Where can I find information?
L. B. De Vil. The initials embroidered in golden thread sparkled in my eyes. Logic suggested to me that the surname was French. I didn't quite understand what was happening at all. I had to return to the memories of that evening. The party, the balcony, the wet dress, the wine, him…
Of course, I ran away from him so quickly that I completely forgot about the handkerchief and shoved it into my bag. And now what, Adelina? Should I return it? No way, I can't handle another meeting. But... He's looking for me, isn't he? He knows I'm a fashion designer, so he has a privilege. So why not turn this handkerchief into my privilege?
— I have to go, — I said carelessly to the Lady and looked at Elizabeth, who didn't even notice my presence. — Tell Ellie that I'll write later. — “…if I don't forget,” I added to myself.
The guy looked at me with wide-open eyes, and I just waved my hand in response, grabbing my cream coat that was hanging on the chair, my bag, and rushed out onto the crowded street, slamming the door. On the way, I stopped by home for my laptop and headed to the library. I needed to concentrate, and for that, I required complete, absolute silence.
— De Vil, — I mumbled under my breath, — De Vil... Not such a common surname, but "Google" dispelled all my doubts:
"De Vil is an ancient French surname borne by branches of an aristocratic family tree."
So that's where the money for such an expensive piece of fabric comes from. He probably inherited some business from his father. But it’s not enough and not so important for me to know that he comes from aristocrats; I needed more information. “L.B. De Vil,” I spent ages searching for something relevant, but my efforts were in vain. I was about to give up, but then I remembered something.
Hi, it's Adelina. Listen, I have a little matter for you, can you help me? I sent you the information in private messages — she was my hope in this battle.
Hi, I’m glad you called, — replied Mia, — I'm ready to help, just hang on a moment.
After a while, what I needed appeared on my screen.
— It’s him! — I realized that I exclaimed this, and people nearby started looking at me suspiciously. — Sorry, — I immediately blushed and turned back to the screen, thanking Mia; I sank back into the world of information.
Leonardo Benedict De Vil. A long name. Just like all wealthy individuals. I was looking for some worthy information, but beyond his place of birth — Paris, France, and his current residence — Milan, Italy, along with some personal photos, I found nothing else. Sensing my despair, Mia sent me a link to his Instagram page. His page.
“Leo De Vil.” He shortens his name, interesting. Leo — obviously from "Lion," meaning "brave"? He definitely doesn't look like a brave person, more like stubborn and self-absorbed...
I exhaled and looked further. Wow! Almost one and a half million followers, and that's a lot; I have only five thousand, but I thought I was quite popular. Ha, of course, almost all the followers are women. And why am I not surprised? And only fifteen posts. Well then, let’s find out who you really are. My eyes immediately catch a photo of a cute puppy, which raises many inconsistencies with its owner.
A dog. I certainly love animals, but they are a bit more complicated. Since childhood, I developed a trauma: I was terrified by a huge Doberman belonging to my classmate. Since then, I couldn’t establish normal contact with these furry creatures. As soon as I arrived in Milan, I immediately decided to get myself a pet and was endlessly happy when Ella gifted me a little black cat with bright green eyes for my birthday. That’s how my Louis came to be.
The next photo intrigued me just as much as the first. Here Leo is standing on a green lawn, which I later realized was a golf course, because he's holding a golf club. The same smile blossomed on his lips that I saw every time we met. And those same dimples that captivated my eyes.
A photo with a tall brunette, probably another pompous friend. Again a dog. Is he obsessed? Almost half of the photos feature dogs. I need something interesting. Compromise material. Anything that would help get rid of him because there must be something!
The second to last photo. With a girl. And it’s signed with a red heart.
Who are you, young lady? I clicked through to her profile… And my hopes shattered against the stone... Under the title “family.” Of course, she was just his cousin. Well, that's it. Mission failed successfully because all I managed to find out was that he’s clearly obsessed with dogs and plays golf with family and friends. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I was in despair!
