Billionaire Regret: Gone with Our Newborn

Evelyn's POVThe flight feels endless.Every hour stretches into eternity, the hum of the plane’s engines blending with the chaos in my mind. Questions multiply—how could he lie? Why would he?—only to be pushed away by fierce loyalty to the man I’ve loved for eight long years. Memories flood in unbidden: him holding Sophie when she was a tiny newborn, his large hands carefully supporting her fragile head; him bringing me steaming coffee in bed on bitter cold mornings, his smile soft as he brushed hair from my face; him wrapping his arm around me at family events, even if it was just for show, even if his touch felt distant sometimes. Those moments were warm, tangible, full of care—they can’t be fake, can they? I refuse to believe it.Memories flash: him holding Sophie as a newborn. Bringing me coffee in bed on cold mornings. Wrapping his arm around me at family events—even if it was just for show.Those moments can’t be fake… can they?Sebastian’s hotel is grander than I imagined.Impo

Evelyn’s POVA pause on the line. “Yes, really. Why are you asking?”The distance in his voice breaks something inside me.The man I loved, the father of my child—he’s been lying about everything.“Sebastian,” I whisper. “Do you think I’m an obstacle to you?”A longer pause. Then: “Evelyn Hayes Hawthorne.”He uses my full name—like he did when I was pregnant, when Sophie was sick.For a second, I’m back in those happy moments.“What’s going on?”His concern is genuine—Sebastian is dutiful about his obligations. But I don’t want to be an obligation.I want to be his love.“Nothing,” I murmur, watching Blair whisper something that makes him smile—a smile I haven’t seen in years.“Are you sure you’re alright? You sound…” He trails off.“I’m fine.” I close my eyes, summoning all my strength. “Just take care of yourself.”I end the call before he can respond.Then I block his number—no hesitation, except for a split second, my thumb hovering over his name.Across the ballroom, Blair wraps h

Evelyn’s POVBefore I can process the accusation, before I can even form a question, he's turned away. I managed a tight smile. My only thought: keep it together. She could not see that anything was off. But my heart is breaking— he thinks I'm cheating on him, when he's the one who's married to another woman, the one who's lying, the one who's breaking my heart."How are you feeling, sweetheart?" I ask, moving closer to press a kiss to Sophie’s forehead."So much better! And Mama, I think I accidentally told Daddy about the pink bunnies I like, because look!" She gestures excitedly toward the corner of the room, where I now notice several shopping bags filled with what appear to be stuffed animals."Mama, I told Daddy I like pink bunnies, and he's redecorating my room with a bunny theme!" Sophie gestures excitedly at the stuffed animals. Sebastian clears his throat, a little embarrassed: "I wanted to make her happy." I watch in silence.He genuinely doted on our daughter, and that s

Evelyn’s POVHe’s devastatingly handsome—sharp jawline taut, tailored suit clinging to his broad shoulders, every line of him exuding quiet dominance. The warm, silly man who played with Sophie is gone, replaced by someone cold, untouchable… yet his gray eyes, fixed on me, hold a flicker of something I can’t name.Yet my heart flutters. Traitorous, stupid heart.“Sebastian!” Sloane recovers, smiling. “Just bringing Sophie a gift.”“Were you?” His voice drops—low, velvety, lethal, sharp enough to cut glass but laced with a protectiveness that makes my knees weak. “Sounded like you were attacking my wife.”My heart stops. My wife. He called me his wife.Heat floods my chest. I hate how I cling to those two words. How they make me hope.“I just pointed out her methods of joining the family were… questionable,” Sloane says.Sebastian’s expression doesn’t shift—cool, composed, but something predatory, something tender, flashes in his gray eyes, a silent warning that makes me shiver… and my

Evelyn’s POV"That's impossible," she finally gasps, whirling to face me, her expression ugly with accusation. "This must be some elaborate con! Are you so pathetic that you're using Sebastian's money to pay these people to act out this charade, just to save your pathetic face?"I look at her for a long moment, taking in her entitled posture, her expectant expression. "You're an idiot," I say quietly, but my chest aches—she’s right about one thing, Sebastian’s money has been a constant in my life, and I hate that even now, I’m still tied to him, still loving him, even when he’s broken my heart.The simple statement hits her like a slap. Her face goes through several shades of emotion before settling on rage."That's it!" she shrieks. "And don't think I don't know what you've been up to! I saw you here with that man earlier - having your little secret meetings while Sebastian thinks you're the devoted wife!"My blood runs cold. "There's nothing—" I start, my mind flashing to Sebastian’s