<b>Chapter </b><b>91 </b>
~HUNTER~
Mia ckwood arrived at exactly three o’clock, stepping out of her silver Mercedes like she owned the
world. She <fn8447> For more chapters visit FindN()vel</fn8447>
Looked perfect, as always…blonde hair in a wless chignon, a designer dress that probably cost more than most people made in a month, and a smile bright enough to blind.
Everything about her screamed “suitable wife for Hunter Reid.”
I hated every second of it.
“Hunter!” She glided toward me, arms outstretched for an embrace that felt like hugging a mannequin. “You look wonderful. Sess suits you.”
“Mia.” I kept the hug brief, and professional. “How was the drive?”
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“Perfect. Your mother gave excellent directions.” Herugh was musical, practiced. “She’s such a treasure. I
can see where you get your charm.”
Mother appeared as if summoned, beaming as Mia had just dered her the most wonderful woman alive.
“Mia, darling! You look absolutely radiant. Come, let’s have tea in the sunroom.”
As we walked through the mansion, I caught glimpses of staff members going about their duties. My eyes searched for Celine, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Probably hiding in the kitchens, trying to avoid this circus.
The sunroom was set up like a magazine spread…fine china, delicate sandwiches, flowers arranged just so. Mother had spent hours orchestrating this.
“Your home is breathtaking,” Mia gushed, settling gracefully into her chair. “The gardens alone must require an army of staff.”
“We’re fortunate to have excellent help,” Mother replied smoothly. “Speaking of which….” She rang a small silver bell. “I thought you might like to meet someone special, Mia.”
My stomach dropped. No. She wouldn’t.
But she would. She absolutely would.
<b>Celine </b>appeared in the doorway, <b>holding </b>Caesar’s <b>hand</b><b>. </b><b>My </b><b>son </b><b>looked </b>freshly <b>scrubbed</b><b>, </b><b>his </b><b>dark </b><b>hair </b></divbed neatly, wearing <b>clothes </b><b>I’d </b><b>never </b><b>seen </b><b>before</b>…<b>expensive </b><b>ones</b>.
“<b>This </b><b>is </b><b>Caesar</b><b>,</b>” <b>Mother </b><b>announced </b><b>proudly</b>. “<b>He </b><b>lives </b><b>here </b><b>with </b><b>us</b><b>. </b><b>And </b><b>this </b><b>is </b><b>his </b>mother, Celine. She works
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in housekeeping.”
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The casual cruelty of it stole my breath. The way she introduced Caesar first, then dismissed Celine as just another employee.
The way she’d dressed him up like a doll for disy.
Mia’s smile faltered for just a moment…so brief I almost missed it…before snapping back into ce. “Oh.
How… nice.”
Caesar stared at Mia with wide eyes, taking in her perfect appearance. “Are you a princess?”
Miaughed, the sound genuinely delighted for the first time since she’d arrived. “What > -harming child!
No, sweetheart, I’m not a princess.”
“She looks like one though, doesn’t she?” Mother said, her voice honey–sweet. “Some people are just born to royalty.”
I saw Celine flinch, saw the way her hand tightened protectively on Caesar’s shoulder. She looked beautiful
despite her in uniform, despite Mother’s attempts to diminish her.
But next to Mia’s polished perfection, the contrast was stark and intentional.
“Caesar, why don’t you show Miss Mia your toy cars?” Mother suggested. “I’m sure she’d love to see them.”
“Can I, Mama?” Caesar looked up at Celine hopefully.
“Of course, baby,” Celine said softly, but I could hear the strain in her voice.
Mother waved a dismissive hand. “Celine, you may go. We’ll call if we need anything.”
It was a clear dismissal, designed to separate Caesar from his mother while forcing Celine to leave him with strangers. I started to protest, but Celine spoke first.
“I’ll just be in the kitchen if you need me, Caesar.” She knelt to his level, smoothing his hair. “Be good, okay?”
Caesar nodded solemnly and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. The simple gesture of love made my chest tight.
After Celine left, Caesar climbed onto the chair beside me, chattering about his cars while Mia listened <b>with </b>polite interest.
She was good with him, I had to admit. Patient, kind. Under other circumstances, <b>I </b>might have <b>been </b>impressed.
