Chapter 687 Landon Regrets
Leonard's eyes totally gave him away.
Caitlyn followed his gaze, and her face went pale as she glanced at Landon, who was already looking at her.
After a moment, Leonard gently took her hand and said softly, "Shall we go say hi to my colleagues?"
Caitlyn slowly nodded.
Later, she couldn't even remember how she left the party. Before she knew it, she was in Leonard's car, rain pouring outside, and Leonard had the wipers going. The black wipers swung back and forth, shattering and blurring the neon lights of the city in front of them.
"Did you have a thing with him?" Leonard asked, struggling to get the words out. It was tough for him because he and Landon were worlds apart in terms of status. He had just checked Landon's background in the restroom.
Whether it was Landon's past as a race car driver or his current role as the president of the Carter Group, both were incredibly impressive, way out of Leonard's league. Compared to Landon's vibrant life, Leonard felt like a blank sheet of paper—utterly unremarkable.
"He was married!" After a moment, Caitlyn didn't speak, and Leonard couldn't help but add hoarsely.
Finally, Caitlyn said softly, "It was in the past, before he got married."
After saying that, she felt suffocated.
The car was eerily silent, reflecting just how much this revelation had hit Leonard. He liked Caitlyn and was thrilled to be with her. She was beautiful and full of life, and whenever she was by his side, he felt that all those years of hard work had been worth it. He even imagined people calling her Mrs. Dobbins in the future. But reality had dealt him a harsh blow.
Caitlyn had been in a passionate relationship with Landon. What would people think when they saw Leonard? How could he compare to Landon? And what if he got too attached, only for Caitlyn to go back to Landon?
Even if Leonard didn't want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that he was far too different from Landon.
Leonard was a doctor and took great care of himself. He usually didn't smoke, but at this moment, he took a cigarette from the glove compartment, put it between his lips, and lit it. However, he only smoked half of it before putting it out.
He turned his head and asked Caitlyn, "Do you have any private contact with him?"
Caitlyn felt her eyes well up. She had thought that Landon might affect her future relationships, but she hadn't expected the embarrassment to come so quickly. Unable to face Leonard's piercing gaze, she turned away and said indifferently, "No! Didn't I refuse to teach his child?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Leonard grabbed her face and kissed her fiercely.
His hot lips rubbed against hers, repeatedly tormenting her, almost biting hard enough to draw blood. Caitlyn's breathing grew rapid. Her hand rested on Leonard's shoulder, at first clutching his shirt tightly, then holding on firmly.
She was so slender that it felt like he could almost break her in his arms, and she was so compliant that it seemed she wouldn't resist no matter what he did.
Leonard had never been like this before. His throat emitted a sexy, hoarse sound, belonging to a young man, pleasant to hear.
They didn't notice that not far away, a black Rolls-Royce was parked, its black wipers also swinging back and forth. Landon, inside the car, gripped the steering wheel, his long fingers turning white.
Landon silently watched the scene before him. Though he had seen them kiss before, it had always seemed insignificant. At least in Landon's eyes, it was far from a true romantic connection. But this time was different. What he saw now was a genuine kiss between a man and a woman.
Leonard's eyes were fierce, and his strength was enough to crush Caitlyn.
Landon, being a man, could see that Leonard wanted to possess Caitlyn, desperately wanting to make her his woman after discovering the truth.
Landon took out a pack of cigarettes, his fingers trembling as he shook one loose and lit it. He needed that cigarette to calm down; otherwise, he would've stormed over, dragged Leonard out of the car, and beaten him to a pulp. But Landon knew he couldn't do that. He had wronged Caitlyn and couldn't interfere with her normal relationships, even if he didn't think much of Leonard.
Landon smoked half the cigarette before crushing it in his hand, the burning embers scorching his palm. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the anguish in his heart. He didn't dare to think about what he'd do if Caitlyn was willing. What could he possibly do? Nothing. He could only watch as Caitlyn fell into Leonard's arms.
Wasn't this what Landon had done to Caitlyn back then? Making Caitlyn watch him marry another woman and telling her it was over. Landon never expected he'd regret it so deeply.
Landon knew he was a cold-hearted person who rarely cared about anyone, but at that moment, his eyes felt hot. He didn't even dare to look any longer and gently pressed the gas pedal.
The black car brushed past the other car. Water splashed on the ground, blending together, indistinguishable from the past or the present.
Leonard stopped.
In the dimly lit car, the sound of their heavy breathing filled the air, but it wasn't romantic; instead, it carried a subtle sadness and awkwardness.
