<b>Chapter </b><b>61 </b>


    -CELINE-


    1 pulled away from Hunter, embarrassed by my breakdown. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, wiping my face with the back of my hand.


    I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes. What was thinking, falling apart like that in front of him?


    Hunter stood there<b>, </b>looking just as confused as I felt. He ran his hand through his hair, an action I’de to recognize when he was hesitant.


    “There’s no need for you to pack your bags,” he said firmly.


    I bit my lower lip nervously, ncing at my half packed duffel. “it’s my fault…”


    “Don’t,” he cut me off, his voice turning cold. “Don’t say that”


    I turned to continue packing, determined to leave before I caused more trouble, but Hunter grabbed my wrist. The sudden contact made me pause. I looked down at his hand wrapped <b>around </b>my wrist, then back up at him.


    He took a step closer, and I flinched instinctively but didn’t pull away. Something in his eyes had changed.


    He brushed my hair behind my ear with his free hand, then caressed my cheek. His gaze dropped to my lips, staying there.


    My heart hammered against my ribcage. What was happening? <fnf3ab> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find(?)ovel</fnf3ab>


    “Promise me you won’t <b>cry </b>anymore,” he <b>said </b>softly.


    I was lost for words. Tonly ever cried when he hurt me. “I <b>won’t </b>if <b>you </b>don’t hurt me anymore,” I finally managed to say.


    Something flickered across his face–pain, maybe regret. “I <b>can’t </b>promise you that,” he admitted. “I’m messed up, Celine. Hurting people is what I’m good at”


    I said nothing, just studied his face. The hardness that usually defined his features had softened. Without thinking, I raised my hand and cupped his cheek, Hunter flinched at my <b>touch</b>, surprised, before leaning into it


    “What <b>am </b>I going to do with you?” he asked, his voice barely audible, “You’re so wrong for me, and yet you feel so right”


    “Why can’t you trust me?” I whispered. “Why can’t you just let go??


    Hunter’s brows furrowed. He caressed my <b>cheek </b>again, leaning so close I could feel his breath against my lips. For a moment, I thought he was going to <b>kiss </b>me, but then he pulled away. He <b>sighed </b>heavily and turned to leave.


    I stood there, confused and oddly disappointed, watching him walk away. When he reached the doorway, he paused.


    “<b>Fuck</b>,” he muttered, turning back toward me


    His steps quickened as he made his way back to where I stood. He grabbed my wrist again, but this time his other hand pulled my waist <b>against </b>his body


    Before I could process what was happening, his lips seized mine in a passionate kiss.


    it was nothing like the gentle kiss we had shared <b>before</b>. This was hungry, desperate. His tongue slipped past my lips, exploring my mouth with <b>an </b>urgency that made my knees weak…


    <i>My </i>back hit the wall as he pressed against me, his hand sliding underneath my maid uniform to grab my thigh.


    I wrapped my arms around his neck, responding with a passion I didn’t know I possessed.


    Hunter pulled my


    waist closer, <b>and </b>i could feel his hardness pressing against me. His lips moved to my neck, cing hot kisses along my skin before


    Chapter <b>61 </b>


    finding my mouth again,


    We were so lost in each other that we didn’t hear Caroline until she was already speaking on her phone. We pulled apart, both breathing heavy


    I knew my face must be flushed, my lips swollen from his kisses.


    Caroline stepped into the room, her eyes widening as she looked between us. “Did Linterrupt something?” she asked, a knowing smile ying on her lips.


    “No,” Hunter answered immediately, refusing to meet my eyes as he strode out of the room, leaving me more confused than ever


    Caroline walked over to me, concern etched on her <b>face</b>. “Are you okay? You look so red.” Then her expression changed to one of realization.


    “Oh…” she said, drawing out the word.


    I blushed, looking away.


    “I came at the wrong time, didn’t I?” Caroline asked, her tone teasing but gentle.


    “It’s not…we weren’t…” I stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence


    What had just happened? One minute Hunter wasforting me, the next he was kissing me like his life depended on it, and then he was gone, avoiding my <b>eyes </b><b>as </b>if ashamed.


