The Billionaire’s Secret Heirs (Celine and Hunter) novel Chapter 129

Chapter 129

-CELINE’S POV-

I came out of Dr. Goldberg’s office squeezing the pregnancy report in my trembling hand, my mind spinning from the Impossible news.

The paper felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as I stared down at the words that would change everything once again.

Pregnant.

Hunter’s baby.

Another child growing inside me at the worst possible time, when I was barely surviving with Caesar, when I was trying to disappear from the very man whose seed was now taking root in my body.

My free hand moved instinctively to my still–flat stomach.

How was this even possible? Caroline’s words echoed in my memory….Hunter’s low sperm count, his fears about continuing the Reid family

line.

Had she been lying about his medical condition? Or was this some cruel twist of fate?

The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here I was, carrying the child of a man who had thrown insults at me like I was garbage, who had made me feel worthless with his cold dismissal.

Another Hunter Reid baby was growing inside me while I was trying to escape his shadow.

Taking care of another baby meant more sleepless nights, more financial stress, more of everything I was already struggling to provide for

Caesar,

I remembered those early days with my son….the exhaustion, the fear, the overwhelming duty of keeping another human being alive while barely managing to keep myself afloat

But even as panic threatened to devastate me, a small part of my heart fluttered with something that might have been joy.

Despite everything, despite the circumstances, this was a life! A piece of the love Hunter and I had shared, even if that love had been built an lies and manipulation.

I forced myself to take a deep breath and looked up toward the waiting area.

Caesar was exactly where I had left him, sitting in the oversized chair with Rex clutched against his chest, his little legs swinging back and forth as he chattered animatedly with Clancey.

Both pairs of eyes….Caesar’s bright blue ones and Clancey’s warm green ones….turned toward me as I approached.

I quickly folded the pregnancy report and shoved it deep into my pocket, forcing my face into what I hoped was a normal expression.

“That was quick,” Clancey said with that easy smile that seemed to come so naturally to him. “I was expecting you to be in there longer.”

I managed a strained smile in return, hoping he couldn’t see through my carefully created act. “It wasn’t that important. Just the normal stress–related talk, you know?”

My hand clenched around the crumpled report in my pocket, the paper cutting into my palm like a reminder of the secret I now carried.

Another secret to add to my growing collection,

Chapter 129

Clancey’s green eyes seemed to study my face with an intensity that made me uncomfortable, as if he could see right through my d

His gaze flickered briefly to where my hand was buried in my pocket, but his smille ne wavered.

“That’s good,” he said finally. “I’m glad it was nothing serious,”

I knelt to Caesar’s level, needing the distraction of focusing on my so

I straightened his wrinkled shirt and smoothed down his unruly curls, my hands shaking slightly as I tried to center myself.

“You really don’t have to stay,” I told Clancey without looking up at him. “I’m okay now. I’m sure you have somewhere important to be.”

Clancey’s laugh was warm and genuine. “Trust me, I’m probably the least busy person you need to be worrying about right now. I don’t mind being here at all”

There was something in his tone that made me glance up at him, trying to understand the meaning behind his word’s “You don’t mind being here? In a hospital?”

“I like being around you two,” he explained, his voice soft but certain. “Especially this little guy.”

He ruffled Caesar’s hair affectionately, and my son smiled up at him with the kind of uncomplicated adoration that children gave so freely.

“I like you too!” Caesar announced with the enthusiasm only a three–year old could muster. “And Rex likes you too! Don’t you, Rex?”

He held up his stuffed dinosaur as if the toy might actually respond, and I couldn’t help but smile at his innocentjoy

It had been so long since I had seen Caesar this comfortable with a stranger, this happy and carefree.

“Rex has excellent taste,” Clancey said solemnly, addressing the dinosaur directly. “You’re both pretty great company.”

Caesar’s face lit up even brighter, and then he said the words that made my blood run cold: “Maybe you can come visit us at Daddy Hunter’s

place!”

My heart stopped. “Caesar, no…..”

But my son was already in full storytelling mode, his excitement making him oblivious to my grief.

“Daddy Hunter is the best papa in the whole world! He’s super tall and really handsome and rich tool He has so many cars and he loves pancakes and he builds things…”

I felt heat rise in my cheeks as Clancey’s attention shifted from Caesar to me, those sharp green eyes studying my face with fresh interest

This was exactly what I had been trying to avoid…questions about Caesar’s father, about our situation, about why we were running.

“Caesar, that’s enough,” I tried to interrupt, but my son was on a roll

“Daddy Hunter is really smart and he buys me nice things and takes me to the park,” Caesar continued, his voice filled with love and longing that broke my heart

“He bought me Rex! And he reads me stories/and makes funny voices for all the characters and

“Caesar, please,” I said more firmly, but Clancey was already responding

“Your Daddy Hunter sounds like an amazing person,” he said, his voice gentle and encouraging. “I would love to meet him. Is he coming to pick you up?”

Chapter 179

The hope that had been shining in Caesar’s eyes dimmed immediately, his small shoulders sagging with disappointmen

“No,” he said quietly, hugging Rex tighter against his chest. “Mama is mad at Daddy Hunter, so now we’re going on an adventure

The pain in my son’s voice was like a knife to my heart. I reached for him, pulling him into my arms and trying to project confidence

feel.

