LOGINChristinaMy heart raced. Torn between anger and something far more dangerous.Hunter was close. Too close to hear my racing heartbeat. Sniffing my cleavage.Sensing the changes in my body.“I want a name.. Kai’s father's name.” His voice turned husky.The voice from the doorway shattered the moment instantly.“Chris? Are you here?”Douglas was standing in the doorway.Hunter’s eyes shifted to him instantly.I pulled my wrist free and moved quickly, stopping behind Douglas like he was a barrierbetween me and the storm.“Douglas…” My voice came out thinner than I wanted.Hunter’s gaze hardened and flicked between us.There was something unreadable in his expression now.Not just suspicion.“I was looking for Kai,” I said quickly and forced panic into my tone because that part atleast wasn’t fake. “He disappeared in the crowd.”Douglas frowned. “I saw him downstairs. He’s with your mom.”Relief rushed through me.Then I stared at Hunter. His death glare.If gaze could kill a person, I
Christina“What the hell are you saying?” I snapped, trying—and failing—to keep my voice steadyinstead of irritated.“He has my eyes. My hair. The way he looks at people.” Hunter’s voice was low butunshakable. “I saw it, Chris. I see myself in him. Kai is my son.”For half a second, panic clawed up my throat.So I did the only thing I could.I laughed like he had just told the most ridiculous joke in the world.I threw my head back, exposing the line of my throat—a mistake. His eyes tracked themovement like a wolf watching a jugular.“You sound insane, Hunter,” I said, pressing a hand to my chest as if I needed to steadymyself from the humor of it. “Do you even hear yourself?”In a flash, the distance between us evaporated.He didn’t just step forward; he invaded. He slammed his palm against the door behindmy head, the sound echoing like a gunshot.“That’s not funny.”“It is,” I shot back, wiping at the corner of my eye as if I’d laughed too hard. “You see achild with gray eyes
ChristinaI stayed as far from Hunter as possible.Still, I could feel him somewhere behind me. Watching.But from his expression earlier, I didn’t think he suspected anything about Kai. There was curiosity. Nothing more.He had moved on and was getting married soon. Lisa is beautiful and perfect with him.He wouldn’t think about us anymore.That thought gave me a small breath of relief.Then the staircase lights brightened.Uncle Carter helped Mom down the steps.She was dressed beautifully. Dolled up in a soft gold silk. Diamond enhanced her beauty. Her hair styled just the way she liked.She looked radiant.And fragile.The smile was there. But so was the exhaustion beneath it. The weight loss. The faint tremble in her hand.My eyes burned.I walked to her quickly and wrapped my arms around her. Carefully.“Chris… you came,” she said, her voice filled with happiness.Then she looked at Kai.“Kai is here too… I’m so happy.”I smiled, even though my chest ached.For tonight, I would
ChristinaI forced a polite smile and walked further inside.Kai tightened his grip on my hand at first. Then he slowly moved behind me, hiding in the folds of my gown.“Hey… Chris.”I turned.It was Michael. Uncle Carter’s friend’s son.He was older now. Broader shoulders. Same familiar grin.My eyes flicked to the faint scar on his forehead.I remembered that night too clearly. The night he asked me out. The night he stood in front of me with flowers in his hand. Later I saw him again. Bleeding. Stitches across his brow.He and Hunter had been good friends once. After that fight, they were never seen together again.When I asked Hunter about it, he shut me down.“It has nothing to do with you.”I had wanted to believe him. I did.“Long time no see,” Michael said.“Yeah.” I gave a small awkward laugh. “I was abroad. Studying.”“Really?” His eyes swept over me. “You’ve gotten… beautiful.”“Thank you,” I replied, keeping it short.Aunt Melania told me you were back,” Michael continued.
ChristinaHis hand rested on the buttons of his coat as he stepped out of the car.Calm. Controlled.Powerful as ever.Then his eyes landed on me.He froze.Pure disbelief spread across his face. He stared at me like I was a ghost dragged out of his past. Like he wasn’t sure I was real.Seconds passed. Heavy and charged.I saw it in his expression. His eyes didn’t blink.He was still processing. Replaying memories. Connecting pieces.Then his gaze dropped.To Kai.And something shifted.A flicker. A shock. Something close to fear.My heart slammed against my ribs.I tightened my grip on Kai’s small fingers.No.He can’t recognize him.He can’t.Hunter stood there like the world had stopped turning.For a second, it was just us. Five years of silence hanging in the air.Before he could speak, the front door swung open.The same woman from inside walked out in her heels, smiling brightly. She went straight to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.“Hunter,” she laughed and kissed his
ChristinaEight hours later, we stepped out of the airport. The air felt different. Familiar yet heavy.“What’s that, Mom?” Kai pointed at a huge banner near the exit.He had asked questions the entire flight. About the clouds. About the ocean below. About why I was crying when I thought he was asleep.I told him I was just tired.I brought him here for one reason. So he could meet my mom. At least once. Before it was too late.But fear sat deep in my chest.Hunter was here. In this city. Breathing the same air.Kai had his grey eyes. Anyone who looked closely could see it.But he was only four and a half. Children change. Their faces shift. Maybe Hunter wouldn’t notice. Maybe he wouldn’t even see us.I had already seen in the news that he had a meeting with China’s tycoon for expansion of his business overseas.So he won’t be there.Still, the fear wouldn’t leave.The car pulled up in front of the house.I tightened my grip on Kai’s hand as we stepped out.“Mommy, your hand is shakin







