Chapter 41 -HUNTER'S POV- There are a few things I can handle first thing in the morning ' An espresso shot strong enough to punch me in the throat . " " My inbox screaming bloody murder . " The sound of silence . " What I can't handle ? My mother sitting on a goddamn couch in my living room , legs crossed , judgment uncrossed , and a boy with my eyes smiling at her like this isn't the beginning of the end . And Celine ... Celine looks like she just got caught stealing something sacred . And maybe she did . Maybe she was . I don't say anything at first . I just ... watch . Because of the silence ? It's mine . It's how I control everything . My boardroom . My reputation . My entire goddamn life . But today , it turns on me . " What did I say about keeping him away ? " My voice drops , low and lethal . The kind of tone I use when I want something dead . Usually feelings . Celine flinches as I struck her . " I - I'm sorry ," she murmured , gently tugging Caesar by the arm . " Come on , sweetie- " She scrambles for Caesar's hand like he's her lifeline , and maybe , just maybe , he is . Caroline's eyes cut to me like daggers dipped in disgust . I don't flinch . I'm good at wearing masks . Even better at hiding the ones that slip Caesar wasn't budging . " I wanna show Cole ! " he whined , holding his drawing higher . " He said he w That name made Hunter's stomach knot . Cole . Of course , he did . Then came the blow that shifted the air like a crack of thunder . " Mama ," Caesar said , looking directly at Celine . " Tell Hunter I just wanna wait for Cole ." That word . That one fucking word that tears my world down the center like a careless rip through silk . My mother straightens slowly , the way a predator might when it smells something worth chasing . " Mama ? " she repeats , her voice cold honey . to see it . She turns to Celine . Scans her . Inspects her . Slices her up with that aristocratic stare of hers , as if she's appraising a painting and not a person . Then she looks at me . And I can already see it . The question's she won't ask because she's too polite , and the accusations she doesn't need to say out loud because they're already screaming in her eyes . 1/5 Chapter 41 Caroline steps in close . Whispering hot enough for me to feel it . " You let Cole near her ? " Her voice cracks with betrayal . " Have you lost your mind ? " " Don't say it . " My reply is a warning . A hiss behind a wall of restraint . But Caroline has never listened . She never did when we were kids . She won't start now . Hunter Reid is unraveling , and everyone in this room can feel it - except the boy smiling like he belongs here .. I move toward them . My steps are measured , but my pulse isn't Celine is trying to pull him away . Caesar won't go . He looks up at me with those too - blue eyes . Mine . They look too much like mine . And I hate it . " Go with your mother , Caesar . " It comes out colder than I meant it to . Maybe not . Caesar's lip wobbles . My chest does something weird - tightens and twists . But Celine gets the message . She scoops him up and disappears like she always does , quietly , quickly , without a single word about how much I just hurt her . Then the silence wraps itself around me again . My mother rises , " You have a lot of explaining to do , " she says , brushing past me like this is just another scandal for her to clean up . I don't turn . Just say the words . " He's not mine . " The lie comes out dry . Brittle . " I don't know ... but he's not . " She stops . Smirks . " Oh , honey ." She laughs , but it's sharp and joyless . " You don't even believe that . " She circles back and gets in my space like only Eleanor Reid can . " You remember how you looked when you were four ? " she asks . "Because I do . And he's you . Every damn part . The chin , the brows , the stormy scowl . I birthed that face . You think I wouldn't recognize it ? " I look away . Because I do remember . And she's not wrong . But admitting it would be worse than hearing it . " You need to ask yourself , " she continues , her voice turning steel , " where the hell you slipped up . Because someone did . And that little boy is the consequence . " Consequences . She always talks like I'm still a teenager ruining trust funds and reputations . She's not entirely wrong . Caroline leans in . Her voice is softer now like she knows I'm at the edge of something jagged . " What if she's right ? " I don't answer . I can't . Because the part of me that used to know how to love anything - or anyone - was buried a long time ago , six feet under 2/5 Tl1 Th1 1 Chapter 41 reputation and resentment . And then I hear her . From the top of the staircase . Celine She's standing there , holding Caesar's hand , both of them bathed in soft morning light that shouldn't make me feel like this . She's not saying anything , Just looking . At me . Like she sees the parts I've never shown anyone . Caesar steps forward . He lifts the crumpled drawing . His voice is small " Do you want to see it too ? " I swallow , I don't move . Because I don't know what terrifies me more - What he drew .... Or that I want to say yes . Dinner with my mother always felt like walking barefoot across broken glasses .... beautifully lit , richly plated , and casually cruel . My mother Eleanor , sat at the head of the table