"You still have someone else in your heart, right?"
To be precise, she had always had Arnold in her heart, never him, right?
A wistful smile slowly spread across Aurelia's face. "So what if I do? I'm not a hopeless romantic. Why should I hang all my hopes on one branch?"
Leopold let out a wry smile. "But I've always wanted to hang onto your branch alone. Maybe I'm the hopeless romantic here."
Aurelia chuckled derisively. "Oh please, even if every soul on earth were moonstruck, you, Mr. Leopold, would be the last one."
He was tough as nails, quick to give the boot to any woman he didn't fancy, without sentiment.
She had no intention of becoming one of those women, left with a pitiful fate.
Leopold sighed heavily. "How can you claim to know me when you won't even try?"
Aurelia's smile faltered. "How could I? You keep yourself so hidden. It's like trying to understand a man shrouded in mist."
A man like him, sly as a fox with cards close to his chest, always remained enigmatic, perpetually elusive.
Leopold turned her to face him.
"In front of you, I've never hidden a thing."
Yeah, right! Aurelia pursed her lips. "Then be honest with me. Why did you want a divorce? What's your plan?"
Leopold's lips thinned, and a torrent of unspoken words lodged in his throat. For a minute, he felt the urge to spill everything, but then he clammed up.
Patience had been his ally for so long, and he wasn't about to falter. A small slip could spoil the grand plan.
"I'll tell you someday," answered Leopold.
Aurelia knew he'd say that. It was always the same with him, secretive and mysterious.
"Fine, keep your secrets. I'm used to it by now."
Leopold wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Just give me a little more time. I'll explain everything soon."
What Aurelia feared most was that he had struck some deal with Megan. The antibiotics weren't from the research facility but from the AK Group.
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