The CEO's Unplanned Heir novel Chapter 186

Elowen took a swig of her drink, waving her hand dismissively. "Don't even get me started. Sheryl is practically on the brink of depression. Fredric hasn't been home in a month. Turns out he's been spending his time with some Instagram influencer from his company. Sheryl is livid and has been venting to my Aunt Jessica."

Aurelia took a deep breath, processing the information. She didn't need to guess who the Instagram influencer was - her own cousin.

"Why is Sheryl complaining to Jessica? Where is Fredric's biological mom?"

"She remarried soon after giving birth to Fredric and moved abroad with her new husband. She hasn't been back since. I guess her smart moves paid off because Jessica tends to favor Fredric more among all her nephews. In the Stirling family, Fredric's status is second only to Leopold's."

Aurelia pondered over this new bit of information. If her assumption was correct, Fredric was the least likely suspect in Leopold's attempted assassination, which made Arno more suspicious.

She quickly put the thought aside. She couldn't bring herself to believe that Arno was capable of such a thing. After all, according to every mystery novel she read, the culprit was always the least likely suspect.

She took a sip of her orange juice and asked, "Do you think Fredric could be genuinely in love with this Instagram influencer?"

Elowen scoffed. "Unless she's some kind of enchantress like Arnold's mother, she's just a toy to him. Once he's bored, he'll discard her."

A pang of sympathy hit Aurelia. She couldn't just stand by while her cousin was being used. Her cousin deserved better. She deserved a man who would treasure her, not some playboy.

"Ms. Elowen, maybe you should consider learning the art of seduction. Who knows, maybe Evelyn has, and that's how she managed to ensnare the big boss so quickly. She's practically a step away from breaking up your engagement and becoming his wife."

"You're right," Elowen said, looking enlightened.

As the night grew darker, Aurelia assumed Leopold wouldn't show up. But to her surprise, he walked into the apartment around eight o'clock. She was sprawled on the couch, engrossed in the latest episode of "Dream for Young" and didn't bother acknowledging him.