Chapter 442 Who is Leo?
"Alright, you're pregnant now. You should be eating some nutritious food."
Though Dione still wasn't very friendly towards Juniper, her tone softened a bit. She glanced at Juniper's slightly rounded belly before calling for the housekeeper.
"Violette."
A middle-aged woman named Violette responded promptly, walking over to Dione with a smile. "What can I do for you, Mrs. Hall?"
Dione, looking somewhat reluctant but resigned, instructed Violette, "Go buy a chicken and make your best chicken soup for her. She's carrying Samuel's child and needs proper nutrition."
Violette was well aware of the tension between Juniper and Dione. She often felt sorry for Juniper but knew her place as an outsider. After Dione's instructions, Violette's gaze briefly rested on Juniper before she nodded, took off her apron, and prepared to head out.
Dione exhaled and scrutinized Juniper for a moment, her eyes lingering on her belly.
"You're carrying Samuel's child now. Because you got a doctor for our Samuel, I won't say much. From now on, you need to take good care of yourself and aim to give the Hall family a boy. Samuel is our only son, and we can't let the family line end with him."
End the family line?
In the past, Juniper would have retorted, pointing out how modern society is and that there's no throne to inherit. But because of Samuel, she felt guilty towards the Hall family and held her tongue.
Unfortunately, Madeline overheard Dione's comment.
Madeline, already unhappy with how Juniper was treated by the Hall family, couldn't stand hearing Dione's insistence on having a boy. She quickly stepped forward, pulling Juniper behind her and frowning at Dione.
"What are you talking about? At your age, you should know better. Haven't you watched TV? Boys and girls are the same. How can you expect Juniper to decide that? What if it's Samuel's genes that determine they can only have a girl? Are you going to blame Juniper for that?"
Madeline, who rarely argued with anyone, found herself in a heated exchange with Dione. Dione, taken aback by Madeline's protective stance, turned pale with anger and pointed at her.
"I only have one son, Samuel. Now he's in the hospital because of Juniper. If she can't give us a boy, what will happen to the Hall family? Is it wrong to want a boy to carry on the family traditions? Is it?"
"Do you even hear yourself? You're supposed to be educated. Haven't you heard of science? You're stuck in the past."
The argument escalated, with both mothers fiercely defending their children. Juniper, standing by, felt a headache coming on and eventually walked away, unable to mediate.
Meanwhile, in a hotel in Parislia...
Besides Margaret, Susan had also arrived in Parislia. She was a regular at the annual design competition, and this year, hearing that Leo would participate, she decided to come despite her initial reluctance.
Susan was determined to see who this Leo was, the one who had bested her. She arrived a month early to gather inspiration and refine her designs, aiming to reclaim her top spot and show Leo what she was made of.
During this time, Susan split her efforts between gathering inspiration, working in the studio, and trying to uncover Leo's identity.
"Any news?" Susan answered the phone, speaking quickly.
Hearing a negative response, she frowned and snapped, "If you can't find anything, why are you calling me? Keep looking. I don't care if you have to dig up the earth, find this person."
Still nothing. Despite all this time, her people hadn't found a trace of Leo, as if he had appeared out of thin air.
She refused to believe someone could hide so well.
After hanging up, Susan looked at her design drafts, feeling a mix of frustration and jealousy. She threw her pen down and leaned back in her chair, exhaling deeply.
She was jealous of Leo for taking her place.
Moreover, she had discovered that Leo never revealed his identity at these competitions, even having someone else accept his awards. This mystery only fueled her determination.
The sound of high heels echoed in the hallway.
Mia, standing outside, easily found Susan's studio. She knocked on the door.
"Come in," Susan's tired and impatient voice called out. She rubbed her temples and tried to sit up straight.
Mia entered, glanced at Susan, and walked over, extending a hand in a friendly gesture.
"Ms. Lewis, hello, I'm Anna."
Susan, usually cautious with strangers, eyed Mia's outstretched hand warily. This woman was unfamiliar to her.
"And you are?"
"Who I am isn't important. What's important is that I know who you're looking for. I know who Leo is."
Mia had Susan's attention. She knew Margaret well enough to leverage this information.
Sure enough, Susan's eyes lit up at the mention of Leo, mixed with surprise. "You know him?"
"I know her very well."
Mia's eyes flashed with coldness as she spoke. She pulled out a chair and sat down next to Susan.
"I know you used to be the top in these international design competitions. Now, because of Leo, you're not. But don't worry, I know who she is, and I can help you."
Susan, though eager to know Leo's identity, was wary of Mia's sudden offer. What did this stranger want?
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