<b>Chapter </b><b>171 </b>


    -HUNTER-


    I found Margaret Torres exactly where Derek said she would be–Romano’s Café, sitting at her usual table by the window with a clear view of my building.


    She looked nothing like Celine up close, worn down by years of bitterness and whatever twisted game she had been ying with the Brown family.


    But her eyes were sharp, adding up as she watched me approach her table.


    “Mr. Reid.” She didn’t seem surprised to see me. “I wondered when you would show up.”


    “Margaret Torres.” I didn’t sit down. “We need to talk.”


    “About what?” She stirred her coffee with intentional slowness, ying innocent.


    I pulled out my phone and showed her the screenshot of the text she had sent Celine. “About this. And about the fact that you’ve been


    ckmailing Patricia Brown for years.”


    Her calm slipped for just a moment….a sh of surprise, maybe fear….before she regained control.


    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”


    “Derek Ross is very thorough,” I said, sliding into the seat across from her. “Bank records, payment patterns, witness statements. Should I


    continue?”


    Margaret’s jaw tightened. “You rich boys think you can buy anything, don’t you? Wave some money around and make problems disappear.”


    “This isn’t about money.” I kept my voice low<i>, </i>controlled. “This is about you threatening a pregnant woman who never did anything to hurt


    you.”


    “Never did anything?” Margaret’s voice rose slightly, drawing nces from other patrons. She lowered it again, leaning forward.


    “That girl is living proof of my brother–inw’s betrayal. She’s the reason my sister’s marriage fell apart.”


    “Your sister’s marriage fell apart because your brother–inw had an affair. Celine was a child. An innocent child who lost her mother and got stuck with people who resented her existence.”


    “Don’t lecture me about family loyalty.” Margaret’s eyes shed with decades of resentment. “You have no idea what that family went through because of her.”


    I studied her face–the lines of bitterness, the way her hands shook slightly as she gripped her coffee cup. This wasn’t just about Celine.


    This was about something deeper.


    “What do you really want, Margaret?”


    She was quiet for a long moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was different. Tired.


    “Patricia thinks she’s so high and mighty, Always did. Even when we were kids, she acted like she was better than me. Smarter. Prettier<b>. </b>More deserving.” Sheughed, but there was no humor in it.


    <b>“</b>Then she married Jackson, had her perfect little family, and I… I got nothing.”


    <b>1/4 </b>


    “I decided to Hiske her pay Vargaret’s thick slippedparaty may revesting the raw hurt underneath.


    Mackson’s affair was just the beginning i made sure his boss knew about it. Made sure he lost that promotion Stade sure their perfect liste life started cracking”


    “And Celine?”


    “Was supposed to be my insurance policy. The constant reminder of Patricia’s humiliation.” Margaret shrugged. “But then the girt ran away<i>. </i>and Patricia cut her offpletely. Suddenly my leverage was gone.”


    Understanding dawned. “Until you found out she was with me.”


    “Exactly.” Margaret’s smile was predatory now. “Patricia’s bastard stepdaughter, pregnant and ying house with a billionaire. The irony was


    too perfect to ignore.”


    I felt something cold settle in my chest. “What exactly did you think you could aplish?”


    “Recognition. Respect. Maybe a little financialpensation for years of keeping family secrets.” She leaned back in her chair.


    “Or maybe I just wanted to watch Patricia’s face when she realized her discarded daughter had won the lottery.”


    “Celine isn’t a lottery ticket. She’s a person you’ve been terrorizing for your own sick satisfaction.”


    “Save the righteous anger,” Margaret snapped. “You don’t know what it’s like to watch someone else get everything you deserved. To be


    invisible while they shine.”


    “You’re right. I don’t.” I pulled out an envelope from my jacket pocket and ced it on the table between us. “But I do know what it’s like to protect the people I love.”


    Margaret eyed the envelope suspiciously. “What is that?”


    “A choice.” I leaned forward, my voice dropping to barely above a whisper.


    “Inside that envelope is enough evidence to have you arrested for ckmail, harassment, and stalking. Bank records, phone records, witness statements from everyone you’ve contacted about Celine.”


