Aurelia sighed with frustration and resignation, "Jelena, it's the 21st century, a tof sexual liberation. So what if you and Fredric got intimate? If someone truly loves you, they won't care about your past. Look at me. I'm a divorced single mom, and | still have suitors. You should marry a man who loves you from his heart and is devoted to you, not someone like Fredric, who's a notorious ladies’ man. Besides, he's married. Getting involved with him makes you the other woman, a homewrecker. It's just, um, unethical." Jelena brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm not 'the other woman." Fredric has been pursuing me, and | never agreed to anything. He took advantage ofthis time, and he must take responsibility since he's the one who crossed the line. And..." She paused, her tone taking on an odd edge. "Sheryl is no saint herself. She was also 'the other woman’ at first. Fredric was engaged with the wedding date all set. His fiancee saw Sheryl as her best friend and introduced her to Fredric without reservations.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtBut Sheryl stole him away and got pregnant. She even dared to confront the fiancee with her baby bump. On the day when Sheryl and Fredric got married, the jilted fiancee jumped from a building. Luckily, she survived but was in a vegetative state, and she passed away three years ago." Aurelia was somewhat familiar with these sordid details.
What Sheryl did was despicable, but she was still legally married to Fredric and had two adorable children with him.
It would surely hurt young Nina and Mira if their parents parted, leaving a broken family.
"Sheryl and Fredric have been married for years without scandal, and Jessica adores her. As long as Sheryl doesn't consent, Fredric can't divorce her." Jelena's gaze was firm as she looked at Aurelia. "You don't have to intervene if find it too difficult to deal with. | can manage on my own." Aurelia internally sighed. After experiencing such an ordeal the night before, Jelena must be impulsive and unlikely to take any advice. She might see things differently once she had stto cool off.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Let's see how Fredric handles this mess since he's the main culprit. You're not feeling well, so rest well at home, and I'll visit whenever | can." She left, giving Jelena sspace to reflect.
That evening, Leopold returned hand found Aurelia on the couch, sighing heavily with a woeful expression. He gently stroked her hair. "Didn't you go to welcJelena htoday? Why the long face?" Aurelia's brows furrowed slightly. As the head of the Stirling family, Leopold would find out eventually, so she didn't plan to keep it a secret.
"Last night, after returning to the country, Jelena went to a masquerade ball, got a little too tipsy, and Fredric took advantage of her." Leopold was stunned. "Hasn't she been secretly seeing Fredric all along?" Aurelia gave him a pointed look. "Not at all. It's Fredric who's been chasing her. Jelena’s never accepted him. She even quit her job and left the country to avoid him." Leopold walked over to the hbar to mix two dry martinis, passing one to her.
After Jelena left the country, Fredric had flown out to see her secretly several times. To Leopold, it seemed like Jelena was playing hard to get.
"Did you confront Fredric about it?" Aurelia replied, "lI was going to, but he showed up at her place to apologize." Leopold swirled his drink, "Does she want Fredric to get a divorce?" There was a hint of accusation in his voice as if he suspected Jelena had somehow ensnared Fredric.
"Leopold, why do | sense a note of sarcasm? You don't seriously think Jelena has seduced Fredric, do you?"