Legacy 37_The Billionaire’s Secret Heirs

hapter 37

 Chapter 37 

 -CELINE’S POV-

 I notice it immediately. The

 change.

 The space. The agonizing silence.

 Breakfast is usually tense, but today, it’s different. Hunter doesn’t throw any the table.

 remarks my way. Doesn’t send one of his unreadable nces across

 He doesn’t even look at me.

 I linger at the dining room entrance, waiting for something–anything–but he just keeps eating, scrolling through his phone like I don’t exist.

 Likest night never happened.

 Vincent had crashed here,ing back all wasted and puking his lungs out, the head maid had almost lost her wit, trying to get him upstairs to the guest

 room.

 And, of course, picks up on it. He always does.

 “What’s with the mood, Reid?” Vincent smirks, stabbing into his eggs. “Didn’t sleep well?”

 Hunter doesn’t even nce up. “I slept fine.”

 My hands clench at my sides. Why does this bother me so much?

 I tell myself I’m imagining the effect in his voice, the hesitation. Thatst night didn’t mean anything–not to him, not to me.

 It shouldn’t. So why does it feel like something between us has shifted?

 I keep telling myself I don’t care. But I feel it. The way he moves around me like I’m not even there. If I walk into a room, he leaves.

 If I speak, he barely responds.

 That afternoon, I bring him coffee–his usual order. He takes it without looking up, fingers curling around the cup like it appeared there by magic.

 No nce. No, thank you.

 For the first time since I started working here, I wonder what would happen if I just… took it back.

 If I grabbed the cup from his hands and left. Would he notice then?

 Would he care? But I don’t do it. Instead, I let out a quiet breath, turned on my heel, and walked away.

 Like he did. I found him in the study that night.

 He’s standing by the window, a drink in his hand, staring out at the city like it holds all the answers. I know he hears me enter. I know he feels me there. 

 But he doesn’t turn. Doesn’t acknowledge me. Just like all day. And maybe if I were someone else, I’d let it go.

 Maybe ifst night had meant nothing to me, I’d pretend it didn’t exist. But I’m not someone else.

 So I don’t. I take a step forward, crossing my arms. “Are you going to ignore me forever?” 

 Hunter exhales, setting his drink down. Slowly, finally, his gaze flickers to me.

 10:45 Wed, 30 Jul GO

 For a second, I think I see something there. A hesitation, a crack in the mask he’s been wearing all day.

 But then it’s gone.

 “I don’t know what you mean.” His tone is t.

 ! let out a quiet, bitterugh. “You’ve

 looked at me all day.”

 He leans back against the desk, arms

 s crosse

 studying me. The silence between

 us

 is heavier than words.

 Finally, he speaks, voice low.

 “Last night was a mistake.”

 The words hit harder than I expected. I should be relieved. I should thank him for making things clear. But my chest tightens anyway.

 I swallow hard. “A mistake?” His expression is unreadable, but his hands clench slightly against the desk.

 “Yes.”

 0

 Then he moves. Steps closer. Not too close. But closer.

 “And I don’t repeat mistakes.”

 I lift my chin, forcing a smile, even as something inside me twists.

 “Then you don’t have to worry,” I say lightly. “Because I won’t make that mistake either.”

 I turn, my pulse hammering, my thoughts spinning. But before I can reach the door–Hunter suddenly grabs my wrist.

 “Celine-”

 His voice is softer this time. Almost… regretful. I freeze. Our eyes meet. For a second–just a second–I think he’s going to take it back.

 Maybe he doesn’t believe his own words either.

 But then–He lets go. Like touching me burns. Like it never happened. I walk out without another word. And as soon as the door closes behind me, I hear <ol><li>it. </li></ol>

 The quick, broken exhale. Like he’s barely holding himself together.

 ~HUNTER’S POV~

 Celine does exactly what I told her to do. She stays away 

 She stops bringing me coffee. Stops sneaking nces at

 me when she thinks I’m not looking. Stops speaking unless necessary.

 She treats me like t don’t exist.

 And I should be fine with it. Hell, I should be relieved.

 But I’m not.

 At first, I pretend not to notice. She’s just a maid. Her silence shouldn’t affect me. It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t look at me anymore. She barely even acknowledges my presence.

 I tell myself I don’t care.

 But then I see her. Smiling more. Laughing more. At him. At Cole.

 10:45 Wed, 30 Jul G

 I catch it in moments. Little things that I never used to pay attention to.

 Like the

 way, her

 eyes c 

 s crinkle when Vincent says something ridiculous at breakfast. Or how she tilts her head back when sheughs,pletely unaware

 of how it shifts the entire room’s energy.

 Like how Cole has suddenly be the funniest damn guy in the world.

 I watch as he leans in too close, whispering something in her ear. She swats at his arm,ughing softly.

 It’s not forced. Not polite.

 It’s real. And I hate it. More than I should. That evening, I stepped into the hallway just in time to see them together.

 Celine is handing Cole a tray of drinks for the staff, but instead of just taking it, he lets his fingers brush against hers–too slow, too intentional.

 And she lets him. She smiles at him like he’s charming. Like he’s worth smiling at.

 My grip tightens at my sides. Then Cole says something that makes me see red.

 “You work too much, Celine. Let me take you out sometime. You deserve a break.”

 Celine hesitates. Her eyes flicker to the floor. And she looks like she might consider it.

 Something in me snaps. Before I can stop myself, I close the distance between us, my presence swallowing the space.

 Cole barely has time to react before my voice cuts through the moment, sharp and cold.

 “She doesn’t have time for distractions.”

 Celine’s head jerks up, startled by my sudden presence. Cole raises an eyebrow, amused. Not intimidated.

 “I don’t think that’s your decision, Hunter,” he says smoothly.

 . I don’t look at him.

 I look at her. Her lips parted slightly, eyes searching mine as if she were trying to figure out why the hell I was doing this.

 She sees it. The possessiveness. The frustration. The thing I won’t say out loud. And then, without thinking, I do something reckless.

 I reach for her wrist and pull her away.

 “Excuse us,” I mutter, my grip firm but careful.

 Celine barely has time to react before I drag her down the hall, away from Cole, away from everyone else. She yanks her arm free the second we’re alone.

 “What the hell was that?” she demands, eyes zing.

 I blew out sharply, running a hand through my hair. I don’t have an answer. I just know I didn’t like seeing her with someone else.

 I didn’t like the way Cole touched her. Didn’t like the way she let him.

 I grit my teeth. “Don’t go with him.” Celine stares at me, incredulous.

 “Why not?”

 I clench my jaw. Because I’m selfish. Because I don’t want her to. Because the thought of her being with someone else makes my blood boil.

 But instead of saying any of that, all thates out is—

 ?/à 

 “Because I said so.”

 Her eyes widen. And then- Sheughs. Not a happyugh. A sharp, bitter one.

 “Right,” she says, shaking her head. “You don’t want me, but

 you

 don’t want anyone

 else to have me either. Got it.”

 “You don’t get to do this sir” she muttered as she bit her lower lips in frustration. She turns her heel, walking away without waiting for a response. <fn61b1> Follow current nov?ls on find{n}ovel</fn61b1>

 Because there isn’t one. Not one I can say. Not one she would ept. I stand there, watching her leave, my pulse hammering in my ears.

 And for the first time in a long time- I feelpletely, utterly speechless.

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Legacy 37