    Caroline sat on the edge of my bed, patting the space beside her. “Come sit. And stop packing–you’re not going anywhere.”


    I hesitated before joining her. “You saw the news, Caroline. The tabloids, the pictures… This will only get worse.”


    “Let Hunter handle it,” she said firmly, “Trust me, this isn’t his first rodeo with the press.”


    “But Caesar…


    “Will be fine,” she assured me. “Hunter won’t let anything happen to him. Or to you”


    I <b>looked </b>at her doubtfully. “How can you be so sure? He can barely stand to be in the same room with me most of the time.”


    Caroline <b>gave </b>me a knowing look. “What I just walked in on didn’t look like someone <b>who </b>can’t stand to be around you.”


    My cheeks burned even hotter. “That was. I don’t know what that was!


    “I do,” Caroline said, her smile widening. “<b>That </b>was Hunter Reid losing control. And trust me, my <b>cousin </b>never loses control.”


    I shook my head, refusing to believe her implication. “It doesn’t mean anything. He’s made it clear what he thinks of me…a charity case, remember?”


    Caroline’s expression softened. “Celine, I’ve known Hunter my entire life. I’ve seen him with business partners, rivals, even past girlfriends. But I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”


    “<b>With </b>hate?” I suggested bitterly,


    “With confusion,” she corrected. “Like you’re a puzzle he can’t solve. And Hunter hates puzzles he can’t solve.”


    I stood <b>up</b>, needing to move, to do something with the nervous energy coursing through me. “He’ll figure it out eventually,<b>” </b>I said, straightening my uniform, “”And then he realize I’m not worth <b>his </b>time.”


    “Or,” Caroline countered, “<b>he’ll </b>realize you’re exactly what he needs.”


    I turned to face her, suddenly frustrated. “What do you want from me, Caroline? What am I supposed to do? Just wait around for him to decide if I’m worth caring about!”


    D


    Caroline stood up, cing her hands on my shoulders. “I want you to be honest with yourself. Do you have feelings for my cousin!”


    The question caught me off guard. Did I have feelings for Hunter? The man who’d fired me, hired me back as a maid, treated me with disgust, and new kissed me like I was the air he needed to breathe?


    “I don’t know,” I admitted. “Sometimes I think thate him. And then other times…


    “Other times?” Caroline prompted when I trailed off.


    I sighed, the light leaving <b>me</b><b>. </b><b>“</b>Other times I see glimpses of someone else. Someone who’s kind to Caesar, who looks at me like… like I’m special”


    Caroline smiled, satisfied with my answer. “Then that’s your answer, Give him time, Celine. He’s not good at this feeling things, letting people in. But think you might be worth the risk for him.”


    I wasn’t sure i believed her, but before I could respond, my phone buzzed with a text. I pulled it out, expecting another message from ke asking if I was okay after seeing the news.


    Instead, it was from a number I didn’t recognize.


    ‘Celine Brown, I have information about your son’s father. Meet me at Central Park tomorrow at noon if you want to know the truth.”


    My blood ran cold, I stared at the message, trying to make sense of it. Who would know about Caesar’s father? I’d never told anyone the full truth–not even Caroline.


    “Celine?” Caroline’s voice seemed far away. “What’s wrong?”


    I looked up at her, panic rising in my chest. “Nothing.” I lied, quickly putting my phone away. “Just ke checking in.”


    Caroline didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press. “Alright. Well, I should go see if Hunter needs help with damage control. You stay here and rest. And no more packing, promise?”


    I nodded absently, my mind still on the mysterious text. “Promise.”


    After Caroline left, I sank onto the bed, the weight of everything crashing down on me. The tabloids. Hunter’s kiss. And now this text, threatening to expose a secret I’d kept buried for three years


    Whatever peace I’d found in Hunter’s arms had vanished, reced by a fresh wave of fear.


    Because if someone knew the truth about Caesar’s father, then everything I had built…my life, my son’s safety, this fragile connection with Hunter, could alle crashing down.


    strong enough to survive it this time.


    And I wasn’t sure I was strong


    E