Chapter 18: I Messed up

, Maxwell's POV

I messed up.

That much was clear from the way Hailey hadn't spoken to me in three days. Avoiding eye contact, maintaining a silence so thick it was deadly. I'd crossed a line with that press conference. I knew it. Did it anyway.

Because when I'd seen Gio's face yesterday, small and scared, something in me had snapped. The need to protect him, to claim him, had overridden every logical thought.

But Hailey looked at me now like I was a stranger. Or worse, like I was exactly what she'd accused me of being. Someone who made decisions for her. Someone who took control without asking.

Someone like Floyd. That comparison had hit harder than it should've.

Now we were in the car heading to the Denwood Foundation Gala, and the silence was deafening. She sat as far from me as possible, staring out the window, her phone clutched in her lap.

I'd tried to apologize this morning. She'd walked away mid-sentence.

This is going to be a long fucking night.

The car pulled up to the venue, and I saw her tense.

"You ready?" I asked.

She didn't look at me. "Do I have a choice?"

That was true. Cameras flashed the moment we stepped out. I offered my hand automatically, and after she hesitated for a second, she took it. Her touch was ice cold.

We walked into the ballroom, and every head turn. Probably because of the dress she was wearing, even I couldn't help but look.

It was a deep emerald green dress, cut low enough that I could see the curve of her breasts, high enough on her thigh that every step revealed her smooth skin. Thin straps that looked like they'd snap if I touched them. Her hair was pulled back, exposing the line of her neck, her collarbones, that spot below her ear.

I forced my eyes forward before I did something stupid.

Like pin her against the nearest wall and remind her exactly why she'd kissed me back.

She'd chosen this dress deliberately. Worn it knowing it would drive me insane. Knowing I'd want to cover her up and simultaneously rip it off.

One of the things I loved and hated about her at the same time, she never listened. Never backed down. Never made anything easy.

"Stop staring." She said quietly, not looking at me.

"I can't help it." I moved my hand to the small of her back, and felt her stiffen. "You wore this on purpose."

"It's called fashion." She said, pretending not to understand what I said.

"It's called torture." My voice dropped. "And you know exactly what you're doing."

She finally looked at me, her eyes cold. "Do I?"

Before I could respond, a voice cut through the crowd.

"Hailey."

We both turned and saw my half-brother in an expensive tux, Kimberley on his arm looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. His eyes traveled over Hailey with barely covered hunger. It made my hand tightened on her waist possessively.

"Floyd." Hailey's voice was polite."Kimberley."

"You look... stunning." Floyd's gaze lingered too long on her neckline.

I stepped slightly in front of her. "Langford."

His eyes shifted to me, and something dark flashed across his face. "Kingston. That was quite the press conference."

"Was it?" I kept my voice neutral, but my hand stayed firmly on Hailey's back.

"Bold move," Floyd continued, his smile not reaching his eyes. "Claiming another man's son as your own."

"I claimed my son," I corrected. "There's a difference."

The air between us had high tension.

Kimberley's grip tightened on Floyd's arm. "We should find our table..."

"Actually," Floyd ignored her, his eyes on Hailey, "I was hoping we could talk. Privately."

"No." The word came out before I could stop it.

Hailey's eyes narrowed at me, but I didn't care.

Floyd's smile turned sharp. "I wasn't asking you, Kingston. I was asking Hailey."

"And I'm telling you no." I moved fully in front of her now, blocking his view. "Anything you need to say, you can say in front of me."

"How controlling." Floyd's voice dripped with mockery. "Tell me, does she know you're doing all this to win? To prove something?"

My jaw clenched. "Watch your mouth."

"Or what?" He stepped closer. "You'll make another dramatic public declaration? Threaten more lawsuits? You can pretend to be the Dad all you want, Kingston, but at the end of the day, that's my son. My blood."

"Blood means nothing," I said quietly. "You want to know what makes a father? Showing up. Being there when he's scared. Making him breakfast. Not abandoning his mother when she needed you most."

Floyd's face darkened. "You have no idea what happened between us..."

"I know you left her pregnant and alone." My voice was ice. "I know she built a life for herself and that boy without you. I know he doesn't even know your name. So forgive me if I don't give a shit about your paternity claim."

Kimberley pulled at Floyd's arm. "Floyd, let's go..."

"We have a court hearing in a few days," Floyd said, his eyes locked on mine. "You might want to prepare. Both of you. Because I'm not backing down."

He walked away, Kimberley trailing behind.

Hailey was silent beside me, and I knew I'd just made things worse.

Dinner was torture. Every course felt like an eternity. Hailey sat beside me, spine straight, barely eating. I kept my hand on the back of her chair, my thigh pressed against hers under the table. She didn't pull away. Didn't lean in either.

