The CEO’S Unplanned Heir novel (Aurelia and Leopold) novel Chapter 989

"You know..." His voice trailed off, halting in its tracks. Instead of finishing his thought, he heaved a sigh of resignation.

He had laid bare the truth to her, yet the thorn lodged deep within her heart seemed immovable.

Aurelia scuffed her toes through the sand, with her voice drifting on the breeze, "You're always like this, Leopold. Always making decisions on your own, never bothering to consult me. As your wife, don't I at least have the right to know before you file for divorce?"

Leopold wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Every time I think about four years ago when you leaped off the mast with a bomb strapped to you, I get scared. If I told you the truth, could you promise not to do anything rash?"

She couldn't promise that. She'd rather go down with Megan than see him threatened.

But Aurelia didn't say that. Instead, she adopted a lighter tone.

"Oh, I can promise that. Better to be a miserable survivor than a noble corpse, right? Trading you for the antidote seems like a fair deal to me."

She was obviously joking, but her words stung Leopold, leaving a bitter taste in his mind.

"Clearly, I'm dispensable to you. You'd probably be happier without me."

A shadow of anguish crept into his dark and icy eyes.

Aurelia caught the fleeting pain and instinctively reached up to loop her arms around his neck.

"You're Kane’s father, my husband. How could you be dispensable?"

His eyes sparked to life, "So, I'm important to you?"

She grinned mischievously, "Of course, you are. With you, I get to live in luxury with a dominant status. Isn't that grand?"

Leopold couldn't help but chuckle, "Alright, being useful is better than being useless, after all."

He pinched her nose playfully, "I'm just being honest. But if you like it, I could learn to sweet-talk more, just for you."

She glanced at him coyly, "I'm not fond of someone who's all talk, no action. I'm a practical person."

"I know." He encircled her waist, "And isn't giving myself to you the grandest gesture of all?"

She smiled, "Mr. Leopold does have his uses. Handsome as a movie star, wealthier than a tycoon, powerful as a king. I must have saved the world in my past life to catch your eye."

His lips curved into a charming smile, "If you're good with words, keep them coming."

With a pout, she said, "Too much sweet talk loses its charm."

His response came with a playful smirk, "As long as it's sweet, I like it."