Chapter 583 Silent Witness
Leonard kept his composure, offering a smile, "It's Ashford under investigation, not me. My only fault lies in failing to keep my team in line. Mr. Windsor's actions barely affect me."
"If the impact is so negligible, why bother with the small talk? I have no interest in chit-chatting with you."
Oliver's gentlemanly act vanished in an instant, his frosty demeanor stopping just short of telling Leonard to get lost on the spot.
"I just didn't anticipate Mr. Windsor having connections with the Foster family," Leonard said through gritted teeth, if one listened closely.
"That's enough," Oliver dismissed with a wave of his hand, "Time for you to leave."
Only then did Leonard's expression falter, "Mr. Windsor, this issue arose from Ashford's end—I admit that freely. I'm counting on your favor in the future."
Natalie looked down, noticing the cold emptiness in Leonard's eyes.
Leonard's underlying message was clear—he admitted his plan was not thorough enough by saying "Ashford's people messed up." His "nothing to say" was an admission of defeat to Oliver in this confrontation, but it was not the end for him, hence "counting on your favor in the future."
"Does he have a grudge against you?" Natalie asked Oliver once Leonard was out of earshot, "His attitude towards you seemed strange."
Oliver idly stirred a bowl of porridge, quickly losing interest and setting aside the spoon in disgust, clearly unsatisfied with anything not cooked by Natalie.
His sour mood spilled into his words: "Just a lunatic, so it's normal for him to act strange."
Natalie didn't know what to say; after all, that's how he had once described another troublesome individual——Samuel.
Leonard took a seat at a table where Susan was dining, ordering bacon and pancakes, which he had seen Natalie enjoying earlier.
Leonard began curtly after she probed him, not deigning to give her a second glance. He sat back, closing his eyes to rest while he waited patiently for his order.
Susan's voice carried a mocking laughter, "I know you don't want to admit it—you never do. But you must like Natalie. Why else would you compliment her? And why else would you rush to see her first thing in the morning if not for affection?"
As the waiter shuffled over with the meal tray, he couldn't help but catch the tail end of a shocking revelation. It was as if a juicy piece of gossip had just dropped out of the sky, too delicious to ignore.
But this particular piece of gossip seemed a bit too treacherous to indulge in, so the waiter hastily set down the meals and scooted away.
Susan's piercing gaze lingered on the retreating waiter, wondering just how much he had overheard from her candid admission.
"What's the matter, thinking about silencing the witness?" Leonard teased, and popped a pancake into his mouth, savoring the taste.
At the mention of "silence," Susan's face twitched. She indeed considered shutting someone up, but she would never dare to contemplate an actual murder – at most, it would be intimidation or using someone else's hand.
Yet, Leonard's casual jest made her threats seem as trivial as child’s play.
"I'm only speaking the truth," Susan huffed coldly. "Don't you forget, Leonard, no matter what, Natalie is Oliver’s woman, and I'm your fiancée."
"Fiancée?" Leonard put down his chopsticks and arched an eyebrow. "And what about my fiancée, as you sleep with me, eh?"
"You...!" Susan was appalled that Leonard would speak so crudely, and in public no less!
She quickly scanned the room to ensure no one heard their conversation and breathed a sigh of relief.
Leonard chuckled heartily. "Miss Susan, do you ever watch TV dramas?"
Her anger mixed with confusion, Susan glared at him, not understanding why he’d suddenly brought up television.
"You're like those TV drama villains who always look around nervously after doing something bad, terrified of getting caught." And to add insult to injury, such villains are both poisonous and dumb.
"Leonard!" Susan snapped, "Don’t forget, you need my family's backing to succeed in Ashford!"
Leonard couldn't be bothered to continue the conversation with this woman.
He had originally partnered with Susan for her resilience and ambition, but he had severely underestimated her capacity for pettiness and folly. Her presence alone was enough to spoil his appetite.
He, Leonard, needing the support of the Hastings family? How laughable that she believed every word he said. He was only using her entanglement with Oliver as a means and cover for his own plans.
The next stop was in a different city, a place with a hot and rainforest-like climate, requiring several hours by car.
This time, they had a professional driver. Oliver and Natalie sat in the middle of the seven-seater SUV, with two bodyguards at the back and another in the passenger seat.
For a power couple or those in a high-profile romance, three bodyguards were the standard entourage. But beyond that, there was a squad of covert protectors responsible for Natalie and Oliver's safety, and even their driver had been silently switched to one of Oliver's trusted guys.
"Oliver, can you fill me in now?" Natalie asked, recognizing the bodyguards once they were in the car, surrounded by familiar faces.
"Fill you in on what?"
She wasn't sure if he was feigning ignorance or truly clueless; her patience prevailing, she pressed on, "You didn't finish what you were saying this morning. How did you resolve what happened yesterday? And what was Leonard trying to say with his comments earlier?"
"Can't you live a simpler life, Miss Watson? The less you know, the less you worry."
Oliver secretly hoped Natalie would keep out of these affairs, much like she didn't want to drag Lucas into the fray. Better to keep her sheltered, the bothersome details beyond her concern.
"That's just plainly foolish!" Natalie retorted with a roll of her eyes.
Oliver had no choice; he explained, "After the syringe was handed over to the cops, it led to the discovery of an illegal trafficking chain that eventually traced back to someone from the Ashford clan."
"Ashford?" Natalie frowned. "But Leonard doesn't seem affected."
"He's quick on his feet, found a scapegoat, and cleared his own name neatly," Oliver said calmly. "As for that chain, it wasn't really Leonard's doing; it was the work of a distant Ashford relative. He knew about it but turned a blind eye."
Natalie pieced it together quickly. "He didn't get involved, but that didn't stop the profits from flowing into Ashford's pockets."
Oliver nodded in approval; that was indeed the case.
"Of course, it's not entirely without effect on Leonard." If it had been, he wouldn't have acted. Even a scapegoat could damage Leonard's image.
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