Caitlyn leaned back in her seat and said softly, "It's long over between him and me."
Leonard calmed down. After a long pause, feeling somewhat awkward, he finally said, "It wasn't because I saw him."
Caitlyn didn't call him out on it. She had a good impression of Leonard. Overall, he was a good marriage prospect, but there was Landon between them. If Leonard cared too much, even if they forced themselves to be together, there would be conflicts.
After thinking carefully for a while, she said, "Let's take a break. Leonard, think carefully about whether you want to continue this relationship."
Leonard's heart tightened as he turned to look at Caitlyn. Her eyes still held a faint sadness, a sadness that wasn't pure but was incredibly alluring, making him want to possess her. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
He said, "What are you talking about? How could we break up over something like this? It's late; I'll take you home."
Caitlyn looked at him and thought for a moment before asking, "Then you won't bring this up again?"
"No! Absolutely not!" Leonard promised her.
On their side, they had made up, but on Landon's side, his mood was far from good. Any man would care, even if he had prepared himself for the possibility that Caitlyn and Leonard might have intimate actions. He couldn't mind because, compared to Caitlyn, his past was more complex. But if it was about fairness, it was truly a test for a man.
Landon returned to the villa, and unexpectedly, Jennifer was there.
Jennifer had been living in Seattle for years. She refused to go to Boston, perhaps because she still hadn't forgiven the man who had deceived her.
The aging Jennifer was still intellectual and elegant, playing with Katelyn.
She was a smart woman. Even though she could deduce certain things from Landon and Phoebe's relationship and the child's appearance, she pretended not to know as long as Landon wished.
She always wanted Landon to have a happy family.
"Mom!" Landon handed his coat to the servant and walked into the hall. Katelyn immediately ran over, hugged him tightly, and called out, "Daddy!"
Jennifer smiled and said, "You smell like smoke. Aren't you afraid of affecting Katelyn?"
Landon managed a faint smile, but Jennifer couldn't help noticing the sadness in his eyes.
It wasn't until Katelyn was coaxed to sleep that Jennifer finally had a chance to talk to Landon. She made him a cup of coffee to cleanse the palate.
Landon took a sip and said, "Mom, your coffee just keeps getting better. I can't find coffee like this anywhere else. I'll have Cherie learn from you one day."
Jennifer shook her head and responded, "You hired a secretary just to be your servant? That's a waste of talent!"
She continued, "I've noticed that over the years, you've become more composed, but not as straightforward and unique as you used to be."
Hearing this, Landon smiled. He leaned back on the sofa, gently rubbing his forehead, and sighed. "I'm getting old! I can't handle the chaos anymore," he said.
Jennifer sat beside him, gently massaging his head.
She said softly, "I heard you've been getting close to Caitlyn lately. Katelyn told me Caitlyn turned you down again. What's going on? If you really can't forget her, put in some effort and win her back. Don't drive her away again."
After a while, Landon opened his eyes and said, "She has a boyfriend now, a doctor. They're doing quite well."
Jennifer was a bit surprised. She knew Caitlyn had been alone for years. How did she suddenly get a boyfriend as soon as she returned to Seattle? Was she treating Landon like a virus?
Thinking of this, Jennifer couldn't help but laugh.
Landon had become more composed over the years, but he still retained some of his casual nature in front of Jennifer. He protested softly, "You're mocking me!"
Jennifer poked him and said, "You deserve it! The way you treated Caitlyn back then and how she's treating you now seems quite fair to me! If you can't forget her and still like her, I think you should just follow her around and see if there's any chance! Landon, no matter how much you like her, no matter how powerful you are, you are not allowed to ruin her relationship. She has had a hard time, and she used to love you so much."
Jennifer couldn't go on. She felt it was a shame; once, Landon could have had the perfect relationship and family.
Landon remained silent for a long time before he softly said, "I know. I promise you."
When Landon wasn't around, Caitlyn's relationship went smoothly.
In early June, Leonard's parents heard that he had a girlfriend and wanted to meet her.
On the phone, Leonard mentioned this with a smile. Caitlyn covered the phone and looked at Eden.
Eden knew they had been getting along well recently and said softly, "It's rare for them to come, so you should meet them. As for the boundaries, you can handle it."
Caitlyn said, "Okay," and agreed to meet Leonard's parents.
On Thursday evening, she rescheduled her class. Leonard came to pick her up, and Caitlyn was a bit surprised because she had never been to Leonard's apartment. She thought they would just have dinner outside since she and Leonard hadn't reached that stage yet.
Understanding her concerns, Leonard smiled and said, "My parents are from the North, and they can't get used to Seattle's restaurants."
