Chapter 16: Did You Lie?

Hailey's POV

I stayed in the bathroom for twenty minutes, gripping the marble sink until my knuckles literally turned white.

My lips still burned from his kiss. My heart just wouldn't stop pounding.

This can't be happening.

I'd sworn I'd never let another man close enough to destroy me. Floyd had already proven what happened when I confused protection for love, when I misunderstood temporary safety for something real.

Maxwell was worse. Because with Floyd, I'd been young and naive. With Maxwell, I knew better, and I was still falling anyway.

I splashed cold water on my face, and forced myself to breathe.

When I finally came out, the penthouse felt suffocating. Every room was a reminder of him, his coffee cup on the kitchen counter, his jacket draped over a chair, the faint scent of his cologne was in the air.

I needed space. Anything to stop replaying the way he'd kissed me like I was something he'd been starving for.

But there was nowhere to go. This was his penthouse. His space. And our fake marriage meant I couldn't exactly flee to a hotel without causing another media scandal.

So I did what I always did when emotions threatened to pull me down, I worked.

I set up at the dining table with my laptop, burying myself in emails and reports. Anything to stop thinking about the way his hands had felt in my hair. The way his heart had pounded against my palms.

The way it had felt right in a way nothing with Floyd ever had.

At 3 PM, Susan called. "I'm bringing Gio home early. The school thought it would be best given... everything that happened."

My chest tightened. "Is he okay?"

"He's quiet, Ms. Kingston." She paused. "Too quiet."

I was standing by the time I ended the call, my heart racing for entirely different reasons now.

Maxwell came out from his office seconds later, already pulling on his jacket. "What happened?"

"Susan's bringing Gio home early." My voice was steadier than I felt. "The school..."

"I heard." His jaw tightened. "The paparazzi?"

I nodded, and something dangerous flashed across his face.

We stood together by the door, speaking to each other, but the silence between us was loaded. Every breath felt too loud.

This morning we'd kissed. Now we were pretending it never happened while standing inches apart.

The tension was killing.

When the door finally opened, Gio walked through looking so small, his backpack dragging behind him, his favorite dinosaur held to his chest. My heart broke.

"Baby." I dropped to my knees instantly, pulling him into my arms. He buried his face in my shoulder but didn't cry or speak.

Over his head, I saw Susan serious expression.

"The paparazzi were still there when I picked him up," She said quietly. "Security kept them back, but they kept shouting. Questions about his father. About being a Langford."

Maxwell's hands clenched into fists. "What exactly did they say?"

"Things a five-year-old shouldn't hear." Susan's eyes were furious. "We got him out as fast as we could."

After she left, I carried Gio to the couch. Maxwell followed, settling beside us, close enough that his thigh pressed against mine. Neither of us moved away.

"Sweetheart," I kept my voice gentle. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Gio's small fingers twisted in my shirt. When he finally spoke, his voice was so tiny." Mommy? Why were people yelling about my real daddy?"

The question hit like a real punch. Beside me, Damian went stiff.

"What did they say?" I stroked Gio's hair with shaking hands.

"They said..." He frowned, struggling with his words. "They said my real daddy is someone else. Not Maxwell." His violent-blue eyes looked up. "They said you lied."

He paused. "Did you lie Mommy?" His voice cracked. "Are you bad?"

Before I could answer, Maxwell moved.

He slid off the couch and crouched in front of Gio, bringing himself to his level. His hand settled on Gio's small knee, and I saw his jaw tightened with barely controlled rage.

"Gio." His voice was low. "Look at me."

Gio listened, still holding his dinosaur.

"Those people who were yelling? They don't know anything about you or your mom. They're just making noise." His thumb rubbed gentle circles on Gio's knee. "But I know the truth. Your mom loves you more than anything in the world. Everything she's ever done has been to protect you. She's not bad. She's the strongest person I've ever met."

Gio's lower lip shook. "But they said..."

"They're wrong." The the certainty in Maxwell's voice made my throat tight. And if they come you again, I'll make sure they regret it."

Gio stared at him, trying to process everything. Then he spoke. "Are you still my daddy?"

I felt Maxwell tense beside me. His eyes met mine for a second, and the intensity in those eyes stole my breath. Then he looked back at Gio.

"Do you want me to be?"

"Yes." Gio answered without hesitating. "You make me snacks. And you play dinosaurs. And you..." Gio's small hand reached out to touch Maxwell's jaw. "You make Mommy smile."

My heart stopped.

Maxwell's throat moved. "Then yes. I'm still your daddy. And nothing is going to change that."

Gio threw his arms around Maxwell's neck. And I watched this ruthless man press a kiss to my son's hair. And the walls I'd built around my heart seemed to be cracking.

After I put Gio to bed, I found Maxwell at the windows, staring out at the city.

His shoulders were so stiff. His hands tight at his sides.

"They terrified him." His voice was fierce. "He's five years old, and they screamed at him about paternity and lies." He turned, and the rage in his eyes made me step back. "I want names. Every photographer. Every reporter who came near that school."

"What are you going to do?" I asked a little bit scaried.

"Whatever it takes." He replied. "No one touches him again."

He meant it. I could see it in every line of his body.

The air crackled between us.

We stood too close. Close enough that I could feel his heat. Could see the pulse hammering in his throat.

His eyes dropped to my mouth, and I knew he was remembering. The kiss. My hands in his hair. The way I'd pulled him closer instead of pushing away.

"We should..." My voice came out breathless. "We should maintain boundaries."

"Should we?" His hand came up slowly, giving me time to move, but I didn't, again. His knuckles brushed my cheek. "Is that what you want, Hailey?"

No. The word screamed through my head. I want you to kiss me again. I want to stop pretending this is fake.

But I couldn't say it. Couldn't admit that I was falling for a man I'd married out of desperation. That every day made it harder to remember why I needed to keep my distance.

"Yes," I lied.

His jaw tightened, and his hand dropped. "Then we'll maintain boundaries."

He walked away, leaving me trembling.

Alone with the terrifying realization that I was falling for my fake husband.

And he knew it.