Interrogation.
Interrogation.
"Remember what I told you?" Leo asked her and she nodded. She seemed to feel better and less nervous as she greeted the guests who were leaving.
Her phone began to ring so she quickly took it out of her purse to check who was calling. It was Mr B.
Mia frowned. She really hoped they wouldn't start having an argument right now. She really wasn't ready for that at the moment.
"Is everything alright?" Leo asked when he saw the frown on her face when she looked at her phone's screen.
"It's Mr B." She informed him, raising her phone to show him the caller's ID.
"You should answer the call. It's probably important."
She nodded and went to a corner but took the call before it stopped ringing.
"Hello?" He greeted first.
Mia couldn't pretend like she wasn't mad at him for what he said to her during their last conversation. "Yes?" She asked bluntly.
He sighed before speaking. "I considered what you said. You are a very important dancer and I wouldn't let you off for someone who just came. I sounded really rude and unreasonable earlier and I hope you forgive me."
"What.. is it you are trying to say?" She asked carefully.
"I am letting Benjamin off."
"Really?" Mia asked in surprise and uncertainty.
"Really." He answered. She could hear the hint of a smile in his voice.
"Then... so who is going to..."
"Paul. He is going to dance beside you."
"What about his... family..?"
"You don't have to worry about any of it. All you have to do is dance. You know you are important to us, important to me."
Mia smiled. The feeling of being needed, of being important, she loved it. She was really done rehearsing with Benjamin? She really hoped she wouldn't get to see him again.
"Thank you."
"You are welcome dear. See you tomorrow. Good night Mia."
"Good night Mr B." She said with a happy smile before hanging up.
"What is it?" Leo asked when Mia came closer.
"Mr B. He dropped Benjamin for me!" She said happily.
Leo frowned but seeing how happy Mia was, he managed a smile. It was official, he didn't like that Mr B whoever he was. He knew what the man had done.
Leo had made sure Paul confronted Benjamin about the real reason he had joined the team and swore he was going to tell Mia and the rest of the team about Benjamin's reason for joining them. Paul had really been angry that Benjamin had actually approached him and was friendly because he had an ulterior motive. Seeing how nothing was no longer working in his favour, Benjamin promised he was going to drop in exchange that Paul didn't mention it to Mia or anyone at all. Leo hadn't wanted Mia to know about it anyway. If Mia knew Benjamin had been into her for a long time, it would make her really uncomfortable and creeped out. Benjamin must have dropped on his own while Mr B was trying to make it seem like he had dropped him in favor of Mia. Whichever way, since Mia was happy, he was happy.
Mia suddenly looked at him seriously, making him raise a brow.
"What is it?"
"Why do I have a feeling you have a hand in all this?" She asked thoughtfully. He had promised her he was going to take care of it and suddenly, everything was fine again. Leo was that capable. He meant what he said and said what he meant.
"No.. no.. haha!" He laughed nervously. "You are a wonderful dancer so of course, Mr B wouldn't want to let go of you."
"You really do have a hand in this." She said with a small smile. Surprisingly, she wasn't disappointed that Mr B hadn't really dropped Benjamin for her.
"It's nice to know there is someone I can rely on and he'd always come through for me. I wish I can be that person for you also." Mia added before Leo could say anything else.
Leo looked at her face intensely before smiling a bit. He was at a loss for words.
"It's nice to know you rely on me."
"Not bothersome?" She asked curiously.
"Not bothersome at all." He answered. He had wished for years that Cherry relied on him, that she believed him. But she hadn't. It was nice to have someone depending and trusting him.
"Leo, darling. Join us at the dining." Grandmother called after them.
"No matter what happens, just be yourself." Leo reminded her.
She nodded before slipping her hand into his.
She trusted him.
Leo's grandparents, parents and Louis were already seated around the dining when he joined. Chloe was the only one missing.
He noticed how his mother especially looked at Mia as she walked beside him with her hand in his until Leo pulled out a chair for her while he sat down beside her.
Mia tried to keep her gaze up but avoided looking at Louis's direction. She could guess he was probably looking at her with that gaze she despised.
"What family are you from?" Mr King asked first when it seemed like the others weren't ready to begin the interrogation. He didn't have all night to sit around and watch their faces.
"Lucas. Joe Lucas was my father." She said calmly.
"Joe Lucas... Doesn't ring a bell." Mrs King said but she didn't sound rude, simply uninterested.
"Joe Lucas? He was a Politician?" Mr King asked calmly.
Mia smiled a bit. At least, someone knew who her father was. "Yes sir, he was."
"The man that suddenly disappeared?" Grandmother asked again just to be sure.
"Yes." She answered again politely.
"Really? That was your father? Have you heard from him all these years?" Grandfather King asked with interest.
"I haven't. We do hope that a day would come when we would see him again. Alive and well" She answered with a sad smile.
"How old are you and what do you do? What about your mother, other siblings? Where do you live?" Mrs King asked as she continued to watch Mia with interest.
"I am 23 years old, A student. Chloe's classmate. My mother is still alive and runs a small bakery while my older sister... she's also around." There was really nothing much she could say about Mary. "I live—"
"Same class with Chloe huh? Heard you are really smart." Louis interrupted before she could complete her sentence.
Mia finally looked at his direction. He was watching her so intensely. Why did he interrupt her from talking about where she lived? And he seemed to be acting like he didn't know her.
"Yes, I am smart." She said boldly. At least it was one thing she could boast off.
Her smugness seemed to take them all aback and the grandparents smiled while the parents still kept a cautious look.
"How did you afford university if your mother runs a small bakery?" Mrs King asked.
"A scholarship."
"It means your family lacks money? Did you approach Leo on purpose?" Mr King asked.
He was always the blunt one. So blunt, he reminded Mia of herself.
"Dad!" Leo called in a calm but annoyed tone.
"I didn't." Mia answered calmly.
If she was annoyed, she didn't show it. She looked really calm but only Leo knew how tensed she was since he held her hand under the table.
"Do not get him wrong..." Mrs King spoke up on behalf of her husband. "We are just saying there are a lot of gold diggers and everyone would love to have a share of the King family's cake. Everyone likes cakes after all." Mrs King added a bit accusingly and laughed dryly.
"I don't like cakes." Mia said quietly. "And I do not think they are gold diggers who would admit they are gold diggers. And I like Leo more than the title he bears." She said and flashed them all a warm and polite smile.