Flash Marriage to a Stunning CEO (Alistair and Richard)

Chapter 199 Taking Eloise Away?

When Richard saw Leo heading straight toward them, he naturally assumed Leo was coming for him. His heart surged with pride as he cast a smug glance at Alistair, as if to say, "See that? No matter how high you climb, some circles will always be out of reach."

Back when Leo first entered the music industry, he'd been proud and fiercely private. He hated anyone bringing up his mother Paige's powerful reputation or the fact that his uncle was none other than Gordon. Since the Ashbourne family kept a low profile, very few people outside their inner circle knew about Leo's background, even after all these years.

Richard wasn't remotely qualified to be in that circle, but he knew the truth.

In his mind, Alistair had never earned Gordon's approval. Which meant Caroline was the only person he had any real influence over. Richard assumed Leo shared Gordon's disdain for Alistair and had come over just to humiliate him.

Feeling emboldened, Richard greeted Leo with an enthusiastic, almost overly familiar tone, as if they were longtime acquaintances, even though they'd never interacted before.

Leo, dressed simply and without fanfare, gave Richard a puzzled look. His tone was clipped and unamused. "Do I know you?"

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Chapter 199 Taking Eloise Away?

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He hated being called "Mr. Reed." Did people think he didn't have a first name? Richard froze.

Leo didn't bother acknowledging him any further. He turned to Alistair instead. “I heard you guys were here, so I came over."

Alistair asked, "Something up?"

Leo scratched his nose like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Not really..."

"Oh, then I'll go back to Carol," Alistair said.

"Wait-no, no, I do have something!" Leo grabbed Alistair's arm and quickly pulled him aside.

Richard stood there, dumbfounded.

What the hell just happened?

Wasn't Leo supposed to rip into Alistair for overstepping, for being a nobody trying

to marry into a family far above his class? Weren't they on the same team?

Even if Leo didn't hate Alistair outright, this definitely wasn't how Richard expected him to act.

Leo, the musical prodigy who'd never tolerated a rude question

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now standing in front of Alistair... timid and

snap back at reporters on live camera, this

stammering a little. "I figured it'd be

for vacation. He had a beachfront villa there. It would give him a change of scenery, a

replied, "You don't need my permission. As long as Grandma's willing to

close with Eloise. If she leaves for too long, she'll

anxious he became. He didn't want Alistair to get the wrong idea... well, to think he was trying to take Eloise away, or

Alistair finally said, "Isn't Eloise's

Leo's face fell.

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Taking Eloise

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of course, but hearing it

you ask Carol, she'll go straight

his knees, now snapped upright. “Really? If Eloise agrees, you'll

else, you'll

No problem,"

long process of internal adjustment, Alistair could

Eloise with

was only natural he

he understood how important Eloise was

never tried to take her away or claim

the way he looked at it, he realized it might not be such

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199 Taking Eloise

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meant Eloise had one more person in the

he suddenly remembered

gave Richard a slow, amused look, then

eyes practically burst

completely

had

But so what?

borrowed time. Sooner or later, the truth would come out. He'd fall from his pedestal, land in prison, and become a cautionary

The bigger the fall,

was the kind of

continued to draw

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Taking

soon enough, Richard spotted another familiar

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posture, and approached with a smile. "Long

was craning her neck to look in a certain direction. Only when the person beside her tapped her arm did she come back to the moment. She

lukewarm response was a sharp contrast to Richard's enthusiasm. The whole thing had

care.