the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart

Chapter 315: Timid and Insecure in Youth, Innocent and Kind-hearted, Cold and Resolute as Grown

Ignatius Leclair responded lazily, his handsome features enigmatic and inscrutable, revealing no hint of emotion.

Years ago, his mother took him to settle overseas. Although they had many acquaintances, it was ultimately not their native soil. Back then, Melody Cloud often visited his mother, and over time, their relationship grew extraordinarily close.

He was naturally cold and detached, with hardly any women around him. His mother intended to match them, and over time, he grew accustomed to Melody’s presence. Yet, for reasons unknown, they never got engaged.

The man’s thin lips pressed slightly together. Maybe it was because Melody was flawless in every way—like a beautiful porcelain doll—but she lacked the vibrant authenticity of Delphine. In her youth, Delphine was insecure, timid, innocent, and pure; growing up, she became indifferent, sharp as a blade, and cold. Apart from not loving him, she was perfect in every sense.

"If you don’t have any objections, should I talk to Yun Tao about it? How many years has this been delayed already?" The old man misinterpreted his silence as a sign of possibility, instantly gaining enthusiasm. He said excitedly, "Let’s aim for a wedding next year, and a child by then too. Kill two birds with one stone!"

"Heh." Ignatius let out a faintly cold laugh, not wanting to rain on the old man’s parade. He replied indifferently, "Don’t worry yourself over it. If there are great-grandchildren, you can enjoy them; if there aren’t any, don’t bother worrying unnecessarily."

While they were speaking, Maximilian rushed in from outside. Seeing the old man also present, he greeted him with slightly restrained politeness.

Ignatius noticed him coming in hastily at this hour and immediately stood up, indicating for him to head upstairs to talk.

"It’s about the gossip involving Miss Delphine and Reginald Yeager. The matter in Imperial City has been dug up again, and tonight the two attended a charity gala organized by the fashion-magazine circle." Maximilian pulled up the latest gossip on his device and reported, "We’ve investigated—those behind it are highly skilled, leaving almost no trace. The leak came directly from the internet, with the IP address originating overseas, impossible to track down. The others are merely follow-up reports, given that Miss Delphine is highly popular in the Entertainment Sector, and Reginald is deeply connected within the aristocratic family circle."

The man lowered his gaze to the photos emerging from the charity gala, his handsome face slightly tense. Though the images depicted no intimate actions between them, there was a single moment captured where they exchanged glances—Reginald’s eyes unmistakably brimming with tender affection. Even a fool could tell something was off.

"Investigate Reginald Yeager," Ignatius’s voice deepened, his tone dark and brooding, his sharp gaze fierce. He had endured and refrained from acting against Reginald for a long time, mindful of the childhood bond between Delphine and him. His relationship with Delphine now appeared calm on the surface but was, in truth, as precarious as walking on thin ice—one misstep, and things could collapse entirely.

But Reginald was simply pushing his luck—a bastard child who climbed his way up relying on women. What right did he have to make a move against Ignatius?

The man had lost all patience now.

"The rumors are impossible to suppress at this point. Reporters have surrounded the hotel from the charity gala until there’s no way in or out," Maximilian’s voice softened slightly. The situation had unfolded so quickly that by the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late.

Ignatius’s expression darkened as he spoke coldly: "Prepare the car. I’m going to pick her up."

Without another word, the tall, commanding figure strode out of the room.

Before they left the side hall, Easton called in a panic and said, "Maxwell, Miss Delphine isn’t reachable anymore. Five minutes ago, we were still on the phone, agreeing to meet at the hotel’s rear entrance by the corner to get her in the car."

"Try calling Reginald Yeager’s phone," Ignatius’s face turned ashen, his voice lowered, not wanting to alarm the old man in the side hall, as he hurried out.

"Reginald’s phone isn’t connecting either, and his assistant is also frantically searching for him," Maximilian dialed twice, his face changing as well.

The man’s sharp, cold profile betrayed a trace of gloom. At the height of the gossip storm, the two had vanished simultaneously.