Leo placed the papers on top of his knees before flipping through them with the tips of his fingers. His gaze was lowered, and he wore a serious look on his face. After he finished the last page, he flipped it over and sat in silence for a long while. He pressed his palm against the last page and remained still for a long time.
The content and details of the file were extremely thorough, and it documented Amelie’s primary school life up until her university days. Everything was written clearly, yet there didn’t seem to have anything that stuck out for Leo. He flipped through the pages once more with an enigmatic look on his stone-cold face.
He felt a strong sense of familiarity after spending all his recent time with Amelie. He felt like he had known her even before their four-year marriage. Yet, none of this was mentioned in the file. He didn’t question Victor’s professional abilities, and he trusted Victor immensely. Does that mean I was the one who was overthinking it?
…
The next day, Amelie went to pick Bria up at 5.00PM sharp. She could see Bria being led out by someone else, even from a distance away. The girl seemed especially happy that day, and she skipped over to Amelie, revealing her fair legs under her princess dress. Her braids swung around in the air as she lifted her small face to beam and spoke to the person holding her hand.
Amelie followed Bria’s gaze and shifted her attention to the person holding Bria’s hands, and she saw a man, who was dressed in a dark green coat. The man had a same-colored scarf dangling around his neck. His figure was lanky, and he was dressed stylishly. The white shirt under the man’s dark coat seemed especially eye-catching due to the contrast in colors.
Leo’s hard expression seemed softer than usual. Didn’t he just see Bria yesterday? Why is he here again today? Amelie was confused. It was a one-hour drive from Halport to Clouson City, and it was troublesome for one to travel between the two places. Furthermore, Leo was a busy man with a lot of other important matters to handle.
“Mommy!” Bria and Leo walked up to Amelie while she was still immersed in her thoughts. Bria’s sweet and loud voice sounded in Amelie’s ears, and the young girl swung her father’s arm back and forth as she greeted her mother. “Daddy’s here to pick us up,” she uttered before flashing a wide grin that showed her baby teeth. The little girl made it sound as if Leo was there for both Amelie and herself.
Amelie remained calm as she pulled Bria closer to her. “You’re a busy man, Mr. Alston. You don’t have to come over every day,” she uttered in a polite tone. The man frowned at her words. “Well, Bria’s my daughter, and I want to make time for her. I don’t see an issue with that.” He stuck his hands into his pants as he spoke coldly.
His words… Why does he sound like he’s trying to pick a fight? Amelie was too stunned to speak for a moment, so she had no choice but to remain silent. “Mommy, let’s have dinner with Daddy again today.” Bria held onto Amelie’s hand while looking at her. The girl was petite, so she had to stick her head up just to meet Amelie’s gaze. Dinner had been wonderful the night before, and she was still yearning for more time with her parents.
Naturally, Amelie disagreed with that idea. “Your dad’s busy. We shouldn’t take up too much of his time.”
“I came all the way here, anyway. I don’t mind having a meal,” Leo added right after she finished her words. She was speechless after that. She couldn’t help but give him a long stare. She felt like he had been acting differently in recent days. He used to be so eager to get away from me. Why is he suggesting that we have a meal together now? Did he injure his head or something? Is he getting pre-wedding jitters because of his upcoming marriage?
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