All Chapters of Hiding the Billionaire's Heir: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Katya’s POV Katya had never hidden the twins because she wanted to punish Ethan Dawson. She had never wanted him to suffer or spend his days wondering whether he had children somewhere in the world. The truth was much more selfish—and much more painful. She hid Clyde Arzeus and Kiersten Vale because she knew Ethan too well. She knew how effortlessly he could reach the parts of her heart she had spent years trying to protect. She knew how a single look from him could make her forget all the reasons she had walked away. She knew how his voice could soften her anger, how his presence could make her feel things she had promised herself she would never feel again. Even after everything that had happened between them, Ethan still had that power over her. And Katya was terrified of it. She could avoid his calls, refuse his invitations, and keep her distance. She could remind herself of the pain he had caused her and all the reasons she should never allow him back into her life.

As the afternoon sun began to fade, the twins grew tired. Kiersten eventually curled up against Ethan's side, her small fingers still wrapped around his hand. Clyde leaned against his other shoulder, fighting sleep while insisting that he wasn't tired. "I'm not sleepy, Daddy," he mumbled. Ethan smiled. "Of course you aren't, buddy." "I'm just resting my eyes." "Naturally." Katya almost laughed. It was such a familiar kind of conversation—one she had heard from countless parents and their children. Yet watching Ethan have it with their twins made something inside her ache. When Kiersten finally fell asleep against his chest, Ethan carefully adjusted his position so she could rest more comfortably. Clyde noticed and immediately lowered his voice. "Shhh, Daddy. My sister is sleeping." Ethan nodded solemnly. "You're right. We have to be quiet." Clyde leaned closer to Kiersten and gently patted her arm, copying the way Ethan had comforted her earlier. Katya pre

My mother and father arrived from Switzerland a few days later. They had originally planned to stay for only a short visit. My mother wanted to spend time with the twins, while my father had a few matters to attend to before returning home. They had brought the children back to me during their previous trip because they needed to return to Switzerland for some important responsibilities. At the time, they hadn't seen much of Ethan's efforts firsthand. They knew about our history. They knew how deeply I had been hurt, and they had never pressured me to forgive him. So when my mother saw Ethan standing in my kitchen, helping Clyde prepare a sandwich while Kiersten sat on his shoulders, she stopped in the doorway. My father, standing behind her, nearly walked into her. "What is it?" he whispered. My mother didn't answer immediately. She simply watched. "Daddy, higher!" Kiersten squealed. "Absolutely not," Ethan replied, holding her legs securely. "Your mother will have

*Katya’s POV* The garden was still filled with laughter, music, and the warm glow of golden lights. Our families and friends were celebrating the engagement, while Clyde Arzeus and Kiersten Vale ran around with their grandparents, excitedly showing everyone the ring their father had given me. I should have been smiling at the celebration. I should have been enjoying the moment I had dreamed of once upon a time. But my eyes kept returning to Ethan. He stood a few feet away, talking to Kale, his best friend, while occasionally glancing in my direction. Every time our eyes met, he gave me that familiar smile—the same smile that had once made my heart race when we were younger. Only this time, I understood something I hadn't understood before. Ethan wasn't looking at me as though he had finally won. He was looking at me as though he had been given something precious that he had almost lost forever. And somehow, that realization made my heart ache. Five years ago, he had

Katya’s POV I used to imagine my wedding day when I was younger. I imagined wearing a beautiful white gown, walking down the aisle while the people I loved watched me, and standing in front of the man who would become my husband. I imagined flowers, music, laughter, and the promise of spending the rest of my life with the person who held my heart. Back then, I always imagined Ethan Dawson standing at the end of the aisle. He was the man I wanted to marry. The man I had chosen long before I understood how complicated love could become. But life had a way of changing even the most beautiful plans. There was a time when I thought I had lost him forever. There was a time when I couldn't remember the love we shared, when his face meant nothing to me, and when the thought of building a future with him seemed impossible. There was a time when I left him behind and convinced myself that I could live without him. And there was a time when I believed that the future I had imagine