You Need Me

Chapter 35

"Are you feeling better now?" Leon asked. They were sitting on the carpeted floor with Viola leaning her back against Leon's chest.

Viola nodded. She could see the moon through the big window at the back of the room. It was almost full moon again. Leon was eating the sandwiches she had brought.

"How is your hand? Let me see." Leon stretched out his hand.

Viola shook her head. "It's alright."

Leon took another bite of the sandwich.

"The bread crumbs are all over my hair." Viola protested.

"Sorry." Leon finished the sandwich on his hand and shook off the crumbs from her hair.

Viola brushed off his hand. She leaned forward to take the last sandwich and started eating it.

Leon watched her eating. He pondered for a while, thinking what he should do next. He had wanted to detach himself from Viola − ignoring her, making her despise him, anything to make her distance herself from him. The kidnapping incident made Leon realized that Viola still felt indebted to him, and he could not bear to see her doing stupid things like throwing her life away for him again. He had decided that he would protect her from behind without him personally being there for her. He could give her everything she wanted – a safe and comfortable place to sleep, security, the best chef he could hire, the most beautiful dress in the world, anything for her. But he knew Viola had never wanted those things. She did not like the fancy dinner the chef prepared, she did not want the expensive clothes his father bought for her, she hated the bodyguards, SHE EVEN KNOCKED BEFORE ENTERING HER OWN BEDROOM! She still did not see herself as his wife, the mistress of the house – no, it was more like she did not feel she deserved to be here. It would be easy if he could be indifferent to her emotions and ignore her feelings completely. But then, he was weak to her tears. Every time he saw her crying, he wanted to hold her, to shield her from everything that made her sad. Ever since that day.

Leon could not erase the images from his head. The scene had replayed in his mind for thousand times. The day after his father came to deliver the 'good news' about finding him a bride months ago, he had personally flown to Mir, the hometown of his so-called future wife. He visited her house which had turned into an empty damaged property smeared with sprayed graffiti, mostly cursed words, on the walls. Inside, Leon found torn down curtains, smashed furniture, broken china, shattered glass from picture frames and cabinets. He had heard the story from his father but it was nothing compared to what he was seeing with his own eyes. Leon picked up a broken photo frame from the floor. On the printed image, he could see a man in his early fifties, whom he later knew as George Ernest, his father's dear friend. His hand was holding the hand of a woman who was sitting beside him. A frail looking lady with a pair of bright emerald green eyes, a distinctive feature known of a Mir. Probably his wife, Leon had thought. Behind the couple was a young woman with wavy light brown hair and a pair of emerald eyes, hugging their shoulders and smiling brightly to the camera. Leon stared at the girl standing at the back for quite some time as if bewitched by the green eyes that was staring back at him.

Not far from where he picked up the family photo, he noticed a phone buried under a destroyed architectural model. Leon tapped on the screen, pressed any available buttons. No response. It was dead. He took it with him, making a mental note to ask Tom to send it for repair. When he was done with the house, he came out and went back to his hotel. That night, he searched for news about the mob on the internet. Apparently, there were many people who uploaded photos and videos on that day. Some went back to the day George Ernest was arrested and how his daughter was harassed by the media. Leon clicked more and a video automatically played. Wife of the accused George Ernest passed away while husband was held for fraud investigation, the title ran on top. The video showed George running to his daughter with his hands cuffed. The girl cried as if her world had collapsed entirely and she eventually passed out in her father's arms. Leon paused the video. He could not continue watching. He did not know this family yet his heart ached for them. How could they do this to the family? The girl, who looked like the happiest girl in the world on the photo he saw, was crying like... a lost child.

"Leon?"

Leon snapped back to the present. Viola was looking at him with confused expression.

"Are you alright?" The bright emerald eyes were staring at him.

"Yeah." Leon replied.

Viola had finished the sandwich. She felt hungry after crying.

"Do you want more?" Viola turned her face to Leon, carrying the empty plate on her hand.

Leon took the plate from her and ruffled her hair. "Go and clean up yourself. Let's talk after you are done."

Stepping out of the bathroom, Viola found Leon sitting on the sofa staring at the phone on his hand. Aria had brought in a pot of tea for two and was cleaning up the empty plates. She gave a quick nod to Viola and quickly disappeared from the room.

Viola took a seat across Leon and poured tea into the two cups. She passed one to Leon and took one herself to warm up her hands.

"Ms. Tellsa has been detained for questioning" Leon stated, his tone was business-like. "As for Walter Aran..." He looked at Viola for a moment before continuing. "He... is safe. It looks like he had nothing to do with the kidnapping and the assault or the accident before."

Viola opened her mouth and then closed it again. Her body shrunk back. "I... see."

"Our lawyer will make sure she spends a few years in jail." Leon added. He took a sip of his tea.

"Jail?" Viola repeated.

"What is it?" Leon sensed Viola's uneasiness.

"But... she is pregnant." Viola bit her lip as soon as she mentioned the word 'pregnant'. Her child with Walter...

"And...?" Leon asked again.

"I... I don't think we should do this." Viola placed her cup back on the coffee table. She moved to sit beside Leon. "Leon, please... let's... let's just drop the charge."

Leon was surprised. "She tried to kill you, Viola – and not just once!"

"I... I know... but... she..." Viola twisted her fingers. "I mean... it was a misunderstanding! She thought Walter and I are still together..."

"Let that be a lesson for her." Leon shrugged his shoulders.

"Leon..." Viola begged. "The unborn child is innocent. I... I don't wish to see a baby born in a prison cell because of me."

"Because of its own mother, you mean." Leon said in a matter-of-fact way.

"Leon, please?" Viola was now pulling his arm.

Leon did not answer.

"I... I'll talk to her. I don't think she is a bad person. She... she was just panicked... like me..." Her voice getting softer.

Leon frowned. He hated his helplessness when it came to the woman in front of him. He turned his body facing her. His eyes looked directly into hers.

"You know by doing this, you are giving people excuses to hurt you in the future."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"You know I may not be able to save you every time."

"I know." Viola's eyes were determined.

Leon sighed. "Whatever." He dropped his head on her shoulder.

"Leon?"

"I'm tired." Leon said. He closed his eyes. He reminded himself to return the calls made from one certain ID he had been ignoring earlier. He would call Governor Tellsa first thing tomorrow.