But all I could think about was <b>Celine </b>alone <b>in </b><b>the </b><b>kitchen</b><b>, </b><b>dismissed </b>like <b>she </b><b>didn’t </b><b>matter</b>.
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“He’s adorable,” Mia said to Mother while Caesar arranged his cars on the coffee table. “Such unusual coloring though. Those eyes…”
“Yes,” Mother agreed. “Quite striking. Children can be so… interesting in their heritage.”
Thement hung in the air like poison. Both women knew exactly what they were implying, and they
knew I knew too.
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Caesar looked up suddenly, his dark eyes…my eyes…fixed on Mia. “Are you going to marry Mr. Hunter?”
The question dropped like a bomb into the polite conversation. Mia’s cheeks turned pink, Mother looked
pleased, and I wanted to disappear.
“Caesar…” I started.
“Granny Eleanor says Uncle Hunter needs a wife,” Caesar continued innocently. “And your
Prettier than….”
pretty.
“Caesar.” My voice came out sharper than I intended, cutting him off before he could finish that sentence.
Before he could say “prettier than Mama.”
Caesar’s face crumpled at my tone, and I immediately felt like the worst person alive.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, softening my voice. “I didn’t mean to sound angry. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
But the damage was done. Caesar’s lower lip trembled, and I could see tears gathering in his eyes.
“I want Mama,” he whispered.
“She’s just in the kitchen, darling,” Mother said dismissively. “You’re fine here with us.”
“No!” Caesar’s voice rose, panic creeping in. “I want Mama! I want Mama now!”
He scrambled off his chair and ran toward the door, but Mother caught his arm gently but firmly.
“Caesar, stop this nonsense. You’re being rude to our guest.”
That’s when he started crying in earnest…great, heaving sobs that made my heart break. I moved toward him, but he shrank away from me, still upset about my sharp tone.
“Let me go!” he wailed. “I want my mama!”
Within seconds, Celine burst through the doorway like an avenging angel, her face white with terror.
She took in the scene…Caesar crying, Mother holding his arm, me standing there helplessly, Mia looking
ufortable.
“Get away from my son!” The words exploded out of her as she rushed toward Caesar, her protective
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instincts overriding everything else. “Don’t touch him!”
“Celine, wait….” I started, but she wasn’t listening.
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“What did you do to him?” She scooped Caesar into her arms, and he clung to her like a lifeline, his sobs muffled against her shoulder.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing happened,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “He just got upset and asked for you.”
But she wasn’t hearing me. Her eyes were wild, desperate, scanning Caesar’s face for signs of harm.
“Baby, what’s wrong? Did someone hurt you? Tell Mama what happened.”
“Uncle Hunter was mad at me,” Caesar hupped. “And Granny Eleanor wouldn’t let me
you.”
Celine’s gaze snapped to mine, and the usation there cut deeper than a knife. She thought I had hurt him. After everything, she still thought I was capable of hurting a child.
“I would never….” I began.
“Stay away from us,” she said fiercely, backing toward the door with Caesar still in her arms. “Just stay
away.”
By now, themotion had drawn other staff members. Sally appeared in the doorway, followed by two
housemaids.
They all stood there staring as Celine clutched Caesar protectively, tears streaming down both their faces.
“This is highly inappropriate,” Mother said coldly. “Celine, you’re making a scene.”
“I don’t care,” Celine shot back, her voice breaking. “I don’t care about any of you. Just leave us alone.”
She turned and fled, carrying Caesar with her, leaving behind a room full of shocked silence.
Mia was the first to speak, her voice carefully controlled. “Well. That was… dramatic.”
Mother’s smile was sharp as broken ss. “I’m so sorry you had to witness that, dear. Some people simply
don’t know their ce.”
I stared at the empty doorway where Celine had disappeared, my heart pounding. The look in her eyes…the fear, the desperation, thepleteck of trust in me…. reyed in my mind like a nightmare.
“Hunter?” Mia’s voice seemed toe from very far away. “Are you all right?”
Was I all right? My son had been crying for his mother, and when she hade running to protect him, I had stood there like a useless fool while she looked at me like I was the enemy.
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No. I was definitely not all right.
“I think,” I said slowly, “this visit is over.”