Jessica's voice was sober, "Let's cut to the chase. I'll lay it all out for you. Leopold had everything planned out long before any of this mess started. As for who would be his right-hand man, he made his choice clear. If anything happens to him, the lawyers will announce his decision immediately, and it's not up for debate. And Skyler, he's taken care of too. He won't miss out on what's rightfully his." Hanson shuddered visibly at her words, "Do you have any idea what these arrangements are?" Jessica sighed, the weight of the world seeming to settle on her shoulders, "You should know better than anyone that Leopold's always been a closed book, even to me." Tanya's lips quivered slightly at that revelation. Leopold was indeed as cunning as a fox.
"Did he tell Aurelia?" she asked, her voice edged with curiosity, "After all, she is Kane's biological mother." Jessica waved a dismissive hand, "They're divorced. Aurelia's no longer part of the Stirling family. She's out of the loop, so why would he share anything with her?" The shadows deepened on Hanson's face, and he asked, "Jessica, when can we see Leopold?" "He's in a sterile room right now, weak and not to be disturbed," Jessica explained with a note of finality, "Once he's stronger and out of isolation, you'll have your chance." She paused, then added, "Hanson, don't fret too much. Leopold's got Heninger's blood running through him. He's bound to look out for our interests. | trust he'll do what's best." "Let's hope so," Hanson replied, exhaling a heavy breath.
Outside in the garden.
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Kane was teaching Skyler how to play chess, while Aurelia watched them with a mix of interest and concern.
"You're always here, Kane. Don't you get bored not going out with everyone else?" Skyler asked, his brows knit together in worry.
Kane shook his head with a grin, "Not at all. I've got tons to do. Plus, you and William can always swing by Stirling Mansion to hang out." He'd blown through the high school curriculum and was already diving into college-level material.
The life of a child prodigy was never ordinary. By the age of five, he'd join William at Pinnacle Ivy League School, and by ten, he'd likely be college-bound.
"Well, we'll come over when we can. | spend every day with William. Once he starts school, we'll only have weekends together. I'll be bored stiff without him," Skyler muttered, his voice tinged with melancholy.
Kane blinked up at him, "Skyler, why don't you consider teaching at Pinnacle Ivy League School? You've got four PhDs and three Master's degrees. You're more than qualified to teach us prodigies." "Me? A teacher?" Skyler looked stunned at the suggestion.
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"I'm not cut out for teaching." Kane responded with a confident smile, "Aren't you already teaching William? Just teach the other kids like you teach him." Skyler hung his head, replying, "But | stutter. They'll laugh at me. You can't teach with a stutter." Kane patted his shoulder reassuringly, "Skyler, a stutter is just a habit, not a flaw. You can overcome it. Let me show you how." "How?" Skyler's eyes lit up with a mixture of hope and doubt.
Kane had always been perceptive. He noticed that Skyler stuttered more with longer sentences, but rarely with short ones.
"Try pausing after every few words before continuing. With practice, you might stop stuttering altogether." Skyler gave it a shot, "I've never been a teacher, and | wonder if | can teach well." Kane gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up, "See? No stutter. Don't forget that you're a genius too. You can beat this."