Valerie had mentally prepared herself before coming back. After four long years, Leon was still as handsome as she remembered back when they first met. His skin was still as smooth and delicate as silk, and his eyes still contained that same allure, which made it hard for her to look away from his gaze.
Four years was long enough for her to look at the past from a different perspective.
When she recalled what had happened before, she remembered that Leon hadn't done anything bad except for imprisoning her in his castle. He was such a gentleman that he had treated her well and didn't expect sex in return. She herself, on the other hand, would always yell at him.
He had treated her so well that she had developed a crush on him. But she had said so many harsh words to hurt him back then. It was because she wasn't free then. He forbade her from going anywhere.
No matter how well Leon treated her, she didn't want to be held down and restricted from what she wanted to do.
When she and Baker left C Island, she was ecstatic. Finally, could breathe some fresh air. But when they began to experience hardships, she started to regret her decision. In the end, she admitted that what Bryant had said was right.
Ever since she was a child, she only knew how to live a rich person's life. But without her wealth, she didn't know how to survive. Her only skill was ballet, and it wasn't good enough yet to earn her the wealth she needed. As she pursued dancing, she would occasionally get lucky, which enabled her to survive. Men were willing to give her a lot of money, just like Leon.
No, that man wasn't like Leon. Leon was a gentleman, while that man was a rude bastard. The only good he ever did to her was giving her money and protecting her so that she wouldn't be discovered by his wife.
She didn't feel the sting of regret until she became another man's mistress. If only she chose Leon in the past, then she wouldn't have experienced all these hardships. She would've lived a prosperous life and he would've taken good care of her.
While on her own, she kept tabs on Baker and her spies follow him. If Baker became successful, then she would come back to him. But before she knew that Baker was doing well, she learned that Leon and her cousin were looking for her.
The news made her burst into joy. Then, she asked her friend to register her name in a famous ballet studio so that they could easily find her. After a while, her cousin found her and offered to take her back to Lexingport City. When things were settled, she struck a deal with her paramour, and shortly after, they separated.
Although the terms of their deal placed the man in a disadvantageous position, she didn't care at all.
When she saw Wynn appear in C City, she knew Leon was also there. But she took her time. If she approached Wynn immediately, that would make her look desperate. So she concocted this plan to hide from Wynn for more than half a month and then made it look like she ran into him by accident.
Now, she was back at Lexingport City. She would no longer make the same mistake she had made four years ago. If Leon were to cage her again, she would happily be his prisoner.
"I have an appointment at noon," Leon said.
A cold air swept over Valerie and the elegant smile on her face slowly vanished.
Wynn became sober when he heard what Leon said. He glanced at Valerie and caught a glimpse of her embarrassment. "Are you going to see a man or a woman?" he asked Leon.
"A woman," Leon replied. When he saw Valerie again, he no longer felt the affection he once had four years ago. The only thing he felt when he looked at her was guilt.
"You should address him as Mr. Lu instead of his name," Wynn said, not trying to hide his contempt. He hated Valerie so much that the very mention of her name irritated him so much he couldn't hide it.
Valerie felt a little embarrassed by Wynn's remarks, but remembered that he was close to Leon. She had to be on his good side and avoid offending him as much as possible. Anyone who talked about her in Leon's presence was immediately punished. And yet, Wynn would confront him face to face and received no punishment.
Even if she couldn't get Wynn to be on her side, the best thing she could do was to stop him from helping another woman.
After a long pause, Valerie smiled. "Yes, I should call him Mr. Lu."
"It's good that you know." Wynn snorted.
It wasn't easy for Bryant to find his cousin. So when he heard Wynn speak to her with disdain, he went out of his way to defend his cousin. "Valerie used to call him just by his name. She can't change that in such a short time. It's my fault. I should've..."
His words trailed into silence when he met Wynn's terrifying eyes.
Bryant was forced to choose between his cousin and his friend. But it was his cousin who had wronged Leon in the past, so he had to shut up.
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