to cover a news story is like pulling teeth,' he thought. 'Funny how they're suddenly bursting with energy when it comes to scheming against a fresh-faced junior.'
While the other editors shrank back in silence, Lauren, ever the bold one, flashed a playful grin and asked, "Charlie, what are you doing here?"
"We're having a team-building event right next door," Charlie replied. "Happened to see you come in, so I thought I'd stop by."
After speaking, Charlie gave Alyssia a polite nod, courteously invited everyone to enjoy themselves, and then stepped out of the room.
The group collectively exhaled in relief, but the looks they gave Alyssia were complicated. 'So, Charlie is protecting her so openly,' they wondered.
Though everyone mocked and ridiculed Alyssia in private, they were just seething with jealousy.
They sang a few songs and played some icebreaker games.
On her way to the restroom, Alyssia ran into Cian by the sink.
"Hey, Alyssia," said Cian, one of the few colleagues who had remained genuinely friendly toward her lately. "You're amazing. How did you manage to dig up so much dirt on Archer?"
Alyssia lathered her hands with soap and smiled easily, "Guess I've just got a knack for digging."
Cian glanced at the mirror. Reflected in it was Alyssia. Her face was delicately beautiful, with a gentle smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her long hair cascaded softly over her shoulders, both graceful and playful—utterly enchanting.
Cian quickly averted his gaze. As he washed his hands, feigning nonchalance, he asked, "So, Alyssia, do you happen to have any more dirt on Archer up your sleeve?"
"The butterfly brooch?" Leonard tilted his head slightly, rubbing his brow. "Who do you think is lying between them?"
Alyssia adamantly accused Milena of stealing her brooch, but Milena flatly denied it.
Rocco, seasoned and never quick to judge, said, "Honestly, I can't tell. Ms. Clairmont seems genuinely angry, while Ms. Johnson looks truly aggrieved."
Rocco mused, 'If either of them is lying, she's truly Best Actress.'
"Alternatively," Rocco suggested thoughtfully, "they might both be telling the truth. Could it just be a misunderstanding?"
'If it's just a misunderstanding,' Rocco thought, 'then uncovering the truth is the only way out.'
"Have Joseph look into it." Leonard started to give the order, then abruptly changed his mind. "No, you handle it."
Rocco froze for a moment and wondered, 'Is Mr. Rivera really going to let me get involved in his private affairs?'
Rocco had worked with Leonard for years and believed he understood him well, but Rocco knew he was far less trusted than Joseph.
Leonard was highly guarded, seldom letting anyone into his private life.
For all his years of diligent service, Rocco's presence at Rosewood Manor had always been confined to the living room.
"I'll conduct a thorough investigation," Rocco pledged solemnly.
"Okay," Leonard mused absentmindedly, "They're both gifts from me, so why does she treasure one so much, yet cast the other aside without a second glance?"
As he spoke, he produced a dragonfly brooch set with colored diamonds.
Rocco winced.
'This is way out of my league,' Rocco thought. 'Does Leonard truly want to hear the truth from me? She treasured it before because she loved him. Now she just doesn't care. Naturally, because she's fallen out of love.'
It was such a simple truth that Rocco could hardly imagine how Leonard failed to grasp it.
Of course, Rocco wasn't foolish enough to say that out loud.
Rocco hesitated for a long moment before offering a careful guess. "Maybe one of them holds a truly special significance for her. It's irreplaceable in her heart.
"No matter how wonderful the others are, nothing else would ever compare, and she simply wouldn't want anything else."
Leonard paused in thought, then nodded slightly, not making things difficult for Rocco anymore.
Beside him, Rocco stole a glance at Leonard and discreetly wiped the sweat from his temple. He finally understood why Joseph always looked like he was walking on eggshells.
'If I had to answer these kinds of no-win questions every day, how long could I possibly survive?' Rocco thought to himself.
Leonard rolled his slightly stiff neck, and a relaxed expression settled on his face. 'So that's how it was,' he thought.
When Alyssia was in her teens, the auction house once sent an auction catalog to the Rivera Estate.
After Leonard noticed Alyssia had looked through it, he discreetly tore out one of the pages when no one was looking.
Leonard had been discreetly monitoring Alyssia's every move. Sure enough, when the auction day arrived, she slipped away to the auction house.
It was an intimate jewelry auction. The piece that caught Alyssia's eye was an exquisitely crafted butterfly brooch.
But Alyssia didn't have enough money with her, and in the end, could only watch helplessly as another socialite bought the brooch at the auction.
Leonard memorized the socialite's license plate, tracked down her identity, and showed up at her door, relentlessly hounding and coaxing her.
In the end, he spun a completely ridiculous story before finally getting his hands on the item.
The moment Leonard tossed the brooch to Alyssia, she froze in place.
In an instant, her eyes sparkled like stars as she gazed at Leonard, as if he were capable of anything.
