The Billionaire’s Secret Heirs (Celine and Hunter) novel Chapter 223

Chapter 223

Chapter 223

-CELINE POV-

:..

420

12 50 vouchers

The room was quiet, almost too quiet, the kind of stillness that makes your own thoughts sound louder than they should.

The television hummed faintly in the background with cartoons, but Caesar had already drifted off, curled up on the small couch with his dinosaur teddy pressed tight to his chest.

His lips were parted in soft sleep, checks flushed in a way that made my heart ache. Even in dreams, he seemed to wait for me to smile at him.

I folded one of Caesar’s little sweaters into the overnight bag. My hands trembled slightly. Not because of the weight of the fabric, but because of everything I still hadn’t said out loud.

Hunter wanted us to try couple’s therapy. Tomorrow, he said. Together. The word echoed in my mind, pudgy and hopeful all at once.

Together.

A soft knock broke my thoughts. I turned, and Clancey stepped into the room, his tall frame shadowing the doorway.

“You’re still packing?” he asked gently, eyes darting to Caesar.

I forced a small smile. “Almost done. We’ll be out of here soon. I think he’s comfortable though.. doesn’t want to leave.”

Clancey’s gaze stayed on the boy for a moment before he walked closer. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “And you? Are you comfortable?”

The question caught me off guard. I hesitated, then laughed softly, a sound that felt brittle in my throat. “Do I look comfortable to you?”

His lips curved upward, but I could see the strain there. “You do. At least, you make it look like you are.”

For a second, I froze, my folded sweater pressed too tightly between my hands. The words almost made me falter. It was strange, the way grief could hollow you out and still leave you walking, talking, pretending.

I set the sweater down and sighed. “Hunter mentioned couple therapy. He thinks… maybe it will help us.”

“Therapy,” Clancey repeated, voice flat.

“Yes,” I said quickly, as if defending Hunter. “I told him we could try. Maybe it will stop us from falling into pieces.”

I turned back to the bag, feeling his eyes burn into my back. My fingers fumbled with the zipper. Then, without warning, Clancey stepped forward.

15:06 Sat, Sep 20

Chapter 223

His arms slipped around me.

:0

A

57

95 vauchers

I froze. My whole body locked up as if the world had gone still. His warmth pressed against me, heavy, insistent, and yet my heart didn’t flutter…..it raced with panic.

“Clancey,” I whispered. My voice came out too soft, uncertain.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he buried his chin lightly against my shoulder. “Don’t say anything. Just let me have this moment. Please.”

The plea in his tone made my chest tighten, but it wasn’t the kind of ache that came with love…..it was pity. Carefully, slowly, I placed my hands over his and began to ease them away. His grip tightened, reluctant, desperate.

“Clancey…”

He held on longer than he should have, and the silence stretched. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, I spoke again, this time steadier.

“I’m okay. Truly. I know I don’t look it, but I’ve made a choice.”

His arms loosened slightly. “What choice?”

I turned in his hold just enough to meet his eyes. His face was close……too close. “The choice to keep moving forward. To stop letting grief eat me alive. I know nothing I do can bring my child back, Clancey. Nothing. But I still have Caesar. I still have a family. And I won’t let them see me break.”

I let my gaze drift toward the couch where my son slept, peaceful in a way I hadn’t been for weeks. A faint smile tugged at my lips. “He’s what I want to protect now.”

Clancey followed my gaze, but when he looked back at me, his expression was plain. He reached fingers brushing lightly across my cheek.

up, his

“Hunter doesn’t deserve you, Celine. He’s ruined you, hurt you more than anyone should bear. You’re too good for him. Too good for this world. I pray that in another life… you find love early, without the pain.”

The tenderness in his words cut deeper than I expected. But it wasn’t temptation–it was sorrow.

I swallowed hard and shook my head. “I do have love, Clancey. I have it now. Hunter may be flawed, he may have hurt me, but his love…” I breathed in, steadying myself. “His love for me is enough. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Clancey’s lips pulled into a pained smile. His hand remained, hesitant to leave. “You really love that asshole, don’t you?”

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. It was soft, a little broken, but real. “More than life itself.”

The words left no space for doubt.

Clancey let out a low sigh, shaking his head. “Then I envy him. Because if I had a woman who loved me like that… I’d never let her go.”

15:06 Sat, Sep 20

Chapter 223

444

4767

2.4G voucher

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify