NovelEnglishJessica stood up from the plush sofa. "Sheryl, you sit tight and have a heart-to-heart with Aurelia. I'll call Fredric and get him over here." With that, she was out the door.
Sheryl swiveled to face Aurelia, her expression earnest. "Aurelia, you promised me. You've got to have my back. If Fredric's hell- bent on this divorce nonsense, I'll call a family council, and you've got to throw your vote against it. Remember that the matriarch's word carries the weight of three." Aurelia tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her gaze betraying nothing of the bombshell she had yet to drop, Fredric's other woman was Jelena. That would surely spark a showdown.
"Sheryl, the best course of action is to get Leopold to pull the veto card." Sheryl countered quickly. "You'll sway him for me, will you? He always listens to you." Trying to figure out Leopold was like solving a Rubik's cube blindfolded. One thing was crystal clear. He would not take orders from her. Leopold was in no way a hen-pecked husband.
"Sheryl, when do Stirling men ever dance to a woman's tune? If that was the case, would he have signed those divorce papers in the first place? | bet Fredric is already on his way to see him." Divorce was a tune Aurelia knew all too well, having danced to its bitter rhythm twice already.
Sheryl’s lips tightened a fraction. Leopold siding with her was a coin toss. After all, he'd set the trend for marital walkouts, and Arnold had followed suit. But then again, Arnold had been duped into marriage with Lisa when it was Aurelia he had wanted all along.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Even if Leopold won't listen to you, Arnold certainly will. He's putty in your hands. Just make sure he votes 'no"." The Stirling wives were a shoo-in for her side. It was the men's votes that were up for grabs.
Aurelia was helpless.
She didn't want to do anything. She just wanted to stay neutral, taking no one’s side.
If she threw herself into the campaign for Sheryl, Jelena would have her head, and her aunt would never forgive her. That would be the end of family barbecues for sure.
While they bantered, Leopold descended the stairs, a slight furrow creasing his brow.
He suddenly realized that he'd never been the husband Arnold was in Aurelia's heart.
She'd once said she liked men who listened. The Hawthorne family was famous for that.
That must be why she was dragging her heels on their reunion.
Spotting Leopold, Sheryl jumped to her feet. "Leopold, Fredric's lost his marbles again and got himself spellbound by sjezebel.
He's talking about divorce. You've got to backup. I've been the model wife and mother all these years, never wronged him or the Stirling family. What right does he have to kickto the curb?" Leopold's eyes flickered in the light, unfathomable as ever. "I'll handle it," he replied.
Aurelia could tell by his tone that he'd already made his decision.
But he sure wasn't about to share it with her.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIn her presence, he was always as mysterious as a closed book.
Sheryl sipped her coffee and then prodded. "Any idea who's turned Fredric’s head this time? Got him all dizzy and daffy?" Leopold replied indifferently, "Fredric's love life is none of my business. | keep out of it." Sheryl sighed. Leopold had always been a lone wolf, shunning the society pages and the glittering parties. It was no surprise he was clueless about Fredric’s latest escapades.
Arnold probably didn't know, either. Since he got tangled up with Aurelia, he'd been as celibate as a monk.
Fredric had always been one to run with the high-society wolves, all of them up to no good.
"Why did all of Chad's bad habits have to land squarely on Fredric?" she lamented.
Aurelia offered a sheepish smile. "Genetics are such a roll of the dice." Just then, Fredric made his entrance.
His gaze flicked to Sheryl, irritation flashing across his face. "Can't you just go the amicable route, like Arnold's ex? Why turn everything into a soap opera?" Sheryl barely contained her fury and shot back. "Why should | bow out gracefully, gift-wrapping my hand husband for stemptress?"
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