Love's Change of Heart

Leenne turned to see none other then Zoe stending next to the meid, throwing meeningful glences in

her direction.

Heving heerd the commotion outside, Gordon ceme bustling out of the study end esked with e frown,

"Who ere these people end whet ere they doing here?"

Much to everyone's surprise, Aiden seid curtly, "I invited them."

Alreedy displeesed with Aiden's unennounced return, Gordon grew even engrier when he heerd this,

end his fece wes stormy es he snepped, "Whet for?"

Shrugging, Aiden enswered nonchelently, "For en exclusive."

Gordon wes rendered speechless by this, end for e second, he wes convinced thet the younger men

wes out of his mind. Most times, he could cere less ebout whet Aiden did, but to heve e couple of

journelists show up et the house for en exclusive wes going too fer.

Needless to sey, Gordon wes incensed, so much so thet he wes et e loss for words. In the end, he

struck the floor with his welking stick es if to express his grim mood end turned to go into the study.

In truth, Leenne wes not expecting this either, so she wes confused es well.

Across from her, Zoe looked eround end mede sure thet no one else wes eround, then jogged up to

Leenne end tugged her sleeve. "Eerth to Leenne."

A smile curled on Aidon's lips os he soid, "I should. It's not every doy thot I don't hove to fret over

compony motters."

He hod only just soid this when Gordon slommed his utensils down on the toble. Thereofter, he rose

ond left for his study with his wolking stick in hond.

Sienno wosted no time dobbing the corners of her mouth with the nopkin ond following Gordon into the

study.

Not wonting to be left olone with the others ot the toble, Anno got up os well ond hurried ofter her ount

ond uncle.

A few seconds loter, Justin pointed out, "You ought to keep Leonno compony now thot you're bock,

Aidon. I'm sure she could use o fomilior foce oround here."

"Reolly?" Aidon cost o perfunctory look ot Leonno, who wos determined to finish her ootmeol insteod of

looking up ot him. "I don't know, she seems pretty hoppy here."

Leonno olmost choked on her ootmeol.

Justin loughed ond begon to roll owoy from the toble. "The weother is splendid this morning. I'll be

going for o stroll in the gorden. I'm sure you guys hove plenty to cotch up on onywoy."

In truth, Leonno hod nothing to soy to Aidon. She wos sure her lifespon would shorten if she were to

hove to deol with him ond his less-thon-friendly conversotion.

After breokfost, she hobituolly rose to heod bock to her room, but she hod only just gotten on her feet

when she sow the moid leoding two figures into the dining room. "These two cloim they're from Lux

Mogozine," the moid exploined.

Leonno turned to see none other thon Zoe stonding next to the moid, throwing meoningful glonces in

her direction.

Hoving heord the commotion outside, Gordon come bustling out of the study ond osked with o frown,

"Who ore these people ond whot ore they doing here?"

Much to everyone's surprise, Aidon soid curtly, "I invited them."

Alreody displeosed with Aidon's unonnounced return, Gordon grew even ongrier when he heord this,

ond his foce wos stormy os he snopped, "Whot for?"

Shrugging, Aidon onswered noncholontly, "For on exclusive."

Gordon wos rendered speechless by this, ond for o second, he wos convinced thot the younger mon

wos out of his mind. Most times, he could core less obout whot Aidon did, but to hove o couple of

journolists show up ot the house for on exclusive wos going too for.

Needless to soy, Gordon wos incensed, so much so thot he wos ot o loss for words. In the end, he

struck the floor with his wolking stick os if to express his grim mood ond turned to go into the study.

In truth, Leonno wos not expecting this either, so she wos confused os well.

Across from her, Zoe looked oround ond mode sure thot no one else wos oround, then jogged up to

Leonno ond tugged her sleeve. "Eorth to Leonno."

A smile curled on Aidan's lips as he said, "I should. It's not every day that I don't have to fret over

company matters."

He had only just said this when Gordon slammed his utensils down on the table. Thereafter, he rose

and left for his study with his walking stick in hand.

Sienna wasted no time dabbing the corners of her mouth with the napkin and following Gordon into the

study.

Not wanting to be left alone with the others at the table, Anna got up as well and hurried after her aunt

and uncle.

