Page 56 of The Mogul: Leonard

I grab the plate from the counter and sit at one of the small tables next to the window. I dig into the salmon and mushroom pastry and moan.

“This is amazing,” I tell the woman.

“I told you to trust me.” She smiles.

I watch as she serves the next customer, and I can’t stop thinking about what she just shared with me. If you had told me this about Leonard a few months ago, I would have been sure it was pure bullshit. Now, I think it’s the most Leonard-like behavior I’ve ever heard.

After working with him, I believe he did something like that for this family. He hides behind the heartless mogul facade, but he cares about people. He’s willing to sacrifice his business and personal assets for strangers—because I doubt he used the company’s money to pay off their debts. He takes care of the meals of an entire community, for Pete’s sake.

So, what happened with Oliver? I feel guilty for having doubted his judgment. Maybe the guy is just an asshole and has nothing to do with the shit that is going on with the company. Maybe he is just stressed, and I’m judging him for the wrong reasons.

Leonard knows him best, and I should at least listen to his explanation. I stand up, ask for a to-go box, and head back to where I can find some answers.

When I walk into the office, Leonard looks up in surprise and I feel a pang of guilt hit my chest. He should know I wouldn’t leave him alone to solve this mess. He should trust me. But maybe I haven’t given him many chances to. Have I?

I show him the box in my hand. “A peace offering.” I try to break the awkward silence between us.

He smiles and asks me to sit across from him at his desk. I open the box in front of us, and we start to dig into the fantastic meal.

“Tell me about Oliver,” I say, and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

He takes a deep breath and leans back in his chair.

“We met at college. We became friends over a project we did together. He was with me through all the ups and downs, and he kept being my friend even when I dropped out of college.”

“Was that when you started this company?” I’m curious.

He shakes his head. “That came a few months later. We had an idea but not a solid project at the time, let alone a business plan. He was the one who pushed me to do something with my life when I thought I was making a massive mistake.”

I nod. I’ve second-guessed my career so many times I know the feeling. The only difference is that I didn’t have a dear friend to lean on. I had nobody growing up because I couldn’t tell my parents I was doing something illegal—and they were the only ones I could trust at the time.

“Was it your idea or his for this company?”

“Both. We knew we wanted to make the world a safer place, so we brainstormed ideas. With our expertise in technology and software, this was the natural path we chose.”

“Was he always this… challenging?”

He gives me a tender smile—something I’ve never seen him do. He shakes his head, and his gaze becomes distant, like he’s remembering something that happened when they were young.

“You’re being generous with him. But no. He wasn’t like this. Yes, he is a bit…how can I say, unique. He was peculiar in every way but never so angry. Quite the opposite, he was a chill guy,” he explains, his gaze back on me.

“So, what happened to him? Because the man I met is someone with huge anger issues.” I want to know the extent of his problems and if they will put us in a difficult spot.

He lets out a long sigh. “He had a particularly rough year, both personal and work-related challenges that made him bitter. And I wasn’t there for him.”

His confession comes in a whisper, and I wonder if he feels somehow responsible for what happened to him. The way he looks down at his hands instead of meeting my gaze is enough to tell me that his friend’s outburst shook him pretty deeply. This is not the fearless Leonard that I know, and it’s pretty obvious he is out of his depth in this situation.

I reach over the desk, grab his hand, and let him know I’m here for him if he needs me. I may not be the best person to advise him about this, but I’m good at listening.

His surprised gaze lands on mine, and we stare at each other for a long moment like the world around us doesn’t exist. My stomach clenches in a pleasant grip, and my heart stutters in my chest, trying to keep a stable rhythm and miserably failing. He is always attractive, but the vulnerability in his eyes at this moment makes me want to go around this desk and kiss all the sadness from him. The mere thought is terrifying.

“I’m sorry for how he treated you. I shouldn’t have let it happen. In my defense, it was so out of character for him I was completely stunned into silence,” he admits.

I nod, understanding, especially after his confession.

“I felt like I was suddenly put aside. Like I didn’t exist anymore, and…it hurt,” I say candidly.

He frowns, and his face darkens. The grip on my fingers intensifies, and I realize we are still holding hands. I feel like if I let go, this connection between us will disappear, and I’m not ready for the emptiness that will follow.

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