NovelEnglishArnold maintained an air of composure. None of this came as a surprise to him.
“Of course, Jessica would favor Fredric. Did anyone really think she'd pick me, the son of her sworn enemy?” Hearing it, Magnolia was embarrassed. Her feud with Jessica was as old as the hills, so deep-seated that not even a lifetime could resolve it.
“If Leopold does kick the bucket, it'll be Jessica’s just desserts,” Magnolia spat, her voice laced with venom.
Arnold had no desire to hear her complaints. He had a strong disdain for the kind of woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, especially Magnolia, who wouldn't hesitate to victimize Arnold.
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“Jessica’s a damn sight better than you. She's always had Leopold's back, never once would she set him up for a fall. Unlike you, plotting against me.” Magnolia’s face flushed, “Everything I've done was for the sake of...” But Arnold cut her off, “Don’t give me that line about doing it all for me. You're driven by your own greed and lust for power.” Magnolia tried to retort, but Marcia grabbed her arm, pulling her aside.
“Look, Arnold,” Marcia said, trying to be the voice of reason, “I know you're mad at us for tricking you into marrying Lisa. If you wanna divorce her, we won't stand in your way. But you need to fight for the head of the Stirling family. It’s not just for your sake but for Aurelia’s too. If you're the head, Kane will be safe. | bet my bottom dollar Aurelia feels the same, and she’d want you, not Fredric, in that position.” Marcia paused, giving his shoulder a reassuring pat, “Go talk to Aurelia, hatch a plan together. She's probably waiting for you to make the first move.” Arnold fell silent. For Aurelia, for William, he wanted to be the head. But he felt the timing wasn’t right. Still, hashing it out with Aurelia was a good idea.
“I know what | have to do,” Arnold replied.
The next day, he called Aurelia, and she was quick to drop by.
William was in his room, munching on cookies and playing with Chirpy, while Aurelia checked in on William before joining Arnold on the terrace.
Arnold brought out some pastries and coffee.
“Try the cheesecake | whipped up, and William can’t get enough of it.” Aurelia chuckled, “You've always been a wizard in the kitchen. Everything you make is delicious.” Arnold sighed wistfully, “Wouldn't it be great if we could just sit out here every day, sipping coffee and nibbling on sweets together, like we used to back in Goldstone?” Aurelia let out a soft sigh, “I wish we could live those carefree days too, but with the enemy at our doorstep, we can’t afford to let our guard down.” Arnold dropped a sugar cube into his coffee.
“Did you know? For the Midsummer ancestral ceremony, Jessica is planning to have Fredric preside over the family’s remembrance ceremony. Have you heard?” “Yes,” Aurelia nodded.
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Arnold's voice took on a grave tone, “In the Stirling family, only the head can preside over such ceremonies. If Jessica's letting Fredric do it, it means that if anything happens to Leopold, Fredric’s going to step in as Kane's right-hand man and take charge of the family’s affairs until he comes of age.” “I know,” Aurelia murmured quietly.
Arnold took her hand, “Do you agree with that? Are you really okay with Fredric becoming Kane’s guardian?” “I'm not,” Aurelia shook her head, “I don’t trust anyone else but you. If the worst happens and something befalls Leopold, I'll do everything in my power to support you as the guardian. But now’s not the time. Our real enemy is AK Group, and the last thing we need is a civil war within the Stirling family. Don’t do anything rash, and just help me protect Kane, okay?” Her gaze was unwavering, pleading.
Arnold understood her message - Though Leopold had been poisoned, it probably wasn't as fatal as they'd feared. There was still a chance he could pull through.
“Alright, we'll wait and see how things unfold, and ensure Kane's safety.”
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