After that, Leonard gave Alyssia many more gifts. Alyssia would always thank him, smile, and seem happy, but Leonard could never quite see that same sparkle in her eyes again.
Perhaps the very first time he gave her exactly what she wished for was the most precious of all.
Leonard's lips curled into a faint smile, an inexplicable sense of delight washing over him.
No sooner had Leonard arrived at the airport than he gave Rocco a new assignment. "Trace the origins of this brooch and find out who else at home has one."
Rocco picked up his phone. Leonard sent him a photo. Prominently featured in the photo was a delicate, exquisitely crafted butterfly brooch.
Alyssia ended up being late after all.
Dinner went by without a hitch, but at the bar that evening, Alyssia suddenly found herself pressured by her colleagues to down three penalty shots.
Alyssia pleaded with everyone, "Please go easy on me." She had always been the well-behaved girl in the Rivera family. She never drank a drop of alcohol except during wine tasting classes."
She had always followed Beatrice's advice to the letter.
Beatrice advised, "For a young woman out there, the only way to stay sober is simply not to drink at all. If you can't drink, then just don't start. Otherwise, once you take that first sip, you won't be able to refuse the rest."
Later, Leonard also told her that when he was out on business, he always controlled himself and tried to avoid alcohol as much as he could.
Leonard said, "Alcohol dulls your senses and clouds your judgment. You never know where the pitfalls lie. The only way to steer clear is to always keep your wits about you."
Yet despite his words, there were times when Leonard would return to Rosewood Manor reeking of alcohol.
"Sometimes, you really can't say no. Take one sip, and everyone will line up to toast you," Leonard said, speaking from experience and proving Beatrice right.
"Rocco doesn't drink. He keeps watch for me. Having someone I trust stay sober by my side makes things safer." Leonard added, "Joseph also helps fend off drinks for me."
Alyssia had never told anyone that she secretly loved Leonard when he was just a little tipsy.
Alcohol always seemed to soften him, melting away the usual tension in his features.
Sometimes he would talk to her a little more. Sometimes, he would even smile at her, which brought a glimmer of hope to her dull and unsettled life.
Now that Alyssia was on her own, there was no one she could trust anymore.
She waved her hand. "I'll treat everyone to coffee another time. I've never had alcohol outside. I don't drink at all."
"Come on, there's a first time for everything. You'll get the hang of drinking soon enough," one of her colleagues pressed relentlessly.
"Alyssia, this really won't do. When you're out covering stories and networking, being able to hold your liquor is a must. If you don't start practicing now, you'll be at a real disadvantage out there."
"Come on, Alyssia, the drinks are all lined up for you. Let's kick things off with a bang."
Alyssia was at a loss for how to refuse.
Suddenly, someone leaned over, grabbed the glass of liquor from the table, and downed it in one gulp.
The lively buzz in the private room vanished instantly. The entire room fell into a stunned silence.
Everyone stared in stunned silence at Charlie, who suddenly appeared.
Without a word, Charlie picked up each of the three drinks set before Alyssia and downed them one by one, to the last drop.
Finally, Charlie set down the last empty glass, swept his gaze across the room, and said coolly, "How many more? Bring them all here. I'll take care of them."
No one dared to utter a word. All of them hung their heads, looking utterly deflated.
Charlie's expression was icy.
'Getting them to cover a news story is like pulling teeth,' he thought. 'Funny how they're suddenly bursting with energy when it comes to scheming against a fresh-faced junior.'
While the other editors shrank back in silence, Lauren, ever the bold one, flashed a playful grin and asked, "Charlie, what are you doing here?"
"We're having a team-building event right next door," Charlie replied. "Happened to see you come in, so I thought I'd stop by."
After speaking, Charlie gave Alyssia a polite nod, courteously invited everyone to enjoy themselves, and then stepped out of the room.
The group collectively exhaled in relief, but the looks they gave Alyssia were complicated. 'So, Charlie is protecting her so openly,' they wondered.
Though everyone mocked and ridiculed Alyssia in private, they were just seething with jealousy.
They sang a few songs and played some icebreaker games.
On her way to the restroom, Alyssia ran into Cian by the sink.
"Hey, Alyssia," said Cian, one of the few colleagues who had remained genuinely friendly toward her lately. "You're amazing. How did you manage to dig up so much dirt on Archer?"
Alyssia lathered her hands with soap and smiled easily, "Guess I've just got a knack for digging."
Cian glanced at the mirror. Reflected in it was Alyssia. Her face was delicately beautiful, with a gentle smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her long hair cascaded softly over her shoulders, both graceful and playful—utterly enchanting.
Cian quickly averted his gaze. As he washed his hands, feigning nonchalance, he asked, "So, Alyssia, do you happen to have any more dirt on Archer up your sleeve?"
End of The Ex Who Became His Obsession Chapter 42. Continue reading Chapter 43 or return to The Ex Who Became His Obsession book page.