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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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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standing in

on live

over the phone," Leo said, stammering a little. "I figured it'd be better to explain in

town for vacation. He had

don't need my permission. As long as Grandma's

leaves for too long, she'll start to miss her. I mean... what I'm trying to say

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

said, "Isn't Eloise's preschool still

Leo's face fell.

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Taking Eloise

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that, of course, but hearing

if you ask Carol, she'll go straight to Eloise and ask for her opinion.

have brushed his knees, now snapped upright. “Really? If Eloise agrees, you'll let me take her? I mean-not take

anything else, you'll need to run it

No problem," Leo said

adjustment, Alistair

Eloise with clarity and

was only natural he would want to be close

he understood how important Eloise was

her away or claim

he realized it might not

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199 Taking Eloise

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the very least, it meant Eloise had one more person in the world who genuinely loved

look for Caroline when he suddenly remembered there

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

eyes practically burst

completely

Leo had

But so what?

more than just him. The man was living on borrowed time. Sooner or later, the

enjoy his little victories for now. The bigger the fall, the more

the kind of ending Richard

to

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Richard

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took a breath, straightened his posture, and approached with a

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 the air

care.