All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Secret Baby: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Celeste’s POV “Maya, please don’t start.” “Oh, I’m already starting,” she said, smirking as she leaned on the kitchen counter. “You’ve been staring at that toast for ten minutes and haven’t tasted it. I gave her a side look. “Do you ever stop being dramatic?” “Nope, not when it comes to you.” She grinned and slid into the chair across from me. “So? What happened yesterday?” She leaned closer, whispering. “Does this have anything to do with your very rich, cold, attractive boss?” I froze, halfway sipping my tea. “Maya!” “Oh, don’t even try to lie. You look guilty.” She grinned, all excited. “What happened? Did he yell at you? Fire you? Kiss you?” “Maya!” I hissed. “Lower your voice!” She laughed so hard her spoon clattered against the table. “Oh my gosh, you’re blushing obviously. This is gold.” “It’s not what you are thinking.” I rolled my eyes, but my cheeks were still hot. I took a breath, then said quietly, “I… fell.” She blinked. “Fell?” “Yes, in his office.”Her mout

**Celeste POV**The apartment was quiet, just the ceiling fan humming. I sat at the edge of the couch, papers scattered all over the table …bills, invoices, stuff I didn’t want to deal with. My head in my hands, fingers digging into my head.I didn’t even hear the door open until I heard Maya’s voice.“Please tell me you haven’t been sitting like that since I left.”I looked up. She was by the door, still in her work dress, her hair tied in a messy bun, holding food and looking at me with that worried look she always has.“I didn’t even know you were coming,” I muttered, trying to gather the papers before she could see the overdue stamp on them.“Obviously,” she said, putting the food on the table and dropping it on the couch beside me. “You look like you’ve been fighting over taxes all day.”I gave a small, tired laugh. “Close enough.”She bumped my shoulder. “Come on, Celeste, talk to me. You’ve been too quiet lately. You only talk when I force you to.”I sighed and leaned back agai

Celeste’s POVI finally dragged myself in that evening, my shoulders aching like they'd been carrying the world. I kicked off my shoes and leaned against the wall, just breathing for a sec. It was quiet, except for the cartoon sounds from the living room. His backpack was already tossed by the couch. Shoes by the door. Jacket hanging off the chair, like always.I didn't even say his name. He knew I was there.“Mommy!” He yelled, running to me like a little tornado, messy hair, bright eyes, socks falling down.I hugged him tight. For a second, I felt better.“You’re late,” he said, trying to look serious, his little eyebrows all scrunched. “I counted to a hundred three times. You didn't come.”“I know,” I whispered, touching his cheek. “Work kept me. I'm sorry.”He frowned. “Work always does that.”I smiled. “Tell me about it.”He held my face, looking at me like a tiny detective. “You're thinking too hard again,” he announced.“I'm fine,” I lied.He squirted “Your eyes do that watery

**Lucian’s POV**The house was stirring when I got there. Not loud, just a gentle bustle. Soft footsteps, quiet voices…the kind of background noise that followed me everywhere. Before I even reached the door, it opened.“Good evening, sir…”I walked straight in. Some maid rushed over, almost grabbing for my briefcase and apologising for being late, already trying to help.“Leave it,” I said, my voice quiet. Not mean, just… done.She stopped short, bowed her head a little, and stepped back.I ignored everyone else, and didn't bother with the lights. I just walked straight through the silent hall, up the stairs to my room and shut the door behind me.I didn’t change my clothes, I just flopped back on the mattress and for a second, my mind went blank. Then everything that had happened came flooding back.My mother’s heels were the first thing I remembered. Sharp, precise, angry. “Lucian, what do you think you’re doing?!” Her voice echoed off the wall.I didn’t answer right away. I couldn

**Celeste’s POV**As soon as I got off the elevator, I knew the situation had only worsened. Conversations didn't die down completely but enough that I felt a change in the air, a deliberate shift. Two women near the reception desk fell silent as their eyes met mine, then they shared a look with hushed words: "That's her." "The one from yesterday?""Yes, Lucian Backwood's new favourite."They laughed."Looks like some people can really climb this company quickly." I continued walking as if I hadn't heard a thing. I would never make it through the day if I took it to heart every time someone whispered. However, pretending not to hear doesn't mean I didn't feel it. As I reached my desk and powered on my laptop, I willed my eyes over to the emails waiting for me to read. My work, nothing else to preoccupy myself with. A book smacked down onto my desk. "Look over these numbers again before Mr Backwood comes to look them over," Jocelyn from the accounts department said, smiling polit