Chapter 271 Ms. Learmond Arrives
"Need the transferor's signature? Why?" Camilla looked at the staff in front of her and couldn't help but ask.
The staff explained, "The item is too large. Even with a formal transfer contract, regulations require an informed consent form with the transferor's handwritten signature"
Camilla's grip on the document tightened. In other words, Leopold still needed to sign.
"Mr. Wipere, good morning." As soon as Leopold stepped out of the elevator, his assistant was waiting at the door with a welcoming smile.
Assistant John walked alongside, reporting Leopold's schedule at a perfect pace, finishing just as Leopold opened the office door.
Leopold paused. "Cancel the collective meeting with the investors. Also, tell the partners I'll only give them half an hour. If their proposal is as insincere as before, there's no need for further discussions."
"I got it."
Leopold entered his office and found a freshly brewed coffee on the desk. He touched the cup's edge, finding the temperature just right. Picking it up, he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, but after just one sip, he turned and put it down, not touching it again.
Despite all the practice, it still wasn't as good as the coffee Camilla made. Same coffee beans, same machine, even the same cups. Why did it taste different? A year had passed, and Leopold still hadn't gotten used to Camilla's absence. Everything just felt wrong. Thinking of this, Leopold couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "Come in."
John entered with breakfast, set it down, and quietly left.
Leopold had no appetite, but he forced himself to eat a little. He spent the entire morning in meetings or reviewing reports and signing documents, day after day, like a machine. It had always been this way, but at least he used to have a home to return to. Now, the villa felt empty because the person who used to wait for him was no longer there.
In the afternoon, Leopold grabbed his coat, ready to head to the golf course. Just then, John walked in, looking a bit excited. "Mr. Wipere, Ms. ..."
"Book a table at the hotel. We'll go there after the game," Leopold interrupted him, instructing.
John paused. "Understood. Mr. Wipere..."
But before he could finish, Leopold said, "Mr. Graves prefers light flavors and doesn't eat seafood. Keep that in mind when ordering."
"Got it."
Leopold had already put on his suit jacket and suddenly looked up. "What were you trying to say earlier?"
"Ms. Learmond is outside right now." This time, he finally got it out!
"Ms. Learmond? Who?" Leopold didn't react immediately.
"Camilla!" John was almost frantic.
When he couldn't see her, he thought about her constantly. Now that she was here, he seemed indifferent, but he just couldn't believe it.
"What did you say!"
John repeated, "Camilla is outside right now. Do you want to invite her in?"
"Sure!" Leopold finally confirmed he wasn't hearing things.
Even when they were dating, Camilla rarely came to the office. So, every time Leopold used overtime as an excuse to go out, he could get away with it.
"Go invite her in!"
John replied, "Got it! I'll..."
"Forget it, I'll go myself."
Camilla stood by John's desk, near the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window. She walked over, gazed at the bustling traffic below, and took in the busy commercial street lined with high-end office buildings. In the distance, the river glimmered under the sunlight. What a prosperous place!
When the company first started, there was no funding or connections. The office was in a modest two-bedroom apartment above their basement. Besides Leopold, there were only five technical employees.
With no money to hire for other positions, Camilla handled all the administrative work herself. She worked tirelessly, taking the bus to save money and cooking her own meals. Despite the hardships, she was full of passion.
Everyone felt sorry for her giving up her postgraduate studies, so she was determined to prove that her choice was the right one. Although she didn't achieve academic success, she found a reliable partner and a thriving career, looking forward to a happy family and children in the future.
Leopold was also very driven during those two years, dedicating himself entirely to work, getting up early and staying up late. On rare days off, he would take Camilla out and was so attuned to her emotions that he would immediately notice and respond to any change.
But in its third year, the startup grew rapidly, moving from an apartment to a suburban house, then to an old office building, and finally to its current location before going public. Camilla rarely visited afterward, to Leopold's relief, as he found her disruptive.
She remembered bringing him food, only for him to dismissively refuse, saying she worried too much and should spend her free time shopping or chatting with friends.
For the first time, Camilla realized that her plans for herself were completely different from the role Leopold had envisioned for her. She wanted to be a tree standing beside him, facing the storms together; Leopold wanted her to be a flower, weakly blooming under the tree's shade, always obedient and dependent.
After that, she no longer got involved in company affairs. Of course, the company didn't need her anymore. There was plenty of money to hire more professional people for other positions.
Following that, Leopold got busier, flying all over the world, gone for weeks at a time.
When he finally had some free time, he was either organizing golf games to meet new people or hanging out with Marcus, Oliver, and Simon for drinks and cards.
In countless nights waiting for Leopold to come home alone, Camilla couldn't help but recall the early startup days.
She felt that the current Leopold was increasingly different from the one in her memory.
Camilla stared at one spot, her thoughts drifting far away, until Leopold called her. "Camilla!"
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