People approached us all night, board members, investors, socialites, all of them eyeing us with badly concealed curiosity.

We played our parts perfectly. I kept her close, my hand finding her waist, her elbow, the curve of her spine through those goddamn chains. She smiled at the right moments, said the right things, let me touch her without protest.

But her eyes stayed empty.

When we finally got to the car, the silence felt as if it could kill me.

"You didn't have to do that," she said finally, staring at the window.

"Do what?" I asked, even though I knew what she meant.

"Literally blocking him. Speaking for me. Deciding who I can..." She stopped, her jaw got tight.

"He was looking at you like..." I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Like what?" She turned to face me. "Like he regrets losing me? Like he wants me back? So what?"

"So everything." My voice came out rough."He doesn't get to look at you like that. He doesn't get to..."

"To what? Want me? Because you do?" Her voice cracked. "At least he's honest about it. At least he's not pretending this is all about protecting Gio, when really..."

"Really what?" I leaned closer. "Say it, Hailey. What am I really doing?"

"I don't know!" She pressed her palms to her eyes. "I don't know what this is anymore. I don't know what you want. I don't know..."

She broke off, and the sound that came out sounded like half-laugh, half-sob.

"I'm terrified," she whispered. "Of the hearing. Of losing Gio. Of what happens when our six months end and you realize this was just..."

"Just what?"

She didn't answer. Just turned back to the window as the car pulled up to the penthouse.

We sat there for a long moment, neither of us moving.

"Hailey..."

"I can't do this right now." She opened the door. "I just... I can't."

She was gone before I could stop her.

I sat alone in the darkness, my hand still warm from touching her skin.

And for the first time in my life, I had no idea how to fix what I'd broken.

A pause. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because he'd made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me." Her voice cracked slightly. "I wasn't going to beg."

"So instead, you made a solo decision to raise the child alone. To deny my client his parental rights."

"I protected my son from feeling abandoned," Hailey said, her eyes flashing with rage. "From a man who walked away without explanation."

"Or perhaps," Navarro's voice was practiced, "you saw an opportunity. A child could be Insurance. Especially after your father's death made you a billionaire heiress."

Hailey's face went pale. "That's not...I would never..."

"You married Maxwell Kingston three days after inheriting your father's company," Navarro pressed. "A man you barely knew. Doesn't that seem... Planned?"

"I married him because I needed protection." Her voice was shaking now. "From people like you. From a media circus. From Floyd showing up with lawyers trying to take my son."

"Your son." Navarro emphasized the words. "Not Mr. Langford's son. Despite DNA. Despite the fact that he has a legal right..."

"He has no right!" The words burst out of her. "He walked away! He doesn't get to come back five years later and demand..."

"Ms. Ramsey." Judge Rutherford's voice was sharp. "Compose yourself."

Hailey pressed her lips together, tears building up. I wanted to jump the railing. Wanted to tear Navarro apart with my bare hands for reducing her to this. But I stayed there frozen, useless.

"No further questions," Navarro said, satisfied.

The judge called for recess at noon.

Hailey walked out of the courtroom like a ghost. I followed, keeping close but not touching, not sure if I was allowed to anymore.

Christina guided us to a private room, but the moment the door closed, Hailey collapsed into a chair.

"I can't..." Her voice broke. "Did you hear him? He made it sound like I used Gio. Like I..."

"You didn't." I crouched in front of her, forcing her to look at me. "He's twisting everything. That's what they do."

"But what if the judge believes him?" Her eyes were wild. "What if she thinks I'm exactly what he said? What if..."

"She won't." I took her shaking hands. "You're Gio's mother. That matters more than DNA."

"Does it?" She pulled away. "Because from where I'm sitting, DNA is winning."

I had no answer for that.

Christina returned. the two hours crawled by in excruciating silence. When we filed back in, my heart was beating loudly against my ribs.

Judge Rutherford looked at her notes. "I've reviewed everything presented today. While I do acknowledge Ms. Ramsey's role as primary caregiver, I can't ignore Mr. Langford's biological rights and his expressed desire for involvement."

"Therefore, I'm granting supervised visitation. Two hours, every Saturday, starting in two weeks. Court-appointed supervisor will be present."

Hailey made a devastated sound.

"This isn't final," the judge continued. "We'll check back again in two months to assess and determine modifications. Court dismissed."

Everything stopped. Hailey didn't move. Didn't cry. Just stared at nothing while Floyd's lawyers congratulated him across the aisle.

"Hailey." I touched her shoulder.

She flinched. "He won."

"It's supervised. Two hours..."

"It's the beginning." She looked at me, and the pain in her eyes gutted me. "Two hours becomes weekends becomes custody. This is how I lose him."

Her voice broke completely.

And I had absolutely no idea how to fix it.