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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Chapter 199 Taking Eloise Away?

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journalist, was now standing in front

someone known to snap back at reporters on live camera, this

don't come across well over the phone," Leo said, stammering a little. "I figured it'd be better to explain

take Mabel to a seaside town for vacation. He

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

with Eloise. If she leaves for too long, she'll start to miss her. I

Alistair to get the wrong

finally said, "Isn't Eloise's preschool

Leo's face fell.

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Taking

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already considered that, of course, but hearing

go straight to Eloise and

lit up. His head, which had been hanging so low it might as well have brushed his knees, now snapped upright. “Really? If Eloise agrees, you'll let me take her?

"But before anything else, you'll need to run it by

No problem,"

adjustment, Alistair could now face Leo's

Eloise with

only natural he would

far, Leo had shown that he understood how important Eloise was to

never tried to take her away or claim

looked at it, he realized it might not be such a bad

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199 Taking

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it meant Eloise had one more

head off and look for Caroline when he suddenly remembered

Richard a slow, amused look, then walked away without saying

practically burst into

had completely

Leo had warmed

But so what?

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

for now. The bigger the

kind of ending Richard looked

to draw in

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Taking Eloise

Richard spotted another

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and approached

tapped her arm did she come back to the moment. She blinked at Richard, gave

sharp contrast to Richard's enthusiasm. The whole thing had

care.