The CEO's Unplanned Heir novel Chapter 975

Leopold strolled over, his large hand reaching out to ruffle her hair affectionately. "You don't have to worry about that, sweetheart. He's one of the Stirling family, my nephew. How could I possibly let him down?"

Aurelia sighed internally. Leopold, with his aloof demeanor, was never going to bond with William the way Arnold did. Getting him to acknowledge and accept his flesh and blood was going to be a tough cookie to crack.

If she were to spill the beans about the truth, Leopold, with his domineering nature, would undoubtedly snatch the boy away from Arnold in a heartbeat. That would likely send the father-son relationship into a deep freeze, maybe even breeding resentment in William that could last a lifetime.

"I just wish you and William could get along like father and son," she said, holding onto a sliver of hope.

From Leopold's point of view, her wish was a tall order. William had always kept him at arm's length, showing no signs of ever seeing him as a dad.

"The bond he has with Arnold is irreplaceable," Leopold stated bluntly, an inconvenient truth for himself as the biological father.

Aurelia thought to herself, bitterly, that this wasn't a good sign for Leopold's relationship with William.

"William's just a kid. If you show him kindness, he'll warm up to you. I have to get back to work now."

Maybe it was simply a case of thin blood ties between them. Otherwise, why would the child have been taken at birth, leaving him and his real dad as strangers?

On Monday, Raines returned from abroad.

Aurelia and Sheryl got busy setting up a family dinner to welcome him home.

Raines was slim and tall, with handsome, delicate features but a rather pale complexion that suggested fragile health.

He was dressed in a turtleneck sweater and a long-sleeved coat, wrapped up tightly as if he was very susceptible to the cold.

Following him was a stunning woman named Lisbeth, his personal assistant and caretaker, responsible for his daily needs. After all, with his memory issues, it was handy to have someone to remember things for him.