He squeezed her hand and continued, "Sorry for any trouble this may cause you."
Hearing this, Caitlyn smiled faintly. Since he put it that way, she couldn't really complain.
Half an hour later, the car drove into Leonard's neighborhood, which was slightly better and larger than where Caitlyn lived, but still limited. However, it was already quite impressive.
Leonard opened the door and said softly, "My parents are easy to get along with."
As soon as the door opened, a spicy aroma wafted out, making Caitlyn's sensitive nose sting and turn red, looking quite pitiful.
Leonard handed her slippers and leaned in, saying, "My parents love spicy Mexican food. They make it really well. You should try it."
Caitlyn had a sensitive stomach and couldn't handle spicy food well, but she nodded to avoid spoiling the mood.
She said, "I'll give it a try."
As they were talking, a deep voice came from the living room, "Leonard, is this Caitlyn?"
Leonard answered straightforwardly, "Yes! Dad, let me introduce you. This is Caitlyn, my girlfriend."
He then said to Caitlyn, "This is my dad, Valentin Dobbins!"
Caitlyn quickly greeted, "Mr. Valentin Dobbins, hello."
Valentin was tall and looked like an older version of Leonard, but he lacked the scholarly air.
Valentin glanced at Caitlyn and then turned his attention back to the TV.
After a while, he said softly to Leonard, "Since you're home, help your mom with the cooking! It's almost dinner time. By the way, Caitlyn, you can cook, right? Leonard is a doctor and is usually busy, so there needs to be someone at home who can cook."
Caitlyn felt quite uncomfortable hearing this.
Leonard was also taken aback. He hadn't expected Valentin to say that and quickly tried to smooth things over. "Housework is a shared responsibility. Whoever has time does it," he said.
Hearing this, Caitlyn forced a smile.
But she genuinely wanted to get along with Leonard, so she didn't make a fuss. She rolled up her sleeves and said, "I'll help with the cooking. You stay here and have coffee with Mr. Valentin Dobbins. It's rare for them to visit."
Leonard, quite pleased, secretly kissed her on the cheek and said, "Good girl!"
He added, "Don't worry; my parents will stay in Seattle often to help us with the kids."
Hearing him say that, Caitlyn slightly curled her slender fingers. She had thought about post-marriage issues, but she hadn't expected Leonard to bring his parents to live with them. She wasn't opposed to interacting with elders, but she didn't like Leonard's father's personality. However, she smiled but didn't say anything.
In the kitchen, Leonard's mother, Hestia Dobbins, was warm and polite. "Caitlyn, it's your first time here, so don't do any work. Leonard, get Caitlyn a glass of water! It's not good to get your clothes dirty while working. This outfit looks expensive. We should be more frugal in daily life."
There was an underlying message in her words, and Caitlyn almost couldn't smile. Leonard was also in a difficult position. He took Caitlyn outside and whispered in her ear, "The older generation thinks this way. It will change over time."
To make Caitlyn feel more comfortable, he behaved very well and considerately.
Caitlyn also felt that she couldn't easily dismiss someone because of their parents' habits. Besides, she was not young anymore and really wanted to get married, so she had to make some sacrifices.
She wasn't used to living with Leonard's parents, but she could buy a small house nearby and take care of them without living in the same house.
Thinking of this, she felt a bit relieved.
Hestia, a language teacher, was enthusiastic and polite. She served Caitlyn a special dish and said, "Caitlyn, you probably don't get to eat this often in Seattle. Try it."
Caitlyn took a bite, and it was so spicy that tears almost came out.
Seeing this, Hestia laughed. "Women should eat more spicy food that can promote blood circulation, making it easier to have children. I wasn't used to it either, but after eating it for a while, I got used to it and then had Leonard!" She spoke with great care, but Caitlyn was alarmed.
She pretended to ask casually, "Do you have to eat spicy food to have children in your area?"
Leonard pinched her nose and replied, "Yes."
Caitlyn and Leonard hadn't officially gotten engaged, so it wasn't appropriate to discuss this. These things made her uncomfortable, but Leonard clearly didn't notice. His fundamental beliefs were the same as his parents'.
The meal was bland and unremarkable. Caitlyn couldn't handle the spiciness, and her stomach hurt, but Leonard didn't notice and gave her another spicy dish.
She mustered the courage to finish it and then excused herself to leave.
Hestia called from the kitchen, "Caitlyn, are you leaving? Come again next time."
Caitlyn smiled and responded. When Leonard drove her back, she softly said, "Leonard, what if I can't eat spicy food and can't have children?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
