Chapter 114

Looking at the empty skincare bottles on the sink, Agnes felt a deep pang of frustration. She bit her lip and barely held back her emotions when she saw Jake suddenly throw himself into Lydia's arms, crying.

Those skincare products were expensive. When she bought them, it felt like she was spending a fortune. Before she could even enjoy them, they were destroyed, all because of the mischievous Jake!

Lydia gently patted Jake and, before Agnes could speak, said softly, "Aunt Agnes, it's just a few bottles of skincare products. Why be so harsh on Jake?"

A few bottles of skincare products? They were worth tens of thousands of dollars! Every dollar was earned through Leopold's hard work. And they were all ruined by Jake!

Agnes couldn't hold back any longer. Her eyes reddened, and she took a deep breath, instructing Lydia in a stiff tone, "Call his mother."

Her voice was not loud, but the intensity of her emotions was unmistakable.

"Call her for what?" Lydia asked, puzzled.

"Tell her what her son did! How could she raise him to be so careless? Shouldn't she apologize and offer to replace what he ruined?" Agnes's voice grew louder as she spoke.

Lydia looked at Agnes in surprise. "Agnes, it's just a few skincare products. Aren't you overreacting a bit?"

Agnes insisted, "Yes, they are just skincare products, but they were a gift from Leopold! I cherished them, and now they're ruined. Shouldn't Jake's parents take responsibility and apologize?"

Lydia glanced helplessly at Leopold, who stood quietly by Agnes's side.

Teresa also stood by, observing the unfolding drama.

Seeing no support, Lydia spoke softly, "Agnes, please don't be upset. I'll replace the products for you. Let's not make a big deal out of this, okay?"

"Replace them? That's not the point," Agnes retorted. "I want an apology. Jake's parents should be informed."

Turning to Teresa, Agnes said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mom. I'll clean this up first."

Teresa smiled gently. "Agnes, leave them to the servants."

Leopold pulled the tearful Agnes. "Let's step out."

Reluctantly, Agnes followed Leopold out of the bathroom, her head bowed.

Leopold took Agnes to the walk-in closet, closed the door, and wiped away her falling tears. "Why are you crying? It's just a few bottles of cosmetics."

The more Agnes thought about it, the more heartbroken she felt. She said angrily, "Those cosmetics are from a brand I've always wanted but couldn't afford. If it weren't for using your card, I might never have been able to enjoy them. I finally bought them, and now they've been ruined. That's tens of thousands of dollars!"

"It's nothing. Don't cry. If you really like them, I'll have someone buy you more sets," Leopold said.

Agnes wiped her tears and glared at Leopold. "So what if it's tens of thousands of dollars? That's your hard-earned money! Why waste it like this? You might have to work overtime and entertain clients for those tens of thousands of dollars! And Jake's indifferent attitude, how can I not mind?"

If Jake hadn't deliberately destroyed her skincare products today, she might have been heartbroken but wouldn't have made a big deal out of it. But the fact was, Jake not only didn't apologize but even threw things at her.

In the past, she would have directly disciplined Jake!

Leopold understood that Agnes was both heartbroken for him and upset with Jake's attitude. "Okay, don't cry. You know, tens of thousands of dollars really don't mean much to me, so don't be too sad. Change your clothes first, and I'll have Lydia inform his parents, okay?"

He wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with his thumb and gently kissed her forehead.

Even a single tear from his Agnes was enough to make his heart ache.

Agnes nodded slightly. "What about Mom?" She looked at Leopold with red eyes, anxious.

Leopold shook his head to reassure her, "No worries, go change."

Agnes composed herself and, after Leopold left the room, found a clean pair of pants to change into.

Outside, Leopold was examining Agnes's neatly arranged vanity. He knew that before it was messed up, everything had been meticulously organized by Agnes.

This morning, while using her skincare products, Agnes joked, "Marrying you is so great. I can have whatever I want. I bought so many of the cosmetics I've been dreaming of for years. Leopold, I need to treat you well, or you might leave me one day, and then who will buy me these?"

After applying layer after layer on her face, she couldn't help but look at each bottle again before carefully putting them back.

Leopold smiled helplessly. "These aren't even top-tier brands, and you cherish them so much?"

Was she too easily satisfied?

Agnes, holding a newly opened face cream, replied happily, "To me, these are the best! Because you gave them to me."

Thinking of this, Leopold couldn't help but smile.

He took out his phone and called Kevin, "Get the list of skincare products Agnes bought last time at Sunrise International Shopping Mall. Send over several more sets of each item."

"Yes, Mr. Neville," Kevin replied.