“We don’t need Daddy Hunter for our adventure, baby,” I whispered against his curls. “it’s just going to be you and me, like sways

Caesar pulled back to look at me with those serious blue eyes that were to achingly familiar. “But Mama, if braddy Hunter can’t come with us, can Uncle Clancey come

“What?” The word slipped out before I could stop it.

Clancey laughed, but I could see something thoughtful in his face. “I do love a good adventure,” he said carefully, “but….”

“You don’t have to answer that,” I said quickly, standing up and putting a protective hand on Caesar’s shoulder. “You don’t have to coddle him. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done, but can’t keep accepting your help.”

The last thing I needed was another complication, another person getting involved in our mess. I had learned the hard way that depending on others only led to heartbreak and disappointment.

“Celine, I don’t think you understand….” Clancey began, but I was already turning away.

“I need to settle the hospital bills so we can leave,” I said, my voice sharper than I aimed at. “Caesar, come on.”

Before could take more than a step, Clancey’s hand closed around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

The contact sent an unexpected jolt through me….not icky, but startling in its intensity.

I turned to face him, my eyes wide with surprise as i stared first at his face, then down at where his fingers encircled my wrist.

There was something about his touch that felt different from Hunter’s….gentler, less demanding, but no less electric.

“I already took care of the hospital bills,” Clancey said softly,

The words hit me like a physical blow. I stared at him in shock, then down at my wrist where his touch seemed to burn against my skin

The feeling was too much, too reminiscent of another man’s hands on my body, another man’s promises that had turned to ash.

Clancey must have seen something in my expression because he released me immediately, his hand dropping to his side.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I didn’t mean to….

I rubbed my wrist reflexively, as if his touch had actually stung me. “You shouldn’t have done that,” I said, my voice tight with emotion couldn’t quite name.

“I hate owing debts. Caesar and I… we’re not charity cases. We’re not some pathetic single mother and child who need handouts.”

The words tumbled out before i could stop them, revealing more of my

y insecurities than I had intended. But I couldn’t help it

Thad Every instinct I had was screaming at me to run, to get away from this kind stranger before I started depending on him une way depended on Hunter,

“That’s not why I helped,” Clancey said, his voice firm but gentle. “I didn’t do it because I think you need charity.”

Chapter 129

Then why?” I demanded, my arms crossed defensively over my chest. “Why would you pay a strangi

here for hours with people you don’t even know? What do you want from us??

Clancey looked genuinely confused by my questions, as if the answers should be clear. When he didn’t respond immediately.) hand and started to turn away again.

“It just felt right,” he said suddenly, the words stopping me in my tracks.

I turned back to face him, searching his face for any sign of deception or hidden motives

“I’m not usually the type to just… do things like this,” he continued, running a hand through his golden brown hair.

“But paying that bill, being here with you and Caesar… it feels right, Like this is exactly where I’m supposed to be

His green eyes met mine with an intensity that made my breath catch,

“I want to be here, Celine. I want to help, not because I think you need saving, but because something about you two makes me want to be a

better person.”

The sincerity in his voice was almost overwhelming.

When was the last time s

someone wanted to help me without expecting something in return?

When had anyone ever made me feel like I was worth their time and attention just for who I was?

Caesar tugged on my hand, drawing my attention back to him. “Mama, I like Uncle Clancey,” he said with that devastating three–year–old

honesty.

“Can we keep him?”

Despite everything…the pregnancy news, the fear, the uncertainty about our future–I found myself laughing at my son’s innocent request

“Baby, people aren’t pets. We can’t just keep them.”

“But why not?” Caesar asked with the perfect reasoning of a child. “He’s nice and he smells good and he bought me ice cream. And he doesn’t make you cry like Daddy Hunter did.”

The observation hit me like a punch to the gut.

Had Caesar noticed my tears? Had he seen more of Hunter’s and my deteriorating relationship than I had realized?

I looked back at Clancey, who was watching our conversation with something that looked like understanding in his eyes. He knelt to Caesar’s level, his face serious but kind.

“You

know what, buddy?” he said to Caesar. “I would be honored to be your Uncle Clancey, if that’s okay with your mama”

ep away?*

Caesar’s face lit up like Christmas morning. “Really? You promise you won’t go

“I promise I’ll stay

y as long as your mama wants me to,” Clancey said, glancing up at me with a question in his eyes.

The pregnancy report felt like it was burning a hole in my pocket. I was carrying the child of a man who had br life that had turned toxic, with no clear plan for the future.

The last thing I should be doing is letting another man into our lives.

my heart, running from a

But as I looked at Caesar’s hopeful face and felt the warmth of Clancey’s

s steady presence, I found myself nodding slowly.

Chapter 129

“Okay,” I whispered, the word slipping out before I could stop it. “You can. You can stay. For now

Clancey’s smile was like sunshine breaking through storm clouds. “Thank you,” he said simply “I won’t

As Caesar launched himself into Clancey’s arms with a happy squeal, I placed my hand over my pocket where

I didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in days, I wasn’t facing it completely alone.

Maybe that was enough,

down

regnancy report maited

For now.

C