like a queen in exile . Caroline my cousin , sat at her left , sipping from her wine glass like she had not just flown in from Milan to remind everyone she was too good for this place . Across from me , a hundred - thousand - dollar centerpiece blocked half of my view , which was probably for the best . I had no desire to look at the woman pretending to be family tonight . Not when my mind was still locked on the thought of her . Celine had been gone by the time we sat down . She knew better than to hover , let alone take a seat . She belonged to the background in my mother's world - maid , outsider , replaceable . But that didn't stop Eleanor from dragging her into the spotlight like a magician pulling a rabbit fro " Such a shame the staff these days can't keep their personal lives out of their professional spaces ," she said , casually slicing into her filet . " There was a time when servants had the decency to be invisible . " Caroline raised an eyebrow but said nothing . She brings that little boy here , doesn't she ? " Eleanor went on , eyes twinkling with fake curiosity . " What's his name again ? Caesar ? I didn't respond . Eleanor smiled thinly , " Unusual name . Sounds more like ambition than affection . " My jaw tightened . " He's a kid . You want to gossip , pick on someone your size . " " Oh , darling , " she said sweetly . " I'm not gossiping . I'm observing . There's a difference . And forgive me , but a maid with a child ... working here of all places ? It begs the question . " " What question ? " Chapter 41 Eleanor's eyes sparkled like frostbite . " What exactly is she hoping to gain by keeping her child so visible ? Money ? Pity ? A last name ? " Caroline , who'd been idly twirling her wine , finally spoke . " Celine is hardworking ," she said , trying not to sound loud . " But it feels like she is struggling too , being a single mother and very young at that " My mother scoffed , clearly not happy by what Caroline said , she picks her glass of wine taking a sip . " She's not stupid , " she said , almost bored . " Whatever she's doing , it's calculated . " That made me sit up . " Explain . " Caroline gave a half shrug . " I think what Aunty is trying to say , is No woman walks into this house with a sob story and a pretty face without knowing how far both can get her , I don't think she's malicious . Just ... strategic . " Strategic The word dug into my spine like a splinter . " Stop supporting her egos and words , she is your friend remember " " That's ... not what I meant Hunter ... I stood without a word and left the table , ignoring Eleanor's amused smirk and Caroline's guilt as I walked out. I found Celine in the back hallway , where the help usually disappeared to clean up the messes the rest of us made . She was wiping Caesar's hands with a cloth , humming softly under her breath - something gentle and low . The kind of sound that didn't belong in this house . I waited until she looked up . The hum died in her throat. " You need something , Mr. Reid ? " she asked , her tone clipped , professional . But her body tensed like she already knew this wasn't about work . " Yeah , " I said . " The truth . " Her brows drew together . " About what ? " I took a step closer . " Did you plan this ? Getting hired here . Bringing your son , Making sure I noticed you . " She froze . She froze . " You think I planned to be a majd in your mansion ?" she asked , eyes wide with disbelief . " I think people lie . Especially when they need something ." Her jaw locked . " You think I dragged my son into this circus for your attention ? " " You're not stupid , " I said flatly . " And Caesar's a suitable accessory . " The slap of her palm against my cheek was silent - but it 4/5 12:02 THU . 11-1 Chapter 41 echoed through me like thunder . Caesar stirred , his little head lifting slightly from her shoulder , but she gently soothed him back down without looking away from me . " You think because you have money, everyone around you just wants a piece of it ? " she asked , her voice shaking with fury . " I didn't ask for your attention , Hunter , I didn't want it . I still don't . " " You're lying ." Her nostrils flared . "I didn't choose this job because I was chasing a fantasy . I chose it because I had no options left . You think I enjoy scrubbing your crystal stemware and dodging you and everyone's twisted opinion of me ? " I didn't speak I couldn't . She took a breath like she was about to break - but didn't . " You want to investigate me ? Do it . Call in your lawyers , your private investigators , hell , hire a psychic for all I care . But don't you kid ? " dare stand here and accuse me of using my I swallowed hard , heat crawling up my neck . " I'm not accusing , I'm just ... trying to make sense of this . " Her eyes narrowed . " Then try harder . She walked past me , Caesar still half - asleep in her arms , head resting on her collarbone like a crown she wore with quiet defiance . I didn't follow her . But I watched her go . And all the noise in my head - the warnings , the suspicions , the hunger - screamed louder than ever . If she wasn't alter anything . Why did it feel like I was the one who'd been caught ? I returned to the table with the taste of her anger still burning on my skin . 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