The CEO’S Unplanned Heir novel (Aurelia and Leopold)

"Dad's heart must be aching, and he just doesn't show it, afraid it might get to me. He's always like that, keeping his sorrows to himself."
Aurelia fell silent, aware that she was forever indebted to Arnold. If he hadn't rescued her on that desolate island all those years ago, she would have
been a lost soul, and William, Arnold saved him too. That was why Leopold could swallow his pride and not settle scores with him.
Arnold was her first love, her confidant, her savior, but their fates were never meant to intertwine. She had fond feelings for Arnold, but it was always
Leopold who held her heart.
Leopold often said his heart was small, with room for her alone. Whether that was true or not, she couldn't say for certain. Her own heart wasn't quite
that small, but if his love was genuine, she would never betray him.
"Grief is temporary," she mused, "There's no hurdle in life that time can't help you get past."

To her, it seemed improbable to love only one person in a lifetime. As years pass, hearts change.
Endless love, the kind that lasted until death, and it was a myth, a fairy tale for the pages of a novel. Real-life love was fragile, and prone to change,
especially for men, who, bound by their nature, had needs. That was why there were so many tales of infidelity, love triangles, and heartbreakers.
Perhaps now, Arnold couldn't let go. But in a year, two, three, or four... eventually, his feelings would fade, he would move on, and forget. He would
meet someone new, someone who would stir his heart again, thawing the ice that was settled there.
Of course, if he could be moved by Lisa, and accept her love, that would be for the best. Then Nova would have a complete family.
William didn't understand these complexities. In his eyes, Arnold loved Aurelia the most, and treated her better than anyone else, even better than
Leopold.
She finished preparing a plate of orange French toast and carried it to Arnold's room.
"Arnold, come, try this. See if it's to your liking?"
"As long as it's made by you, it's delicious." Arnold offered a tender smile, a deep affection flickering in his eyes. Though she was no longer his, his
love for her would last a lifetime, beyond the reach of thought.
"It's been a while since I've made this. I didn't realize William still remembered," she chuckled.
Arnold took a bite and murmured, "Did Leopold get upset after he found out about William?"

"No," she shook her head, "He had guessed that William was Liam, just without confirmation. And I told him it was William's choice not to return.
Children aren't possessions, and we should respect their wishes."
She paused, lifting her gaze to him, "Arnold, you will always be William's father. No one can replace you in his heart. I've always wanted to apologize
to you. You've been so good to me, and I owe you so much, and I can never repay it in this lifetime."
"Aurelia." he interrupted her, "You owe me nothing. Being good to you was my choice. Having someone in your heart, someone to care about is a joy.
It's better than an empty heart, void of any feeling."
Was it really so? Aurelia bit her lip, sometimes worried that Arnold's feelings for her were an obsession, the kind that comes from longing for the
unattainable.
People tend to glorify what they couldn't have, to hold on to it as the best, the unforgettable.
She didn't want Arnold trapped by his own obsession. She hoped he could love someone truly worthy of him, wished for his happiness, and hoped
that one day, he would have a joyful, loving family of his own.