FULL NOVELXO The Duty Of The Heir (Book 3): Chapter 43
Presley Tower, Wesbury
Sitting across from Leonard at my desk, I pour out my heart. ‘She’s giving me the silent treatment, Leonard. She won’t even look at me, but I can feel her eyes on me. It’s like she’s stretching me to my limits. Her silence is suffocating, and the guilt is just crushing me.’
Leonard listens, his expression one of concern. He takes a slow sip of his drink. ‘And you’re sure it’s something you’ve done?’
But the gnawing feeling refuses to subside. ‘It’s the way she looks at me,’ I continue, filled with a raw edge. ‘Like she’s piecing together a puzzle, and every piece she fits makes her more and more hurt.’
‘I understand,’ he says, trying to offer some comfort.
‘I’ve never seen Aisling like this. She’s always been open, never this closed off,’ I say, feeling lost.
Leonard sets down his mug with a hint of impatience. ‘So, what’s your next move? Lay it all out and hope for the best?’
I clench my jaw. ‘If I don’t, and she’s indeed discovered what I’ve kept from her, then what? Let her stew in silence until it tears us apart?’
We sit in silence, each lost in our thoughts, the atmosphere thick with unanswered questions and mounting tension. What is it she might have learned? And if she knows, what then?
‘I’m going to confess everything to her. I have to. I hope she can forgive and forget quickly,’ I admit, feeling a mix of dread and hope.
‘Do you think that’ll make things better?’ Leonard questions, his brow furrowed.
‘I think it’s the only way,’ I say, trying to convince myself as much as him.
Leonard shakes his head, caution in his eyes. ‘I’m not sure that’s wise. What if she’s upset about something else? Confessing might make things worse.’
I lean back, trying to find a spot on the ceiling to focus on. The guilt churns inside me, threatening to spill out. ‘I think she knows,’ I admit in a whisper as if saying it any louder might make it more real.
Leonard’s eyes narrow. ‘Knows what exactly? Duke, you’ve got to be careful here. Like I’m saying if you confess something based on an assumption and she’s upset about something entirely different, you’ll just create more chaos.’
His words make me pause. The possibility that I might be wrong, that there might be something else bothering Aisling, hadn’t even crossed my mind. Leonard’s cautionary words echo in my head, adding another layer of anxiety to an already tense situation. ‘Leonard, I know Aisling. This isn’t about anything else. She’s furious, and it’s because she knows,’ I say, conviction in my voice.
Leonard probes further. ‘But how could she have found out?’
I gesture towards him, a suspicion nagging at me. ‘Maybe I should be asking you that.’
Leonard is quick to defend. ‘We don’t have any proof that she knows for sure.’
‘Trust me, Leonard. I know my wife. She’s found out. There’s no doubt about it,’ I insist, feeling a heavy certainty.
Leonard still seems skeptical. ‘Duke, confessing might not be the best move. She might suspect something, but she may not know about the IVF.’
I shake my head. ‘Leonard, I’m sure she knows it all.’
He looks concerned. ‘Can you get her to talk about it?’
‘She’s not opening up,’ I admit, feeling the distance between us.
Leonard leans forward, his gaze locked onto mine. ‘If she does know, how? Do you think the other woman might’ve spilled it?’
The thought makes my stomach clench. ‘I don’t know, Leonard. Maybe she told someone, and that someone told another. Rumors spread fast.’
Sensing my rising panic, Leonard tries to steer the conversation, his voice a low, measured tone.
‘Listen, Duke, even if that’s the case, we can handle the other woman. Ensure her silence, one way or another.’
I flinch at the suggestion. ‘That’s not an option for me.’
Leonard sighs, running a hand over his face. ‘Then what’s your plan? Drop everything? Give up the IVF?’
Every fiber in me screams to halt the entire process, but Leonard’s words hold me captive. ‘It’s not just an IVF process, Leonard. There’s a life potentially involved here. And more than that, Aisling’s trust.’
Leonard’s expression remains unmoved. ‘A baby could save your marriage, Duke. And the inheritance? Think about it.’
I shake my head, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. ‘No, Leonard. If Aisling doesn’t want it, neither do I.’
I’m firm in my response. ‘No, I don’t.’ My voice is resolute, a decision made. The path forward is unclear, but I know one thing for certain. I can’t go on with the plan. The risk to my marriage, to Aisling, is too great.