The Billionaire’s Secret Heirs (Celine and Hunter) novel Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Chapter 104

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-CELINE’S POV-

The guest wing felt strange but comfortable. Caesar had spent the morning exploring every corner of his new room, announcing it “the best room ever” before running outside to play.

Now I stood in the main kitchen, mixing cookie dough and watching through the window as Hunter crouched beside my son in the garden.

“Caesar, if you put that stick there, the whole fort will fall,” Hun

saying, his voice carrying through the

open

window.

“But Daddy Hunter, it looks cooler this way!”

“Alright, let’s try it your way. But when it falls, we’ll build it stronger together.”

I smiled despite myself. Three days ago, I never would have imagined Hunter Reid patiently explaining architecture to a three–year–old.

“Is that really Mr. Reid out there?” Elisa whispered to Ana as they passed by the window.

Ana paused in her cleaning, her eyes narrowing as she watched Hunter laugh at something Caesar said. “I suppose. Though ive never seen him smile like that.”

“He looks different when he’s happy,” Elisa observed innocently.

“Different indeed,” Ana muttered, then looked directly at me. “Some people get lucky, don’t they?”

I kept mixing my dough, refusing to take the bait. Ana had made her feelings about me clear months ago, and nothing I said would change

her mind.

The kitchen door burst open, and Caroline swept in like a whirlwind, her designer heels clicking on the marble floor.

“Celine!” she called out, then stopped dead when she saw Hunter and Caesar through the window. “Oh my

God.”

“What?” I asked, though I could guess what had caught her attention.

“That’s my cousin. My serious, workaholic, never–smiles cousin. And he’s…” She gestured at the window. “He’s playing patty–cake with a

toddler.”

“They’re building a fort,” I corrected.

“Even better.” Caroline watched for another moment, then turned to me with bright eyes. “How long has this been going on?”

“This is day three of the new arrangement.”

“And he’s actually being a father? Not just going through the actions?”

I glanced outside again. Hunter was now lying on his stomach in the dirt, his expensive shirt probably ruined, helping Caesar line up stones.

“He’s trying.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Caroline reached for one of my cooling cookies. “Maybe there’s hope for him after all.”

“Those are still hot,” I warned.

“Worth it,” she said, taking a bite. Then she noticed Ana still hovering nearby. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”

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Ana’s cheeks flushed. “I was just finishing….”

“The gossip? Yes, I heard you.” Caroline’s voice was pleasant but firm. “Maybe focus on your actual job instead of commenting on other people’s lives.”

“Caroline,” I said quietly. “Please don’t.”

“What? I’m just suggesting she might be happier if she worried less about your business and more about her own.”

Ana shot me a cold look before walking away, and I sighed. The last thing I needed was more drama with the staff.

“You’re too nice,” Caroline said, settling onto a stool. “That woman has been spreading rumors about you for weeks.”

“I know. But fighting with her won’t help anything.”

“Maybe not, but it might make you feel better.” Caroline studied my face. “How are you really doing? With all this?”

I glanced outside again. Caesar was now sitting on Hunter’s shoulders, directing their fort–building like a tiny general. “It’s complicated.”

“Because you still have feelings for him?”

My hands stilled on the mixing bowl. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face when you look at him.”

I felt my cheeks warm. “Caroline, we just agreed to co–parent. That’s all this is.”

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“Uh–huh.” Caroline’s grin was knowing. “And I suppose you’ve completely forgotten about whatever happened between you two while I was gone?”

“Nothing happened,” I said quickly.

“Celine.”

“Nothing that matters,” I amended.

Caroline laughed. “Oh, honey. You are a terrible liar.” Before could respond, the kitchen door opened and Hunter walked in, Caesar still perched on his shoulders.

“Caroline, you’re back,” Hunter said, his voice warm with genuine affection. “How was Chicago?”

“Profitable,” Caroline replied. “Though not as interesting as what’s been happening here, apparently.”

Hunter’s eyes found mine briefly before he lifted Caesar down. “Caesar, why don’t you go wash your hands? You’re covered in dirt.”

“Okay, Daddy Hunter!” Caesar ran toward the small bathroom off the kitchen.

“I should go say hello to my godson properly,” Caroline said, sliding off her stool. “And then I really do have to run.”

“You just got here,” I protested.

“I have a dinner meeting. But don’t worry….you two will be fine without me.” She winked and followed Caesar toward the bathroom.

Suddenly, it was just Hunter and me in the large kitchen. The silence felt heavy, charged with everything we weren’t saying.

“The cookies smell good,” Hunter said finally.

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Chapter 104

“Vanilla coconut.” I focused on transferring the cooled ones to a container. “Caesar’s favorite.”

“I’ll have to remember that.”

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Hunter moved to the refrigerator and pulled out a water bottle: Instead of leaving, he leaned against the counter nearby, close enough that I could smell his cologne….something clean and masculine that made my pulse quicken.

“How’s the new room working out?” he asked.

“Caesar loves it. The window faces the garden, so he can watch the birds in the morning.”

“And you?”

I glanced up at him. “It’s nice. Thank you.”

“Celine.” His voice was softer now. “About what happened the other night…”

“We don’t need to talk about it,” I said quickly.

“Don’t we?”

I could feel him watching me, and despite my best efforts, I found myself looking at him. His blue eyes were intense, searching my face like he was trying to read my thoughts.

“We agreed to take things slow,” I reminded him.

“We did.”

“So that’s what we should do.”

“You’re right.” But he didn’t move away. If anything, he seemed to step closer. “It’s just difficult when you’re right there, and I keep thinking

about…..”

“Mama!” Caesar’s voice rang out from the bathroom. “I can’t reach the soap!”

The spell broke instantly. I stepped back, my cheeks burning. I should help him.”

“Celine, wait.” Hunter’s voice stopped me at the doorway. I turned back, and the look on his face made my heart race.

“This isn’t over,” he said quietly.

Before I could respond, Caroline appeared with Caesar, his hands now clean but his shirt still streaked with garden dirt.

“Alright, munchkin,” Caroline said, ruffling Caesar’s hair. “I have to go, but I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Bye, Aunt Caroline!” Caesar hugged her legs tightly.

“Walk me out?” Caroline asked Hunter.

He nodded, but his eyes stayed on me for another moment before he followed his cousin from the kitchen.

I stood there in the sudden quiet, my heart still racing from our interrupted conversation. Through the window, I could see their fort in the garden….a lopsided but charming structure that spoke of compromise and patience.

Maybe Hunter was changing. Maybe we really could make this work.

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Chapter 104

But as I packaged up the cookies, I couldn’t shake the feeling that taking things slow was going to be a lot harder than either of us had planned.

Especially when every look, every accidental touch, reminded me of how good we had been together in those stolen moments.

And how much I wanted more of them, despite every rational reason to be careful.

“Mama,” Caesar said, tugging on my apron. “Can we take cookies to Daddy Hunter?”

1 looked down at my son’s hopeful face and realized that slow or not, we were already in deeper than I’d planned.

“Of course, baby,” I said. “Let’s go find him.”

Because whatever this was between Hunter and me, Caesar’s happiness came first. And if that meant spending more time in Hunter’s dangerous, tempting presence, then I’d just have to be strong enough to handle it.

Even if I wasn’t sure I wanted to be.

AD