Chapter 277 Do You Still Remember?
After two consecutive days of winter rain, Saturday finally saw a break in the downpour. The temperature in the Imperial City plummeted, leaving behind the sweltering summer for biting cold and piercing winds.
When Camilla went out, she wrapped herself in a cotton coat, put on a hat and scarf, bundling herself up tightly.
In such cold weather, Leopold parked across the street at the alley entrance and waited downstairs by the building. Passersby couldn't help but take a second look at him, yet he remained indifferent, his eyes intently fixed on the building's exit.
As Sebastian headed to the lab and stepped out of the building, he saw Leopold, who noticed him too. Their eyes met, filled with mutual hostility.
Sebastian's impression of Leopold was even worse than that of Marcus, especially recalling what Leopold did to Camilla at the villa.
His gaze darkened as he said. "Mr. Wipere, did you just arrive this morning, or did you stay overnight?"
Leopold sneered and said slowly, "It doesn't matter. Camilla agreed to go out with me today."
Sebastian was initially in disbelief, but then he thought about Camilla's recent lab work and wondered if there was a connection. He suppressed his thoughts, his expression unchanged. "Since Camilla agreed to meet you, she must have her own reasons. But you must have dignity.
Leopold's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"Respect women and don't do anything against their will. That's the basic conduct and decency of a man. Take care of yourself."
Sebastian walked past Leopold towards the alley entrance, his steps steady and demeanor calm. Out of sight, his fists slowly clenched, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
Seeing Leopold downstairs, Camilla was stunned. In his jeans and striped jacket, with soft hair over his brows, he looked youthful and sunny.
For a moment, she saw the old Leopold, the spirited young man with pure, passionate eyes who once made her believe their relationship would never change. But reality reminded her that nothing was eternal.
"What do we do next?" Camilla got straight to the point with a businesslike tone, as if completing a task.
A trace of sadness flashed in Leopold's eyes, but he quickly smiled again. "Let's get in the car first."
They walked across the street, and Leopold personally opened the passenger door for her. "Watch your head."
Camilla bent down and got in. Then he walked around to the driver's seat, sat down, and started the engine. "Do you remember our first date?"
Camilla said nothing.
Leopold's eyes showed a hint of nostalgia as he continued, "It was at that coffee shop around the corner. I bought flowers and a cake, and we agreed to meet at 2 PM. But I waited until 3 PM, and you still didn't show up. You didn't answer your phone either."
At 4 PM, Camilla finally arrived. She was still wearing a white lab coat, apologizing repeatedly, "I'm sorry. I was in the lab today and couldn't bring my phone, and then I forgot about our date."
At that time, they had just started dating, and it was clear Camilla wasn't used to having a boyfriend yet.
Leopold was initially furious, but Camilla's remorseful look and repeated apologies quickly dissolved his anger.
"You were too busy. After that, whenever we went out, I was almost always the one to arrive first, order the food, and wait for you. The longest wait was when Aurora took you to an academic seminar. The organizers changed the schedule last minute, causing a two-hour delay. By the time you arrived, the restaurant was about to close."
Camilla still showed no expression, but her eyes flickered. That was their first argument. It ended with Leopold being the first to apologize and make peace.
"Another time, you and Aurora went to another city to collect samples. You left without telling me, and I foolishly waited at the school gate all morning without seeing you..."
Leopold said a lot, but Camilla remained silent.
"Camilla, do you remember any of this?"
"The past is a bit fuzzy for me."
Leopold wasn't discouraged by her cold attitude; instead, he smiled. "It's okay. You'll remember."
How could personal experiences be so easily forgotten? She was just pretending to forget, unwilling to admit it.
Thirty minutes later, the car stopped at a winery in the suburbs.
Leopold extended his hand. "Come on, Camilla. Let's get out."
Camilla ignored him and got out of the car on her own.
Leopold smiled as he looked at the winery. "Do you remember this place?"
This winery was actually a wine cellar, which Leopold won from Simon in a card game.
Leopold loved lively places and wasn't interested in vacations. If he had free time, he'd rather have a drink or play cards with Oliver and the others than come to such a remote place.
But Camilla fell in love with it at first sight. Away from the city's hustle and bustle, even the wind carried a sense of freedom. Opening the door, one could see mountains and a clear stream with fish swimming in it. The only pity was the neglected garden, where overgrown flower beds showed the signs of the owner's absence.
During the summer of her senior year, while Leopold was abroad for a month, Camilla decided to stay there alone for over half that time.
During that time, while picking wild vegetables, her phone accidentally fell into the stream and was ruined. She didn't want to make a special trip to the city to buy a phone, so she ordered one online.
The delivery was supposed to arrive the next day, but due to heavy rain and a landslide, it was delayed, and she had to wait two more days to get her phone.
During those four days without a phone, Leopold couldn't reach her and almost went crazy. When Camilla got her phone and immediately tried to call and message him to explain and calm him down, but he ignored her attempts.
Camilla felt baffled. She had explained it wasn't intentional, and Leopold had mentioned staying abroad for another half month. She had no objections and was enjoying her time at the winery, feeling free and at ease.
She didn't realize that Leopold wasn't planning to let this slide easily.
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