Try Begging - Chapter 147.2
He faintly remembered reading about the difficulties of this stage.
Feeling puzzled looks from those around him, Leon pulled his gaze from the mere words on the flier and started walking deeper into the train station. Yet, his thoughts lingered stubbornly on that insignificant piece of paper.
The flier, frustratingly, featured no name or photo, which was a necessary precaution to protect her from potential harm should any remnants of the rebel group discover she was on the run.
Though it hardly drew public attention, he had chosen to issue it as a missing person flier rather than a criminal wanted poster, purely for her safety. If it were known that she was a fleeing rebel, it might incite some foolhardy acts of ‘justice’ that could endanger her.
The most prominent detail on the flier was the reward—a sum equivalent to two years’ salary of a middle-class household head.
Yet, frustratingly, there had been no credible tips.
Surrounded by his aides and soldiers, as he walked towards the station’s lobby, Leon suddenly shut his eyes tightly.
Was she still alive?
He knew this woman too well to believe she’d end her own life. Her intense cling to life was evident from the fact she had fled with money and weapons, showing she had no intention to give up.
Still, why were there no signs of her existence anywhere?
His resolve to find her had morphed into a desperate need to find any trace of her. As time passed, his desires had become painfully simple.
As he stepped into the lobby, camera shutters and cheers exploded around him like artillery.
“Earl, please look this way!”
“Back up, everyone! Move back!”
The lobby was swamped with citizens and journalists packed tight like a swarm of ants. Security personnel struggled to push back the crowd, clearing a path for the Winston family.
Despite feeling like a clown, Leon didn’t hasten his pace. Instead, he occasionally paused amidst the barrage of flashes, allowing the camera flashes to sear his vision black. Internally, he repeated a tedious thought he’d had since that day whenever he faced a camera,
This photo, she might see it in the newspaper.
Should he smile or not? What expression should he make so she might come back? Should he pretend to be pitiable? Should he shed a tear? Should he hold a sign saying just come back already, don’t be stubborn?
He still hadn’t found the answer. Now, he doesn’t understand that woman anymore.
In front of the train station, a white limousine was parked. The decision to repaint his newly ordered black car into a conspicuous color was undoubtedly born from his mother’s vanity. Moreover, decorating the car with ribbons and flags as if preparing for a parade seemed absurd.
‘Such pointless actions.’
Riding through the city of Winsford in the ridiculous limousine was a trial. During the evening, as crowds moved to and from the theaters, all eyes turned their way. At one point, a carriage stopped at the roadside, and as Leon’s car passed by, the coachman lifted his hat in salute.
Leon snatched the walking stick from Jerome, who was seated opposite him. He tapped the ivory handle against the partition between the driver and back seats until the previously honking driver looked back.
“Stop that.”
Once it quieted down, Leon tossed the stick back to his brother and closed his eyes.
“Why that look? Military men…”
Another reason the drive was torturous was there. While on the train, he could use work as an excuse to sit in a different compartment from his mother, in the car, they had to sit together.
“Try to act like a conquering hero.”
Leon’s brow furrowed. The term ‘conquering’ implied victory and return.
He had lost. Miserably.
Thus, the grand welcome felt more like mockery.
“He’s far from a general yet.”
“Oh, my gosh. Don’t say such ominous things, Jerome. It’s terrible to imagine your brother wearing a uniform until he’s a general.”
Leon, his eyes still closed and steeped in silence, listened as his mother spoke with a hint of frustration.
“Leon, now that you’ve regained your title and avenged your father, that should be enough. It’s time to leave the military.”
“I thought we agreed not to bring this up anymore.”
“I’m saying this because I’m thinking of you.”
His mother added sharply.
“It’s always best to leave when you’re applauded.”
At her words, Leon clenched his teeth.
Who didn’t know that? He wanted to do just that.
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