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Chapter 1013
Chapter 1013
"Lisbeth," Aurelia voiced her concern with a furrowed brow. "What's gotten into Raines lately? He's lost
so much weight. Everyone's worried sick."
Lisbeth pursed her lips, hesitating for what felt like an eternity before she murmured, "It's some immune Content rights belong to NôvelDrama.Org.
system complication. He's had a bone marrow transplant and is on the mend now. Just needs to focus
on getting his strength back."
"Whose marrow did they transplant? Elfreda's?" asked Aurelia.
"Mhm," Lisbeth nodded, a hint of relief in her voice. "Thankfully, Elfreda's a match. They had the
transplant early, and he's responding well to the treatment."
"Gosh, you should have told us sooner, Beverley chided gently. "If Elfreda hadn't been a match, we
could have started testing ourselves to help him."
Lisbeth sighed wearily. "Raines didn't want to tell you. After all those years abroad, he still feels
disconnected from everyone here."
A shadow of sadness crossed Beverley's features, "We need to do better with Raines. Let him feel the
warmth of the Stirling family."
But Aurelia's greatest fear was that if the Raines who had returned was an imposter, the real Raines
must be in grave danger, possibly even silenced permanently.
Lisbeth was the key. They had to coax more information out of her.
"I'll send a few staff who know about wellness to your house tomorrow. They can help Lisbeth with
Raines' recovery."
Lisbeth waved off the offer. "Thanks, but no need. We've got enough hands at home."
Aurelia patted her hand reassuringly. "Lisbeth, we're family. Let me help, please."
Meanwhile, Fredric handed over a big apple to Raines in the card room.
"Here, Raines. I know how much you love this stuff. Got the biggest piece for you."
Raines accepted it with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Fredric."
Arnold and Leopold played their cards silently, a tangible tension filling the air.
"The last time the four of us played bridge like this was the night when Dad passed away. We stayed
up all night, keeping vigil," recalled Fredric. "You two were just as tight-lipped then."
He clapped Arnold on the shoulder. "I know you've got a thing for Aurelia. You had a good run and
even had a kid together. But she's chosen to get back with Leopold. It's time to move on. Get someone
new."
Arnold's jaw tightened slightly. Aurelia was one of a kind, irreplaceable.
"Fredric, I'm good. I respect Aurelia's choices. I won't pressure her. From now on, she's just the mother
of my child, my sister-in-law."
Clever as he was, Arnold avoided open confrontation with Leopold.
That way, Leopold had no grounds to deny his daily interactions with Aurelia.
Leopold's icy gaze flickered in the dim light, unreadable.
"Let's hope you keep your word, Arnold."
Fredric chuckled. "That's the spirit. We're all brothers here. United we stand, divided we fall."
Raines bit into the apple, voicing his thoughts leisurely. "The way to a woman's heart is as
unfathomable as the ocean's depths. Who can truly know who they love? Like Lisbeth, sometimes, she
gets all worked up over nothing, and I'm left wondering what's on her mind."
In Arnold's view, Aurelia's choice of Leopold was motivated by circumstances, not love. On the other
hand, Leopold believed that Aurelia's heart belonged to Arnold and that she had been forced to return
to his side.
But Leopold was patient, confident that he'd win her heart back eventually.
Fredric shrugged with a knowing smirk as he said, "Some women are enigmas, tough nuts to crack.
But isn't it the chase, the mystery that makes them all the more enticing?"