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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now standing in front of Alistair... timid

on live camera,

come across well over the phone," Leo said, stammering a little. "I figured it'd be better to explain in person, you know,

to the point. Summer was approaching fast, and he wanted to take Mabel to a seaside town for

As long as Grandma's willing to go,

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

The more he spoke, the more anxious he became. He didn't want Alistair to get the wrong

uneasy gaze, Alistair finally said, "Isn't Eloise's preschool

Leo's face fell.

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already considered that, of course, but

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

face 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? I mean-not take

nodded cautiously. "But before anything else, you'll need

No problem,"

internal adjustment, Alistair could now face

with clarity

her father. It was only natural he would want

he understood how important

her away or

the way he looked at it, he realized it might

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Taking Eloise

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it meant Eloise had one more person in the world who

Caroline when he suddenly remembered there was

he gave Richard a slow, amused look, then walked away without

eyes practically burst into

had completely underestimated

had

But so what?

living on borrowed time. Sooner or later, the truth would come out.

enjoy his little victories for now. The

was the kind of

to

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Taking

Richard

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breath, straightened his posture, and approached with

a certain direction. Only when the person beside her tapped her arm did she come back to the moment. She blinked at Richard, gave

enthusiasm. The whole thing had the air of someone trying far too hard for

care.