Chapter 1416 Confronting Dorothy (Part Three)


    "I did! I went to him some time ago, but he simply refused my offer. He was not even willing to give me


    his phone number. I''m surprised that you don''t know this, it was all over the news." Dorothy said


    dejectedly, momentarily looking so sad that someone who didn''t know her maniptive nature might


    have believed her.


    "I think he has already then given you his answer, and quite clearly so. You should forget about it, move


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    on. Why do youe to me now? Don''t you see that your efforts have caused us much trouble


    already?" Leena said grimly. She was not happy with what Dorothy had done, and made no secret of it.


    She wouldn''t have spoken such harsh words had Dorothy not disturbed their peace and threatened


    their life together.


    "I''m so sorry, I never realized that to be the effect, I just wanted to say ''thank you'' to Kevin," Dorothy


    apologized guiltily. Despite the seemingly earnest apology, she was gnashing her teeth, her nails


    digging deep into her palms. What she had truly realized now, was that she had underestimated Leena.


    She had mistaken Leena for a mere pushover, and had believed it would be a piece of cake to use her.


    But now Leena had proven herself to be a clever woman, and Dorothy knew from her tough stance on


    the issue that she would fight if her limit was challenged.


    "Never mind. d that we can talk it out. If you really are grateful to my husband, please leave us in


    peace. That would be the best reward. We all know that you are a public figure, who can easily catch


    the media''s attention and make the headlines. Remember, we don''t want to be any part of your story.


    Can you understand my meaning, Miss Lu?" Without batting an eye, Leena voiced her worries firmly.


    She knew that it was a bit mean to speak to Dorothy in this way, but she had to. She wanted nothing to


    do with this woman anymore, as she knew instinctively that this woman wanted more than simply


    returning Kevin''s favor. Leena hadn''t figured out her true purpose so far, but subconsciously she felt it


    wise to keep her at a distance.


    "Of course, I understand your concerns." Dorothy responded, biting her lip. Her n fell through, and


    she didn''t know how she was going to exin everything to that woman.


    "That''s all I want to say, and I no longer see the necessity of this meal. Now if you will excuse me, I''ve


    got to go. Thank you and good-bye, Miss Lu," Leena said, rising to leave. Though it was rude to leave,


    she felt it better than forcing down a meal with a stone face. After all, with Dorothy around, the meal


    would not be enjoyed.


    Stunned, and dizzy, Dorothy could only mumble, "Bye." She could actually picture in her mind what a


    stir it would cause if her explicit pictures were posted on-line. Her career, which she had built through


    years of effort, woulde to an abrupt end.


    After leaving the restaurant, Leena hesitated. It would be foolish not to eat something due to the


    exchange with Dorothy. But on second thought, she didn''t think she could simply ignore the


    unpleasantness of the previous exchange. It would take a hypocrite to do that. ''To enjoy a meal I''d


    better leave this ce, '' She thought, then walked away without looking back.


    Originally, Leena had intended to go home directly, but she changed her mind upon remembering that


    a mission was scheduled on the army base, and Kevin wouldn''t be home until muchter tonight.


    Turning the wheel, she headed for Duke''s home instead.


    "Well, well! Who do we have here?" Belinda taunted when she saw Leena at the door. Belinda


    regarded Leena with a spective look, as if to say, ''Still know your way home, huh? I thought that you


    had forgotten all of us''.


    "What''s wrong, Belinda? So, it''s true that pregnancy dulls your wits? I''m surprised that you said those


    words!" Leena eximed, pretending not to have noticed Belinda''s teasing tone. Instead, she looked at


    her burgeoning baby bump, grinning.


    "Who are you calling ''dull'', wicked girl? Now, What brings you back here anyway?" Belinda demanded


    in a ratty tone. Pregnancy was grinding at her patience. She had needed to limit her activities after


    getting pregnant, so her feeling restricted somewhat exined her moodiness. It was an unavoidable


    part of pregnancy for most women, but it seemed to be so much worse for her.


    "Take it easy. I''m not here to start a battle, I''m here to see my cute little nephew." Leena answered,


    yfully touching Belinda''s swollen tummy. "I''m so worried about you, my dear. You see, your mother


    is too childish to take good care of you and your future," Leena mumbled with pity, touching Belinda''s


    tummy to feel the baby move. She said it in all apparent seriousness that Belinda felt that she could do


    nothing with her.


    Exasperated, Belinda threw her hands in the air. "You want no battle, huh? And this is your way of


    making peace? You are driving me crazy!" Belinda sighed deeply. Gently pushing Leena''s head away


    from her belly, she said no more, hinting that she had thrown in the sponge.


    "Really? You? Crazy? Let me have a look." Leena just would not stop. "You look perfectly normal to


    me. It pains me to admit, but you are still so beautiful! My gosh, how can this be? I''ve heard that


    pregnancy makes women ugly, which is not true in your case, I see. Contrarily, you''ve grown in grace


    and charm!" Leena cried out joyfully. Obviously, she was ttering Belinda. ttery seemed the best


    policy when you had irritated someone like Belinda, especially when she was nearing the end of her


    pregnancy. Almost all women feared that pregnancy might disfigure them, by adding weight and


    twisting their shapes. So, Leena was sure that herpliment would work.


    "Save it, girl. I know what a beauty I am, so stop trying to butter me up. By the way, what are you doing


    here alone? Where''s Kevin? Isn''t he with you?" Belinda asked, craning her head to look for Leena''s


    absent husband. She turned to look at Leena questioningly, after she realized that Kevin wasn''t there.


    "He''s not here. He''s got work on the army base, and won''t be home early tonight. I wouldn''te here


    otherwise, you know." Unthinking, Leena''s answer gave her away.


    "What? I knew it! I knew you were not so kind as to simply visit us! Here you are, all reluctantly


    because your husband isn''t at home." Belinda teased. "You heard her, my baby, she isn''t here to see


    you. That was merely sweet talk. The truth is, all of us are nothingpared to your uncle Kevin!" ''An


    eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,'' Belinda thought, making fun of Leena by talking to her unborn


    child.


    Her words made Leena giggle, the game continuing. "Is it good mothering to teach your baby to bear


    grudges at such a young age? I wonder if Duke knows about your parenting skills." Leena could not


    helpughing. What was more, she suddenly realized that there might be others who held the same


    idea as Belinda, believing that Leena had forgotten about her family after marrying Kevin. Or else


    Belinda wouldn''t have said that she didn''t care about them all.


    "Are you talking about me?" Duke''s deep voice interrupted from behind. They looked up at his


    appearance on the stairs. He descended slowly before they answered his question, his cold eyes


    studying the two women he loved. Of course, his attention was quickly caught up by Belinda''s pregnant


    belly. He frowned, remembering again what Tom had said about the decreased absorption rate of the


    baby, which was the reason why Belinda''s belly was rtively small. This problem had been troubling


    him constantly, and he was quite worried about Belinda''s health.