"Also, have the company contact top international brands to customize an exclusive line of cosmetics for Agnes as soon as possible," Leopold added.

As Agnes came out of the walk-in closet, Leopold had just hung up the phone. Seeing her, he extended a hand towards her.

She placed her hand in his palm, their fingers interlocking, his large hand enveloping her small one.

As they descended the stairs, Agnes couldn't help but mutter, "Was I too harsh just now? After all, he's only four or five years old."

Leopold glanced at her and said frankly, "Given your temper, I'm surprised you didn't spank him! Letting him apologize is nothing."

Agnes fell silent. She tugged at Leopold, stopping him. "Do you think I have a bad temper?"

Leopold's lips curved into a slight smile, full of what could only be described as survival instinct. "Whether good or bad, that's not the point. The point is, you are my beloved Agnes."

Agnes was amused, her gloom lifting. "That's more like it. Fine, I won't hold it against Jake!"

Leopold looked at her indulgently. "You're so easy to talk to!"

"Mom is here too. If she thinks I'm petty and doesn't like me, that would be a big loss!" Between tens of thousands of dollars and a loving relationship with Teresa, she would naturally choose the latter.

"She won't think that," Leopold reassured her.

As they came downstairs, Teresa was chatting with Lydia. The troublemaker Jake was eating the snacks Agnes had bought, watching TV as if nothing had happened.

"Agnes, you've changed your clothes? Come sit!" Teresa patted the seat next to her, signaling her to come over.

Seeing Teresa's usual expression, Agnes's tension eased a bit.

She didn't want to bring up the earlier incident, but after Leopold sat down, he asked Lydia, "How long will it take?"

Lydia was momentarily confused. "What?"

Leopold glanced at Jake, who was engrossed in the cartoon, without saying a word.

Lydia understood then, her face a bit embarrassed. "I haven't called yet, Leopold. It's just a few thousand dollars' worth of stuff. Can't we just let it go?"

She tried to plead for Jake, also for the sake of face. Among friends, the four young masters of Lumina City had always been protective of her.

Unexpectedly, Leopold's face darkened, his tone slightly impatient. "Call now!"

Lydia didn't expect Leopold to be angry, her face awkward. She had no choice but to take out her phone from her bag and nervously started dialing.

Hearing this, Agnes looked at Leopold in confusion. "Didn't we say we wouldn't hold it against him?"

Leopold raised an eyebrow at her. "You said you wouldn't. I didn't say I wouldn't."

How could he let a child bully Agnes? He would never let that kid go, especially since he was a poorly behaved brat!

Agnes fell silent.

Teresa, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, "Agnes, you should listen to Leopold on this. A child like Jake, if not properly disciplined, will cause big trouble in the future!"

Teresa's straightforward words made Lydia, who had brought Jake, look embarrassed.

She held her phone, almost fleeing to the balcony, dialing Jake's mother's number. "Jake caused some trouble. You need to come to Tranquil Haven Estates."

The other party said something, and Lydia hesitated for a moment. "You really need to come. This time he upset Leopold. If I had known, I wouldn't have brought him."

Hearing this, Jake's mother immediately interrupted her meeting and drove over.

In the meantime, Jake threw a tantrum because the servant told him he couldn't have more snacks. No one could calm him down, and his crying filled the living room, giving Agnes a headache.

Jake's mother hadn't arrived yet, and Lydia couldn't leave with Jake. She didn't know how to soothe the child, so she could only watch as the servants tried their best to comfort him.

Even the usually patient Teresa couldn't hide her displeasure.

Leopold's face darkened further. Seeing Agnes rubbing her temples, he stood up, grabbed Jake by the arm, and led him firmly to the door.

Teresa and Lydia exclaimed, "Leopold!"

"Leopold!"

Agnes looked up and saw this scene, then stood up. Leopold had already opened the villa door and sternly escorted Jake outside, ignoring his protests, and then closed the door firmly.

Lydia wanted to open the door but was stopped by Leopold. "Leave him out there for a bit."

Leopold's expression was stern, and Lydia didn't dare to plead, anxiously looking to Teresa for help. "Ms. Thorne."

Teresa couldn't guarantee her words would be effective, so she looked at Agnes.

Agnes felt Teresa's gaze, slightly surprised. Was Teresa asking her to persuade Leopold? Teresa seemed to understand her thoughts and nodded affirmatively. 

Agnes took a deep breath and held Leopold's hand. "He's a mischievous kid, but it's not our place to discipline him. His mother will be here soon. It won't look good if she finds Jake outside in the snow."

Leopold remained unmoved. "I don't care! If she can't discipline her own child, I don't mind helping her do it!"