969. Hypocrisy
Padmé-Amidala looked at the handsome man in front of him, smiled very decently and said, "Actually, it doesn't mean anything else. I invited you to dinner, mainly because I did lose my temper this afternoon."
Rush-Clovis said tactfully, "I can't blame you, Padmé. We cannot relax at all on this level of national affairs."
As he spoke, his hand on the table moved forward naturally, and then he gently placed it on the back of Padmé's hand.
Padmé's face changed. He wanted to pull his hand away at that time, but thinking of his mission, he held it back. He just reminded him aloud, "Now is not the time before, is it?"
Rush-Clovis sneered, but still took his hand back gracefully, "I always believe that this wrong war made us all lose our sense of normalcy and make wrong decisions. In fact, we don't need to be so alienated from each other."
"Wrong decision? I'm glad you think so, Clovis, because you still have to explain InterGalactic Banking Clan's matter after all." Padmé said, but her tone was very gentle at the moment. Compared with the harsh questioning at the venue in the afternoon, now this is more like a joke between friends.
Rush-Clovis said calmly, "This is exactly what I want to tell you...Padmé. InterGalactic Banking Clan is not what you think, they just want to protect their property. But for example, if you look at Kato-Neimoidia, it once became a battlefield. If Sefrans-General Tann hadn't defeated Republic fleet there, even I would be bankrupt now."
Now Padmé-Amidala was really surprised, "Kato-Neimoidia? You actually have property in Kato-Neimoidia? That Wealth World who is second to none?"
"Well, after all, working in the InterGalactic Banking Clan is a very privileged thing." Rush-Clovis waved his hand casually, as if he didn't care at all about his huge wealth.
Padmé-Amidala seemed a little disappointed. She lowered her head and sighed and said, "But no matter what you have there, it is very dangerous now. If you really want to continue with me, then we should leave these disputes... Ah, no, no... nothing..."
Padmé knew he was speechless and quickly wanted to change the topic, but for a moment he didn't know what to say, so he had to lower his head shyly.
But Rush-Clovis keenly caught what Padmé said, and he said with great surprise, "You mean, you want to... continue with me? Padmé, you should know how I have spent every night without you this year..."
He excitedly tried to grab Padmé's hand, but was dodged.
Padmé turned his head to the side and whispered, "You know, I don't have many friends in Coruscant... Congressman Onaconda-Farr and Bail-Senator Organa, they are more like elders to me... I, I am indeed lonely."
"I understand how you feel! I understand it so well, Padmé... I... I really don't know how to describe it. This war, this war was a mistake! So much so that I lost you for a time... But that's not what happened, not really." Rush-Clovis was excited and incoherent.
A hint of impatience flashed in Padmé-Amidala's eyes, but he still pretended to refuse and swatted away Clovis's hand, "You are right. If it weren't for this war... if the war could stop, maybe we could really start over. But, but...InterGalactic Banking Clan is too dangerous, too dangerous..."
Rush-Clovis said sternly, "Actually, I know that too. But don't worry, in my current position, no one can hurt me. InterGalactic Banking Clan is indeed dangerous, because it controls countless wealth. In this galaxy, if you control wealth, you control life and death. But I am the one who controls wealth."
"You look like you've changed a lot." Padmé was stunned.
"My feelings for you have never changed." Rush-Clovis said seriously, "What I have changed is just the way I do things. I am cooperating with the InterGalactic Banking Clan to make an investment. Once this investment is successful, I will be at least in the top 100 on the wealth list of the galaxy. By then, I can put everything down and enjoy life with you..."
Padmé-Amidala lowered his head to hide his expression, pretending to be in pain, "No... I can't think about so much now. This war has exhausted me, and countless people die every day, but... I can't do anything..."
As she spoke, she actually started sobbing.
As soon as he saw her crying, Rush-Clovis became a little confused. He stood up and tried to hold Padmé's shoulders, but Padmé shook his shoulders while pretending to cry, shook Clovis's hand away, and then cried even louder.
Clovis had no choice but to squat next to Padmé and said softly, "Maybe you have been under too much pressure recently. Why don't I take you to Kato-Neimoidia Let's have some fun, I am qualified to enter this Wealth World. The scenery, service, and food are all so perfect... to the future we can see, this is our life. How about tomorrow?"
Padmé shook his head tiredly and smiled miserably, "I'm very happy for your invitation, Clovis. But not tomorrow. I have a speech to attend tomorrow, and I also have to wait for my security team captain and spaceship pilot to come back. Let's go the day after tomorrow... I really want to see the scenery of Wealth World Kato-Neimoidia."
Clovis smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will arrange everything."
The corners of Padmé's mouth were slightly raised, and her eyes were sharp under the cover of her palms. She said softly, "I'm looking forward to the day after tomorrow... Thank you, Clovis."
"Everything I have is yours. Padmé... You shine like the stars in the sky."
Back at the mansion, Padmé-Amidala seemed to have completely changed. She took off her complicated hair accessories, tied a simple ponytail behind her head, and then took out her communicator to connect.
Master Windu appeared in the holographic projection.
"Clovis invited me to Kato-Neimoidia. You must know that this planet is the best Wealth World under Trade Federation, and they will not let outsiders in In this case, I have reason to suspect that Rush-Clovis is colluding with Trade Federation. "It seems that your information is correct." Padmé said seriously.
"I'm glad to see you are not embarrassed by this, Senator Amidala." Master Windu nodded.
"Since the day the war broke out, Clovis and I have had nothing to do with each other. Now seeing him and Separatists planning some conspiracy together will only make me feel sick." Padmé said coldly.