Meanwhile, Zhou Jingren and the Duke were still having a serious conversation. It was so serious that the Duke had forbidden anyone from entering the office or to even approach the office. This immediately made Leandro a little suspicious. Why would his father not allow the guards inside the study? Was there something wrong? What could be so important?
“Your highness, Mr. Zhou arrived last night and had a long conversation with the Duke. No one knows what they talked about. However, the Duke didn’t attend breakfast with everyone today. Also… the Duchess seemed to be in a very bad mood.” His right hand man, Mr. Liv Rocht whispered as the two walked towards the hall where the banquet was held.
Leandro nodded in response. It’s funny how Lily hadn’t even spent a week in this country and weird things had already started to disturb his family. “Where is mother?” Sensing the change of mood of the man walking beside him, he repeated his question. “Where is mother? Did something happen?”
“No, your highness.” Mr. Rocht shook his head. “However, the Duchess has been in a foul mood since the morning. When the First Princess arrived, she immediately brought her to her office and I believe scolded her for the things that she did to Madam Zhou.”
“Things that she did?” A line appeared in between Leandro’s brows. “Why would she do that?”
“I believe this was because of the dress.” His right hand man then started talking about what happened with Lily’s dress. That dress that Mikaela made herself but was ruined because of negligence. “I don’t have the specifics of what really happened. I also don’t know how the Duchess got ahold of the information. My guess is… it was Madam Zhou who told her herself or it was Young Princess Eliza.”
Leandro’s gaze turned sharp. Because of a dress, Mikaela who had been really good at her job in taking care of their schedules was put in a very bad light. He gritted his teeth. He had been controlling himself, trying to understand the situation. However, this was too much!
Lily was going to destroy their family if she kept on staying in this country. It was a good thing that he had already asked his wife not to get close to Lily last night.
“Your highness… your cousin, Mr. Rafa Neeson is coming our way.”
Leandro immediately turned towards the man walking their way. He smiled, all the anger that he felt just seconds ago vanished. “Rafa!”
“Your highness!” Rafa beamed. As someone who had been Leandro’s playmate since they were young, Rafa was very familiar with the palace. Thus, when he heard that Leandro went to see the Duke, he immediately went after him to greet his uncle. When he saw that Leandro was not with the Grand Duke he immediately wondered if something had happened.
Usually in banquets like this, Leandro and the Grand Duke together with the Duchess would always arrive at the same time to greet the guests.
“Did something happen?” he walked next to the prince. “Where is the Grand Duke?”
“Don’t ask.” Leandro sighed as he stopped walking and gestured for his right hand man to leave them alone.
Rafa lifted an eyebrow waiting for Leandro to say something. “You two fought?”
“What? No!”
“Is this about your current guests?”
Leandro’s lips thinned. He let out another sigh before he started walking towards the hall. “Don’t mind it.”
“Come on!”
“Just stay away from them.”
“Zhou Couple?” Rafa frowned. His grandfather, Lord Neeson who was also the Duchess’ father, specifically told him to try and get close to both Lily and Zhou Jingren. Why would his cousin tell him to stay away from them?
“Just listen to me. I believe they are a very complicated couple.” Someone who does not value a moon rock worth millions. Someone who would come in here and declare that she was not interested in the throne. Someone who was not afraid to insult the husband of a Princess. That was Lily Zhou. And to him, everything about Lily was just… complicated.
He could not understand her.
And it is always better to stay away from people who are too confusing. Leandro’s principle had always been simple. Stay close to people you like and away from the ones you hate. He does not specifically hate Lily and Zhou Jingren. However, he does not like them either.
That only left him one option. Stay away from them.
Especially now that the two were causing trouble for his family.
“You seem really angry. Do you want to get some fresh air?” he heard his cousin aske. In response Leandro nodded, silently. He was not angry. However, he could not say that Lily and Zhou Jingren’s presence made him happy either.
Alright… who was he fooling. He hated their presence. Leandro’s gut was telling him that they were only here to bring trouble to his family. What happened yesterday and today was enough for him to conclude that he was indeed right.
“Grandfather told me to establish a close relationship with Mr. Zhou.” He heard Rafa say as the two walked towards the balcony on the other end of the second floor.
“Why would grandfather say that?” Surely, his grandfather knew how chaotic their life was. Getting close to them would not do them any good. “I am telling you… they are dangerous people.”
“I know!” Rafa smiled. “But so is everyone else in this household.” He gave him a meaningful glance. “You know what I mean.”
“Business.”
Rafa nodded in response. If not for their big influence in both Europe and Asia, his grandfather would not have asked him to make them feel welcome in this country.
“I understand.” Unlike him, Rafa had been very playful in both his career and life. The old man might be trying to get Rafa to learn a thing or two from the couple. Leandro let out a sigh.
Lily and Zhou Jingren are considered a power couple. Everyone would just levitate towards their way to establish some sort of relationship that would help them with their personal interest.
