Chapter 171 The First Time Lighting a Cigarette for a Woman
"Where are you? Why haven't you answered your phone for days?! Are you abandoning your own mother now?"
Three questions in a row. Each one was more intense than the last.
Leopold replied calmly, "On a business trip. Busy, no time to answer."
"Come back right now! Immediately! If you don't come back, don't ever call me mom again!"
Leopold sensed something was off in her tone but didn't ask further. He hung up and rushed to the old house.
As he reached the door, he heard the sound of a vase shattering.
Leopold paused, then entered the house, "Mom, I'm back."
Elodie rushed out upon hearing his voice and started berating him, "What kind of people have you been associating with?! Amara is a slut, and her family is just as bad, especially her mother—she's a shrew! Vulgar, low-class, disgusting! I always knew Amara was no good, but you insisted on being with her and even got her pregnant! Now she's had a miscarriage and is blaming it all on us."
"Wait," Leopold interrupted, "You said Amara had a miscarriage?"
"Yeah, you didn't know?!"
Even though Elodie knew her son was a scoundrel, she couldn't help but be shocked at this moment.
Leopold stood there, stunned.
But soon, he smiled. That child was never meant to be.
He thought, 'It's better this way.'
Elodie took a deep breath. "Today, Amara's mother came to my gathering and caused a huge scene. Now the whole social circle probably knows. If your father finds out..."
Thinking of Brady's expressionless face, Elodie couldn't help but shiver.
After thirty years of marriage, she still feared Brady more than she loved him.
"Anyway, I don't want to see anyone related to Amara ever again. Clean up the mess you made yourself!"
Even after taking three showers, Elodie still felt dirty and disgusting.
So gross!
Compared to the chaos in the Wipere family, Camilla's life was peaceful.
She spent most of her time in the lab, dealing with data and papers, and she was very content.
Occasionally, she would cook a big meal for herself and invite Juniper over to eat.
After eating, they would go for a walk, buy some fruit beer, and watch TV shows while chatting.
When they got tired, they would collapse on the bed, either playing on their phones or whispering secrets to each other.
"Camilla," Juniper said mysteriously, "I found it."
"Found what?" Camilla grabbed a cushion and placed it behind her back, feeling much more comfortable.
"A collaborator."
Camilla didn't realized it immediately.
A few seconds later, her eyes widened. "You mean a boyfriend? Really? Who? Do I know him?"
Juniper's eyes flickered. "You should..."
Suddenly, her phone rang.
She answered, "Alright, alright, I know, you're so annoying."
After hanging up, Juniper sat up and started putting on her jacket, apologizing, "Sorry, Camilla, something came up. I can't keep you company tonight."
"Okay, drive safely."
"Okay."
As Juniper walked out of the alley, she saw a Maserati parked by the roadside.
Simon threw away his cigarette, stomped out the ember, and walked towards her. "Why are you so slow? I've been waiting for 15 minutes!"
"If you don't want to wait, you can leave. It's not like I want to see you." Juniper couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Is this how you ask for help?"
Simon took a deep breath, holding back his anger.
Juniper knew Taekwondo; if he pissed her off, he'd be the one to suffer.
"Don't be mad," he quickly put on a smile, "I told you it's an emergency. If you're not in a hurry, I would definitely think something's up."
"Get to the point." Juniper glanced inside his car, "Got any more cigarettes?"
"Why?"
"Give me one."
He resignedly turned back to the car, grabbed a cigarette and lighter, and handed them to her.
Juniper didn't take them, crossing her arms and smirking at him.
"Fine," Simon nodded, "I'm not looking for a partner; I found a princess."
With that, he leaned down to light her cigarette.
It was Simon's first time lighting a cigarette for a woman.
And the first time he saw someone smoke so elegantly.
"What's the matter?" Juniper exhaled a smoke ring, the white mist gradually obscuring her features.
Simon said, "My mom somehow heard that we're dating and insists I bring you home to meet her. She just gave me an ultimatum. We agreed from the start to help each other cover up, mind our own business, and not interfere, remember?"
"I remember." Juniper nodded.
"I've already dealt with your mom; now it's your turn to help me."
"Sure." Juniper agreed readily, "It's just meeting the parents, right? Don't chicken out, I've got your back."
"Really?" Simon was skeptical.
"But there's a small condition."
"See, I knew it! What's the condition? Let's hear it first."
"Let me borrow your car for two days." Juniper walked over, one hand holding the cigarette, the other patting the hood.
Two loud thumps!
Simon's heart skipped a beat, "Be gentle, don't break it."
"Deal or no deal?"
"Deal!" He tossed her the car keys, "You said it, just two days!"
He meant not a second more.
Juniper caught the keys and weighed them in her hand, "Thanks. Send me the time and place, and also the type of girl your mom likes—long hair or short hair, what kind of clothing style, send it all to me."
"Is that necessary?"
"Of course," Juniper raised an eyebrow, "I'm very professional."
She smoked the cigarette to the end, then stubbed it out on a utility pole and tossed it into a trash can.
The smooth motion left Simon staring.
"Come here." Juniper tilted her chin.
"What for?" Despite his words, he obediently walked over.
"Put your arm around my shoulder."
"Isn't that inappropriate?" He said, but his arm was already on her shoulder.
Not holding back at all.
Juniper's mouth twitched, "What do you call me?"
"Juniper?"
"Wrong."
"Baby?"
"Simon, that's disgusting."
"Juny!"
"That's better!"
Simon rubbed his nose, "That wasn't me."
Juniper suddenly realized.
They both turned around to see Camilla standing at the alley entrance, holding her bag, looking at them in shock.
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