Leonardo had just received the intelligence about Isabella's latest desperate gambit: telling Alaric she was pregnant with his child. A harsh, cynical laugh escaped him. Isabella was truly shameless. After he had so publicly and utterly ignored her, leaving her exposed and humiliated at the luncheon, she had immediately sought out Alaric, clinging to him like a drowning woman.
For a fleeting moment, a dark thought flickered through Leonardo's mind: perhaps he should just let them be. They both deserved each other, bound by a web of lies and convenient truths. If Alaric truly believed Isabella was pregnant, it would chain him to her, ensuring he would leave Emilia alone.
That, in itself, was a powerful incentive for Leonardo. His protectiveness over Emilia had grown into an all-consuming
