The Billionaire’s Secret Heirs (Celine and Hunter) novel Chapter 190

Chapter 190

~MIA’S POV~

The wine glass exploded against the wall in a spray of red liquid and crystal pieces.

I stood there in my yellow silk robe, breathing hard, watching Celine’s pathetic family grovel on television.

Jesse’s mascara streaked down her cheeks as she begged for forgiveness, while their mother wailed about being jealous and

making mistakes.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

My hair fell in messy waves around my shoulders, the robe slipping off one side as I struggled around my apartment looking for my phone.

I found it next to an empty wine bottle on my marble coffee table.

Eleanor’s number. I dialed with shaking fingers.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

“Pick up,” I muttered, pacing back and forth on bare feet. “Pick up, you useless woman.”

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Why wasn’t she answering? Why wasn’t she stopping this disaster? What the hell was that stupid woman doing while her perfect plan was crushed to pieces?

I screamed, throwing my phone at the wall. It shattered into expensive pieces, the screen going black forever.

Then I crumbled to the floor, laughing like a madwoman.

Of course, Eleanor’s plan had backfired. Of course, Hunter had figured out she was paying Celine’s family to lie.

The man didn’t build an empire by being stupid.

I had spent thousands gathering information about Celine’s background, every dirty secret and family drama I could find.

I had handed it all to Eleanor on a silver platter, knowing how much she hated that little maid.

But seeing them apologize to Celine on national television? This had Hunter’s fingerprints all over it.

I grabbed my tablet from the couch, scrolling through the comments section with hopeless fingers. The narrative was shifting. Instead of attacking Celine, people were turning on her family.

“Greedy monsters doing that to their own daughter.”

“Poor girl, imagine having a family like that.”

“Hunter Reid should sue them for emotional distress.”

I dug my nails into my scalp, pulling at my hair until it hurt. This wasn’t what I wanted. This wasn’t helping me at all.

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Chapter 190

I tossed the tablet aside and curled into a ball on my Italian leather couch, mumbling to myself like the crazy person I was becoming.

“She wins again. She always wins. Why does she always win?”

My stomach lurched, and I struggled to the bathroom, barely making it before I threw up wine and bile.

In the mirror above the sink, my reflection looked like a stranger. Hollow eyes, pale skin, hair like I had been electrocuted.

I was Mia Blackwood. The girl every man in New York would die to possess. But I only wanted to stand beside one man.

The man who had stolen my heart the moment I’d laid eyes on him at that charity event one year ago.

I didn’t just want Hunter Reid.

I needed him to be complete. To be whole.

The house phone beeped with a message as I dragged myself back to the living room. My mother’s voice filled the apartment, harsh with disappointment.

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“Mia, what’s going on with you? Your phone is going straight to voicemail. Why didn’t you go on the blind date I arranged with Tech Globe’s vice president? His grandson was very interested.”

I closed my eyes, letting her voice wash over me like acid rain.

“You need to come home. Your father wants to talk to you, and I won’t accept whatever excuse you’ve prepared this time.”

walked over to the phone and unplugged it.

Silence. Finally.

I collapsed on the couch face–first, shutting my eyes and letting myself drift into fantasies that felt more real than my actual life.

Hunter in a black tuxedo, waiting for me at the altar. Hunter smiled as I walked down the aisle in white lace and diamonds.

Hunter saying “I do” with tears in his eyes because he finally understood we were meant to be together.

We would live in his penthouse, and I would let him keep Caesar because the boy was adorable and looked exactly like his father. Hunter would be happy. Hunter would smile at me every morning over coffee,

Hunter would be mine.

“Hunter would be mine,” I mumbled into the couch cushions until sleep took me under

I woke up with a splitting headache and yesterday’s makeup smeared across my face.

But I still put on my best designer outfit…a cream–colored dress that cost more than most people’s rent….and went to Hunter’s

office.

Sarah, his secretary, looked up from her desk with that polite smile she dedicated to people she didn’t particularly like but couldn’t ignore.

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Chapter 190

“Ms. Blackwood, I’m sorry, but Mr. Reid isn’t expecting you today.”

I kept my own smile perfectly in place. “Could you call him? Tell him I’m here about the charity foundation we’re working on together.”

“Mr. Reid is in an important meeting and can’t take calls right now.”

My jaw clenched, but I maintained my sweet expression. “Sarah, how long have you worked here?”

“Two years, ma’am.”

“Two years. That’s wonderful.” I stepped closer to her desk, adjusting her slightly wrinkled blouse with gentle fingers.

“You know what I love about loyal employees? They understand the importance of going above and beyond for the people who matter.”

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Sarah’s eyes widened slightly at the threat wrapped in silk.

“Why don’t you be a good girl and try calling Mr. Reid one more time?” Sarah reached for her phone, but a voice from behind me made us both freeze.

“She said he was in an important meeting.”

I turned to see Vincent standing there, hands in his pockets, a smirk plastered across his annoyingly handsome face. I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath as he walked toward us.

“Vincent,” I said with a fake smile. “What a surprise.”

“Mia.” His voice was teasing, amused. “Your fake smiles are getting weaker. I can see right through them now.”

My face dropped back to its natural state of irritation. No point pretending I was happy to see him.

“You seem to have a lot of time on your hands for someone supposedly handling a big charity event,” Vincent continued.

“Are you jealous that I don’t work myself to the bone like a dog?” I shot back. “After all, you need this job as Hunter’s vice president to survive. My family practically owns the event I’m hosting.”

Vincent laughed…actually laughed…like I’d told him the funniest joke in the world,

“I always found you interesting, Mia. Most people are boring, but you’re like watching a train wreck in slow motion.”

“You shouldn’t find me interesting. I don’t like you.”

Vincent placed his hand over his heart in mock devastation. “You wound me, Mia Blackwood! And here I thought we could be best buddies.”

Tignored him and turned back to Sarah “Call Hunter”

“She wouldn’t want to lose her job by following the wrong orders,” Vincent said casually.

Sarah looked between us like a deer caught in headlights

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

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Chapter 190

“Saving a poor girl’s job.” Vincent’s smile was infuriating. “You know what you should do instead? Go hang out with Eleanor.”

He paused, his grin widening.

“Oh wait, you can’t. Eleanor will be out of reach for the next week.”

My hands clenched into fists. Does he know about Eleanor’s whereabouts? What wasn’t Hunter telling me?

I grabbed my designer bag and fixed Sarah with a look that could freeze blood.

“Tell Hunter I was here,” I said coldly, then brushed past Vincent so hard I hoped it hurt.

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“Aww, leaving so soon?” Vincent called after me as I stalked toward the elevator. “I was hoping we could talk longer. How about a date? You know there are other men on this planet besides Hunter Reid.”

His laughter followed me into the elevator.

I flipped him off just as the doors closed, my eyes still glaring at him through the reflection in the metal walls.

“You’ll pay for this humiliation, Vincent,” I promised my reflection. “All of you will pay.”

The elevator descended toward the lobby, carrying me away from Hunter’s office, away from the man I loved, away from everything I wanted and couldn’t have.

But I wasn’t giving up.

Mia Blackwood didn’t give up.

I was going to find another way to get to Hunter, even if it meant burning down everything and everyone in my path.

Starting with Vincent Clarke.