Thankfully, there was a hospital close by. Leonardo, with utmost care, placed Sylvia on the hospital bed as several nurses rushed to his aid which seemed useless. He frowned as his eyes glanced on the little cut on her upper lips which already had a purplish stain. Her eyes were sunken with grey patches and her neck was stained with blood and dust.
Leonardo's knuckles grew white in anger as he folded his fingers to a ball; thinking of who might want to hurt that beautiful, frail woman. He finally sighed as he watched the nurses move her through the hall way.
A female doctor hurriedly walked past them, he halted her by grabbing her wrist and they exchanged an inaudible conversation.
Andrew watched his boss from behind, wondering what he was telling the doctor. Leonardo strolled towards him.
"Leo," Andrew gently called.
"Yes?" he responded, fixing his studying eyes on this strange woman.
Andrew's eyes strolled to Leonardo's hands. "What did you tell the doctor? "
"Not important enough for you to know." He massaged his knuckles.
Andrew only nodded, as if this was not the first time they have had this kind of conversation.
Leonardo finally looked at him and then shifted back to the door the nurses went through, dragging the bed with speed. "Andrew. Do me a favour. "
Andrew smiled, knowing what he wants to ask. "No. I'm not doing it for you."
"Oh well…" Leo smiled inwardly, "You know I'm still your boss, right?"
That made Andrew's eyes roll backwards. "You just met her. Why do you need to research on her?"
He shrugged. "Because I can do anything I want to do."
"Leonardo, this–"
Leonardo let out an exasperated sigh and said, "Are you going to do it or not?"
Andrew wanted to refuse, but he knew how Leo acted when he wanted to get something. "You will find the report tomorrow–"
"No." he cut in. "I want it today; specifically this evening."
"Noted." Andrew didn't like this. Whether Leonardo knew or not, he didn't let on.
Leonardo curved a broad smile, smacking Andrew's left shoulder, leaving the hospital behind as he began, walking towards the car. Leonardo's phone began to ring which caused a frown to scar his face. He answered the call.
"Where are you?" an annoyed voice questioned from the other end phone. "We are all waiting for–"
"Something came up, Mr Langley," he uttered, studying his wristwatch. "I'll be there in the next twenty minutes."
Leonardo heard a long sigh before the caller said, "Don't forget what you promised your fath–"
"Mr Langley," he asserted. "See you soon." And he ended the call.
Andrew sighed, leaning on the car. "You know… you don't have to go if it will cause more problems."
"You know why I have to go. I'm wishing I never promised my father to do any of this. Come on, let's go." he said, opening the passenger's seat.
Leonardo Mattishall Duncan found by his father when he turned 15: the same year his mother died. He never found a reasonable answer as to why his father trained him secretly, away from the eyes of the remaining Duncan family.
Today, he would be meeting them for the first time; thankfully Langley, his father's lawyer, had informed the rest of the Duncan family they had an illegitimate son that will be part of the meeting today. Leonardo had promised his father he would go for the reading of the will on his death bed, and he didn't plan on breaking it.
"Smile, please. You look like you are about to make a deal with the devil," Andrew chimed, flexing his fingers on the wheel.
He glared, rearranging his dark blue suit that matched his shoe. "Eyes on the road. I don't want to meet my father anytime soon."
"Thought you liked him," Andrew said, raising his brows.
Leonardo rested back, and stared through the windows, counting the passing cars, maybe, just maybe trying to tone down the anxiety that kept crawling back up.
The mansion was located at the mountain side of the town, like an isolated town hidden in the belly of rocks. It looked exactly how his father said it would; huge, plain, and… sad. The glass on the second and third floor added a little substance to the building, same as the twin pillars that stood tall, opening at the black and white tiled entrance.
"Ok… I would have said 'wow', but it will come out as boring as the house," Andrew mocked, packing the car beside the fleet of other cars.
That caused Leonardo to break a smile. "This is an important meeting–"
"To you or your father?"
Leonardo sucked his breath. "It doesn't matter, just try to keep your sarcasm in check."
"I'll try my best, boss," he said in a sing-song manner.
The walk-through was so silent everyone will hear a pin drop. It led them to a huge room that held the people that had caused his anxiety.
"Hmm." a young man sitting close to an middle aged woman dragged his eyes on Leonardo, sizing him up. "For first time impressions, you sure know how to ruin it." the woman beside him chuckled, before sending a glare at Leonardo.
Leonardo cocked his head. "You should be Jonathan-"
"The first and only son of Ericsson Duncan. Glad my father told you about me–"
He smiled. "Not good things, I'm afraid."
Langley sighed and dressed his glasses for the umpteenth time in the last hour. "Sit down, Leonardo. We couldn't wait for you so we read part of the will that didn't concern you."
"None of this concerns him!" the woman finally said, gritting her teeth. Leonardo wanted to tell the woman who was obviously his stepmother that he agreed with what she had said, but he decided against the idea immediately.
Andrew stood behind where Leonardo sat, instinctively placing a hand on one of his shoulder.
"Still, it was Mr Duncan's wish for Leonardo to be here for the reading of the will," Langley pressed.
When no one bothered to say another word, Langley grabbed the document that laid on the table and adjusted his glasses again. He began.
"According to the words of will of Late Ericsson Thompson Duncan; the position of the new CEO of Silver Wares Duncan International will be given to his son…"
Leonardo caught a smug smile on Jonathan's face, sizing him up again with mockery in his eyes. Leonardo reigned in the wish to roll his eyes. He'd learnt that arrogance ran in the family and the two people who had a claim on the property were exceptional at taunting others. He refocused his attention on Langley.
"Leonardo Mattishall Duncan," Mr Langley finally completed, taking a long deep breath.
Leonardo was too stunned to speak.
What?! His father made him CEO of his company? How? Why? How was he going to manage his own company he had built for himself and his father's own at the same time?
"Leonardo. Are you-" Andrew had begun to ask when Jonathan jerked on his feet.
"What?! Him?" pointing his finger towards Leonardo. "Ha! How much did he pay you?"
"Excuse me? Are you trying to insinuate–"
The swirling thoughts in his mind drowned the argument as they clawed at him, causing him not to hear the number. Not even Andrew's had reached him.
"Goddammit! Leonardo!" Andrew never called his name in full. Leonardo looked at him with bare eyes. "Answer your phone. Let's leave this place."
Leonardo furrowed his brows before his eyes widened at the message that appeared. "Sir. Your wife is awake."
He'd felt like it when he woke up that morning. But now, Leonardo was certain he didn't like the day one bit.