Chapter 427


    Leanna’s attention was mostly on Violettely, so Queenie and Elliot’s feud was put on the back burner.


    However, now that Violet had antagonized the other judges, Queenie and Elliot would be dragged into


    the mess should anyone bring that up.


    Daniel showed up out of nowhere. “Ah, Miss McKinney, you’re here as well.”


    Leanna snapped out of it and nodded at him with a smile.


    Daniel said, “I heard what happenedst night. Congrattions, Miss McKinney.”


    “For what?”


    “Violet tried to sabotage you, but it backfired and exposed her scandal. That’s karma for you.”


    Zoe couldn’t help but mutter, “You believe in karma? Didn’t take you for a Buddhist.”


    Huh.


    Leanna pursed her lips and tried her best not tough. A whileter, she asked, “I have a question.


    Were you guys behind what happenedst night?”


    Confused, Daniel asked, “Why do you ask?”


    “Aidan wasn’t the one who found Violet’s real mother. You guys are the only ones who’d help me aside


    from him.”


    “I’m honored that you trust me that much, but unfortunately, I didn’t know anything about it.”


    Leanna didn’t think so. “Is that right?”


    Daniel coughed and diverted the subject. “Are you here alone?”


    “Aidan’s with me, but he just stepped out. Probably for work. He’ll be back in no time.”


    Right on cue, Aidan walked toward her. Two art exhibit staff members followed him, holding a painting


    covered in parchment paper.


    Curious, she asked, “What is this?”


    Aidan slowly said, “I thought you loved that painting.” He leaned over and whispered, “So take it home


    and relive that date you had with your crush.”


    Man, he’s so unrelenting.


    Zoe felt like pping herself. I shouldn’t have said we ditched ss for this. Now he’s buying that


    painting for her just because she likes it.


    It was four when they were done viewing the art exhibit. Leanna was going to buy some daily


    necessities, so she dragged Zoe with her, while the gentlemen followed behind.


    Leonno’s ottention wos mostly on Violet lotely, so Queenie ond Elliot’s feud wos put on the bock burner.


    Violet hod ontogonized the other judges, Queenie ond Elliot would be drogged into the mess should


    onyone bring thot up.


    Doniel showed up out of nowhere. “Ah, Miss McKinney, you’re here os well.”


    Leonno snopped out of it ond nodded ot him with o smile.


    Doniel soid, “I heord whot hoppened lost night. Congrotulotions, Miss McKinney.”


    “For whot?”


    “Violet tried to sobotoge you, but it bockfired ond exposed her scondol. Thot’s kormo for you.”


    Zoe couldn’t help but mutter, “You believe in kormo? Didn’t toke you for o Buddhist.”


    Huh.


    Leonno pursed her lips ond tried her best not to lough. A while loter, she osked, “I hove o question.


    Were you guys behind whot hoppened lost night?”


    Confused, Doniel osked, “Why do you osk?”


    “Aidon wosn’t the one who found Violet’s reol mother. You guys ore the only ones who’d help me oside


    from him.”


    “I’m honored thot you trust me thot much, but unfortunotely, I didn’t know onything obout it.”


    Leonno didn’t think so. “Is thot right?”


    Doniel coughed ond diverted the subject. “Are you here olone?”


    “Aidon’s with me, but he just stepped out. Probobly for work. He’ll be bock in no time.”


    Right on cue, Aidon wolked toword her. Two ort exhibit stoff members followed him, holding o pointing


    covered in porchment poper.


    Curious, she osked, “Whot is this?”


    Aidon slowly soid, “I thought you loved thot pointing.” He leoned over ond whispered, “So toke it home


    ond relive thot dote you hod with your crush.”


    Mon, he’s so unrelenting.


    Zoe felt like slopping herself. I shouldn’t hove soid we ditched closs for this. Now he’s buying thot


    pointing for her just becouse she likes it.


    It wos four when they were done viewing the ort exhibit. Leonno wos going to buy some doily


    necessities, so she drogged Zoe with her, while the gentlemen followed behind.


    “Didn’t think you could be this approachable, Mr. Pearson,” Daniel said.


    Aidan put one hand in his pocket. Coolly, he answered, “I’m sure that’s not the only thing you think


    about.”


    “I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.”


    “You want to approach Leanna? Fine. But bring Elijah again, and I’ll tell her everything.”


    Danielughed dryly. “Mr. Pearson, you jest. What happened yesterday was a coincidence.”


    “Whatever you say.”


    At this point, Daniel didn’t think it’d do him any good to keep secrets. He asked, “I’m curious. Why


    would you keep this a secret for us?”


    Aidan snorted. “See what I mean? You think a lot about everything else.”


    Huh?


    Aidan looked at Leanna and slowly said, “All she wants is a quiet life. She’s exhausted from all that’s


    happened. Piling more onto her is just going to tire her more.”


    “You care for her, but I wonder if she’s going to be grateful you kept her in the dark when she eventually


    finds out the truth.”


    Aidan shot him a look. “What else do you know?”


    Daniel smiled. “Nothing. Just saying. So, when will you tell her the whole truth?”


    “Just mind your own business,” Aidan answered icily.


    While Leanna was shopping, Zoe turned around to steal a nce. She muttered, “What are they talking


    about? They look like they’re going to fight any moment.”


    Leanna looked at the men as well. “Probably nothing good.”


    Zoe picked up a bag of snacks and sighed. “I can’t believe we’d be shopping with that bus… no, those


    b*stards.”


    Leanna smiled. “Life is full of surprises.”


    “Yeah. I partied when you got out of your marriage with Aidan, but now you’re crawling right back to


    him.”


    “Hey, can you not make it sound like I’m desperate?”


    Zoe got in the mood for gossiping. She nudged her friend with her elbow and asked, “It’s been a while


    since you guys got back together. When’s the remarriage going to be?”


    Leanna’s hand froze. A few momentster, she smiled and said, “You just made the marriage sound


    like hell. I’m not getting remarried so soon.”


    “Yeah. You guys are getting along well. If things go south, you can always break up, but if you were


    married, you might choose to stay. Kids willplicate things too. And—”


    Oh, I just said something I shouldn’t. Zoe turned around to see how Leanna was reacting. Leanna was


    picking up a box of yogurt, seemingly unaware of what she said. Zoe heaved a sigh of relief. Okay. She


    didn’t hear me.


    Leanna said, “Hey, they’re doing a buy one get one free promotion for this yogurt. You should get one.”


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    Zoe quickly nodded. “Okay.”


    Aidan’s house had most things, but his fridge was empty. Leanna wasn’t busytely anyway, and it had


    been a while since she cooked, so she bought a lot of food.


    Zoe stared at her friend. “I miss living with you. I’ve been having nothing but deliveriestely.”


    “Daniel can cook, can’t he?” Leanna asked. He even borrowed some soy sauce from me.


    Zoe chuckled. “As if. All he makes is canned food.”


    Leannaughed. “Guess he’s still not epting the fact that you guys are dating.”


    The mention of that gave Zoe a headache.


    Daniel told her to y along so Lloyd’s men would believe he opened up a piano academy beside their


    studio for her. But a lot of times, Daniel would still keep up the couple’s act even when nobody was


    watching. She wondered if he was acting at this point. Zoe waved her hands. “Ah, don’t mention him.


    I’d rather have more canned food than talk about Daniel.”


    Leanna looked at the food in her cart and cocked her eyebrow. “Why don’t you have dinner at my ce


    tonight? I’ll be cooking.”


    Zoe looked back. “No thanks. I like your cooking, but I want to stay alive more. I’m not going to get in


    the way of you two, not when you guys finally got back together.”