The CEO's Unplanned Heir novel Chapter 997

"Angel, there was a part of me that still yearned to be a true Heninger, like in the old days. You won't spill the beans to Dad, Leopold, or Jessica about me knowing the secret, will you?"

"Of course not," Aurelia said, gently ruffling his hair. "But you've got to promise me you won't let this eat at you, okay? Don't let Geoffrey get under your skin."

Skyler nodded with a firm resolve. "Nah, I'm not going to let him get to me. I'm not going to live in the shadows like he does. I'm all about the sunshine."

Aurelia's smile was warm and bright. "Good boy, Skyler. You're like a little ray of sunshine, full of positivity."

She was relieved to see him take the revelation in stride, not weighed down by the burden of the secret.

Kids are resilient, their simple hearts and quicksilver emotions always bouncing back.

After a moment of quiet, Skyler asked, "Is Tanya really locked up?"

"In light of her crimes, if the cops ever caught her and extradited her back to Eastwood Heights, she'd be looking at 200 years minimum. Despite her cold heart, Leopold still had a soft spot for family ties. He created a sort of Shangri-La for her to live out her days, so she can't wreak havoc anymore and won't suffer behind bars."

Skyler scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, when they catch Geoffrey, they should just send him to keep Tanya company. They can be each other's misery."

That suggestion wasn't half bad.

Aurelia chuckled softly. "How did your observation go yesterday?"

"I can't be sure if he's the real Raines, but something's definitely off."

Aurelia raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Well, you all said he liked things with a strong flavor, right? But I noticed he actually doesn't. He doesn't like lime juice, cilantro, or apple turkey pie made by Paz. He tries to hide it, but I'm studying psychology, I can tell."

Aurelia had sensed something off as well.

"Lisbeth said it was because he'd been seriously ill, and his tastes had changed."

Skyler mused, "That Lisbeth is a bit off too. She and Raines seem more like a boss and employee than husband and wife."