    Her face went pale.


    “But,” I continued, “it’s also a one–way ticket to Florida and a cashier’s check for fifty thousand dors. Enough to start over somewhere far away from here.”


    “You’re buying me off?”


    “I’m giving you an exit strategy. Take the money, move to Florida, and never contact Celine or anyone in her family again. Or stay here and face the consequences of what you’ve done,”


    Margaret stared at the envelope for a long moment. “And if I choose Florida?”


    “Then this conversation never happened. You disappear, Celine gets to live her life in peace, and everyone wins.”


    “What makes you think I won’t just take the money ande back?”


    I smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “Because Derek Ross will be watching. And if you so much as Google Celine’s name, that evidence goes straight to the NYPD. Are we clear?”


    2/4 <fna15a> The rightful source is FιndNovel</fna15a>


    Margaret opened the envelope with shaking hands, her eyes widening as she saw the check.


    “Fifty thousand dors to walk away from a family that never wanted me anyway,” she murmured.


    “That’s one way to look at it.”


    She was quiet for a long moment, staring out the window at my building. Finally, she folded the envelope and tucked it into her purse.


    “I suppose Florida has better weather anyway.”


    “Much better.” I stood up, straightening my jacket. “The flight leaves tonight. I suggest you don’t miss it.”


    As I walked away, I heard her call after me.


    “Mr. Reid?”


    I turned back.


    “She’s lucky to have you,” Margaret said, and for the first time since I’d sat down, her voice held no malice. “That girl… she’s nothing like her mother or her sister. Maybe that’s a good thing.”


    I nodded once and left the café, pulling out my phone to call Derek.


    “It’s done,” I said when he answered. “Make sure she gets on that flight.”


    “Already tracking her phone. The moment she boards, I’ll confirm.”


    As I crossed the street back to my building, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. One threat down.


    Now I could focus on the engagement party tonight and making sure Celine enjoyed herself without worrying about shadows from her past.


    She deserved nothing less thanplete happiness.


    And I was going to make sure she got it.


    ~CELINE~


    “Are <i>you </i>sure this dress looks okay?” I asked ke for the third time, smoothing my hands over the soft blue fabric.


    “Celine, you look gorgeous. Stop fidgeting.” ke was putting the finishing touches on her makeup in my bathroom mirror.


    “Hunter’s going to lose his mind when he sees you.”


    The dress was new–a gift from Hunter that had arrived that morning with a note that simply said, “For tonight. You’ll be the most beautiful


    woman in the room. – H”


    It was a deep navy blue, flowing and elegant, with delicate beading along the neckline that caught the light when I moved.


    The fabric draped perfectly over my growing belly, making me feel both feminine and radiant.


    “Where is Hunter anyway?” ke asked, capping her lipstick.


    “Business call that rante. He said he’d meet us at the party.” I checked my phone again. No new messages.


    “Well, his loss, More time for us to make an entrance together.”


    <b>3/4 </b>


    1511 Sat. 9 <b>Aud </b>


    <b>1 </b>smiled, gratefit as always for ke’s unwavering friendship.


    she’d been my anchor through so much, and having her here tonight made me feel more confident about facing Caroline’s social circle.


    My phone buzzed with a text from Hunter.


    Hunter: “Sorry I’m runningte. Handle some unexpected business. You’re going to look incredible tonight. Can’t wait to see you. F


    Me. “Everything okay?”


    Hunter: “Everything’s perfect now. See you soon.”


    Something about his response feit off, but before I could analyze it further, ke grabbed my arm.


    “Come on, supermodel. Time to show Caroline’s fancy friends what they’re dealing with.”


    As we headed for the door, I caught my reflection in the hallway mirror. ke was right–I did look good. The dress<b>, </b>the subtle makeup, the way my hair fell in soft waves around my shoulders.


    For the first time in weeks, I felt like myself again. Not the girl who’d been rejected by her family, not the victim of Margaret’s games, but simply Celine.


    Hunter’s Celine. Caesar’s mother. Caroline’s best friend.


    Tonight was going to be perfect.


    I could feel it.


    <b>4/4 </b>


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