Leonhart raised his eyebrows when he heard the voice. His steps slowed, and he looked at Leonard from the side. "You did what you have learned!"
"Aren't you going to be angry at me?"
Leonard was taken aback as he continued to stare at his father's smiling expression.
His mother was right, he did act at this banquet without anyone's consent.
While the results were satisfactory, this scandal would also embarrass the Adler family to some extent.
However, he felt that he had both won and lost the battle.
Leonhart raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes at him with a smile. "Do I look angry?"
Leonard pursed his lips and replied in a friendly manner. "Of course not!"
"Huh!" Leonhart stared at him blankly, then stood by the window.
The night outside the window was thick, and a light breeze blew the tufts of curtains overhead.
There was silence for a while before Leonhart sighed softly and said, "Since you two have already announced it, choose a day and register the marriage certificate first."
These words made Leonard's eyes suddenly light up. He said spontaneously, "Tomorrow then!"
Hearing his voice, Leonhart turned and looked at him. "When you are doing other things, why have I never seen you so excited?"
"Other things can be done at any time, but finding a good wife is hard!"
Leonard said confidently, while Leonhart almost laughed angrily.
He shook his head helplessly. "Now it's all up to you. Melissa, you were busy all night too, go to the side hall to eat. I still have something to discuss with Leonard."
"Okay, then I'll go there first."
Mellisa stood up without hesitation. Only after two steps did Leonard say to her, "Don't eat greasy food and eat slowly. I'll pick you up after I'm done talking."
"Yes," Mellisa smiled back at him, nodded to Leonhart, and left the hall.
The door closed, but Leonard didn't look back.
Leonhart put his hand in his pocket and looked at him. "You got cigarettes?"
Leonard turned his head and looked surprised. "Yes!"
His father's habit of smoking started again.
Leonard didn't say much, he took out a cigarette case from his trouser pocket, got up and handed one to his father.
The father and son were standing by the window, and the smoke quickly spread everywhere.
In that lonely night, Leonard looked at the man beside him.
Somehow, he felt that the old man seemed to be different tonight.
"Father, what are you thinking?"
Leonhart took a bite of his cigarette and exhaled white smoke, he was still looking out the window. "I'll take you to meet someone after you and Mellisa's business is done!"
Leonard asked in return, "Who?"
"You'll know when you go later!" Leonhart looked at the night sky with a deep gaze. "The person has been waiting for you."
His tone was slightly melancholy, which made Leonard very confused.
He had never seen so much sadness in the face of the old man.
But he seemed didn't want to say more, and Leonard didn't ask for details.
After a while, he remembered one more thing. "Before this banquet, did you talk to Jean?"
"Well, we only had a few cups of tea."
Leonard narrowed his eyes. "Is that all?"
Leonhart narrowed his eyes at him. "What do you want to ask?"
"I have a lot of questions, but I doubt you will answer!" Leonard had always known that his father liked Jean very much.
Even though tonight's banquet was the result of his desperate gamble, there must be some hidden arrangement from the old man.
Otherwise, with Leonhart's strong control over the Adler family, his father could ruin the whole arrangement in a matter of minutes.
At this moment, Leonhart was surrounded by a thin layer of cigarette smoke.
He looked at Leonard, exhaled the smoke, and said, "You don't need to know what I was talking about with that friend of yours. But as your father, I want to warn you never to be his enemy in this life."
Leonard pursed his lips while biting his cigarette, he grumbled with a smile. "I know."
"Well, if you understand it in your heart then good. As for the matter between you and Mellisa, I might not have told you at first. Since the first day she entered our family home, I have sent someone to investigate."
Suddenly, Leonard choked on the smoke in his mouth.
Sure enough, his father knew everything!
Leonhart squeezed the cigarette butt in his hand, and his tone became quite deep. "Although I have investigated her, except for her name, all other valid information related to her could not be found. This shouldn't be your doing, right?"
Leonhart said in a very clear tone, as if he was sure that with Leonard's current ability, he wouldn't be able to do it.
Hearing this, Leonard clicked the tip of his tongue and glanced at Leonhart's relaxed gaze. "Jean did it."
"Do you know how difficult it is to hide someone's past experiences without leaving any traces at all? And that boy can do it at his age. I am very impressed with his abilities indeed. Leonard, you should never see his young age, Jean Widjaya is way beyond you in capabilities."
Leonard glanced at him, stroking his brows sadly. "I admit it."
"Of course you do!"
Leonhart's eyes looked deeply into his face, then said, "Since you know the difference between you and him, are you going to do something about him?"
These clear guiding words made Leonard's expression turn serious. "Father, what are your arrangements?"
Seeing him humbly wanting to hear his opinion, Leonhart nodded in satisfaction. "After your business with Mellisa is over, the two of you will leave to work on the Adler family's overseas project."
"Even though you had solved today's problem cleverly and decisively, your ability to convince the public was far from enough. For that, I will continue to carry out the position of head of the family and give you three years to complete all overseas projects. At the very least, if you want to take on my current position, you will have to bring some achievements to stand above the rest of the Adler family. Got it?"
Leonard was mesmerized upon hearing the voice, then he swallowed his own saliva and raised his eyebrows. "Three years?"
"Yes!" Leonhart narrowed his eyes and inhaled his cigarette. As he exhaled a white mist, he added, "Regardless of the change in foreign industry, that should be enough for you to thrive. I did agree for you to get a marriage certificate first. But your marriage will have to wait until you take over the Patriarch position."
"Don't worry, although most overseas projects are handled by your mother, in fact, the person in charge of each project is coached by me. As long as you are there, they will follow your instructions and arrangements. With you on foreign projects, including Mellisa, it will be a great opportunity to improve your skills. I have arranged an MBA course for her at Princeton University for two years."
"Leonard, I hope you and Mellisa can use these three years to give me satisfactory results. Can you do it?"
Leonard subconsciously wanted to nod, but suddenly he remembered the condition of Mellisa's body. He hesitated for a few seconds. "Dad, I don't mind it, but Mellisa..."
"What is it? Does she not want to go?"
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