The CEO's Unplanned Heir novel Chapter 1020

Jessica stood up from the plush sofa. "Sheryl, you sit tight and have a heart-to-heart with Aurelia. I'll call Fredric and get him over here." With that, she was out the door.

Sheryl swiveled to face Aurelia, her expression earnest. "Aurelia, you promised me. You've got to have my back. If Fredric's hell-bent on this divorce nonsense, I'll call a family council, and you’ve got to throw your vote against it. Remember that the matriarch's word carries the weight of three."

Aurelia tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her gaze betraying nothing of the bombshell she had yet to drop, Fredric's other woman was Jelena. That would surely spark a showdown.

"Sheryl, the best course of action is to get Leopold to pull the veto card."

Sheryl countered quickly. "You’ll sway him for me, will you? He always listens to you."

Trying to figure out Leopold was like solving a Rubik's cube blindfolded. One thing was crystal clear. He would not take orders from her. Leopold was in no way a hen-pecked husband.

"Sheryl, when do Stirling men ever dance to a woman's tune? If that was the case, would he have signed those divorce papers in the first place? I bet Fredric is already on his way to see him."

Divorce was a tune Aurelia knew all too well, having danced to its bitter rhythm twice already.

Sheryl’s lips tightened a fraction. Leopold siding with her was a coin toss. After all, he’d set the trend for marital walkouts, and Arnold had followed suit. But then again, Arnold had been duped into marriage with Lisa when it was Aurelia he had wanted all along.

"Even if Leopold won't listen to you, Arnold certainly will. He's putty in your hands. Just make sure he votes 'no'."

The Stirling wives were a shoo-in for her side. It was the men's votes that were up for grabs.

Aurelia was helpless.

She didn't want to do anything. She just wanted to stay neutral, taking no one’s side.

If she threw herself into the campaign for Sheryl, Jelena would have her head, and her aunt would never forgive her. That would be the end of family barbecues for sure.

While they bantered, Leopold descended the stairs, a slight furrow creasing his brow.

He suddenly realized that he'd never been the husband Arnold was in Aurelia's heart.