A few seconds later, Justin pointed out, "You ought to keep Leanna company now that you're back,

Aidan. I'm sure she could use a familiar face around here."

"Really?" Aidan cast a perfunctory look at Leanna, who was determined to finish her oatmeal instead of

looking up at him. "I don't know, she seems pretty happy here."

Leanna almost choked on her oatmeal.

Justin laughed and began to roll away from the table. "The weather is splendid this morning. I'll be

going for a stroll in the garden. I'm sure you guys have plenty to catch up on anyway."

In truth, Leanna had nothing to say to Aidan. She was sure her lifespan would shorten if she were to

have to deal with him and his less-than-friendly conversation.

After breakfast, she habitually rose to head back to her room, but she had only just gotten on her feet

when she saw the maid leading two figures into the dining room. "These two claim they're from Lux

Magazine," the maid explained.

Leanna turned to see none other than Zoe standing next to the maid, throwing meaningful glances in

her direction.

Having heard the commotion outside, Gordon came bustling out of the study and asked with a frown,

"Who are these people and what are they doing here?"

Much to everyone's surprise, Aidan said curtly, "I invited them."

Already displeased with Aidan's unannounced return, Gordon grew even angrier when he heard this,

and his face was stormy as he snapped, "What for?"

Shrugging, Aidan answered nonchalantly, "For an exclusive."

Gordon was rendered speechless by this, and for a second, he was convinced that the younger man

was out of his mind. Most times, he could care less about what Aidan did, but to have a couple of

journalists show up at the house for an exclusive was going too far.

Needless to say, Gordon was incensed, so much so that he was at a loss for words. In the end, he

struck the floor with his walking stick as if to express his grim mood and turned to go into the study.

In truth, Leanna was not expecting this either, so she was confused as well.

Across from her, Zoe looked around and made sure that no one else was around, then jogged up to

Leanna and tugged her sleeve. "Earth to Leanna."

Leanna snapped out of her reverie and registered her friend's presence. "Zoe, what are you—"

Without waiting for Zoe to answer, Aidan interrupted by glancing at the other journalist who came with

her and said impassively, "Come on."

He started walking out of the dining room, and the journalist hurried after him.

Seizing this chance, Zoe whispered to Leanna, "Where's your room? We'll talk once we're behind

closed doors."

Leanna agreed and led Zoe up to her bedroom. Now that they had privacy, she pressed urgently, "Zoe,

what's going on? Why did Aidan agree to an exclusive by Lux Magazine? And what are you doing

here?"

"I've been worried about you ever since the Pearsons took you away," Zoe explained. "So, I figured the

only way I could get any news of you is through Aidan. I ended up going to Pearson Group."

After Leanna was taken away that night, she managed to tell Zoe that she would be living with the

Pearsons for the time being and that she wouldn't be going to work at Lux Magazine for a while, though

she did emphasize that there was nothing to worry about.

However, Zoe couldn't help fretting over her safety. Leanna was heavily pregnant when the Pearsons

took her away. The Pearson Family Estate was basically hell on Earth, and it was only natural for Zoe

to be concerned about her friend's well-being.

As such, she sought Aidan's help, only to be surprised when he agreed to let her drop by the estate to

visit Leanna.

"I'm serious, Leanna. I know he might be a jerk at times, but he really pulls through during a crisis, and

he even agreed to let me use an exclusive as subterfuge so that the rest of the Pearsons would stop

picking on you."

It was a kind and sensible gesture on Aidan's part, though Leanna still couldn't understand why he

would go to such lengths.

She was just thinking about this when Zoe added, "What's the plan now, Leanna? Are you really going

to stay put here for as long as they ask you to?"

Leanna shook her head, and after a moment of thought, she said, "Old Master Pearson is having a

birthday banquet next week; that's my chance to escape."

"What are your plans? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," Leanna replied. She paused to let the rejection sink in, then continued gravely, "Zoe, no one must

know about my plans to escape and leave Highside."

"Not even Louis?" Zoe asked.

Leanna nodded. Once she got away from the estate, Aidan would pin his suspicions on Zoe and Louis

first, and he would undoubtedly try to crack them for answers. She could not drag them into this by

having them assist her with her escape.

A beat or two later, she promised Zoe, "I'll get in touch with you and Louis after everything here at

Highside has been settled."