Prologue

“Mommy, mommy. You have to be there. It’s the President!”

I whipped my head around so fast that I thought I would fall off the stool at the kitchen tabletop. “Who?” I asked quickly, shocked at those words.

“The President. They told us we have to call him Mr. President if he talks to us. He’s coming to judge us on our environmental science projects.”

“Environment,” I enunciated softly for Kaiden.

“Mm. Environment. Brittany helped me and Brie while you were working, and she told the teacher that you’d be able to be there today to see who wins.” Kaiden was almost jumping up and down with excitement.

“Right. So, it’s the President?” I clarified.

How did I not know the President was coming to Kaiden’s school? My heart hammered in my chest as I tried not to think about the last time I had met a President. It had been nine years ago. I swallowed back the tears as memories flashed through my mind.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll be there. What time?”

“12 o’clock. My classroom.”

My son ran off to finish getting ready. She said goodbye before racing out of the door to meet Brittany and her daughter Brie next door.

I spent the morning unpacking my bags from my trip to London before pulling my laptop out to start writing. I always found that it calmed my nerves. After Kaiden mentioning the President, I needed to bring my heart rate to normal.

I made it to Kaiden’s school thinking I was running late, but I couldn’t see the presidential entourage, so I guessed that the program hadn’t started. Peering through the windows of the classroom before I entered, I could see the room was packed with parents.

I entered and waved at Kaiden, who was standing with Brie next to a strange-looking contraption which was obviously their project. It looked pretty good for two kids who were barely eight. I sought out Brittany and her husband, who were standing on the other side of the room.

“Is he late?” I whispered to Brittany.

“No, no. He’s down the hall looking at some of the older kids’ projects. He should be here any minute.”

I hummed as I looked around me. I hadn’t noticed any guards. “Security seems a little light, doesn’t it?”

Brittany shrugged her shoulders. “He doesn’t like taking guards all the time.”

Looking around the room, I noticed the other mothers. They were prettily dressed. Even Brittany. I had on a t-shirt and jeans, but I had at least managed to comb my long, brown hair.

There was a brief knock on the door and then the principal walked in followed by an efficient blonde and…

My mind went blank.

It was Kai Rivera. Ex-President Kevin Rivera’s son, Kai Rivera.

Her hand went to her mouth, trying to cover the noise that tried to escape her surprised mouth. She shrank back as her eyes darted to my son. Brittany looked at me strangely and I could just squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head as I felt a rush of fear course through me.

Either Kaiden had been confused thinking that the actual President was coming, or I hadn’t listened carefully.

Kai was the President. The President of a multi-trillion dollar company. His father had been the Ex-President of the country the last time we had met each other.

Kai stood in front of the class in all his glory. He was as gorgeous as ever. Hands casually in his pocket as he laughed politely at something the Principal said.

I didn’t hear a thing. He was still enchanting. He’d hardly aged a day since the last time I had seen him up close in the flesh.

Every woman in the building had their eyes on him, practically salivating. He was magnetic. He wasn’t even forty yet, yet he was already one of the richest and most brilliant men on the planet.

I had to get out of there. But Kaiden was so excited.

To fight or to run away?

Kai took his time walking around the room, looking at the projects. Scientific advances that would help preserve the environment were one of his main business focuses. And he felt it was important for children to develop a passion for such causes early on, so it didn’t surprise me that he was at a school looking at science projects.

Kai was so focused on the children that he didn’t notice the gallery of parents watching on. And for that, I was thankful.

I stood and watched as he listened to Kaiden and Brie explain the function of their device. My heart stopped as I watched my little boy. He really had no idea of who he was talking to.

Of course, my brilliant boy and Brie’s project won the day. Brittany jumped up and down next to me and went to Brie, dragging her very proud-looking husband with her. My heart hammered in my chest as I tried to think of a way out of this.

But I was sure there was none.

Could I continue to deny him? Could I honestly let him go through life without knowing?

“And where are your mommy and daddy?” the blonde woman asked Kaiden.

“Oh, I don’t have a daddy,” Kaiden whispered before looking down at his toes. My heart ached. People could be so thoughtless. “Well… he’s somewhere. I’ve just not met him yet. Ummm… Mr. President,” he smiled up at the man and it broke my heart. “Come meet my mommy.”

Before I knew it, Kaiden had grabbed Kai’s hand and started to walk in my direction.

“This is my mommy. Her name is Lilith Hill. Everyone else calls her by her name, but I just call her mommy.” Kaiden shrugged.

Kai reached out his hand obliviously, never looking away from Kaiden’s delighted expression. I couldn’t help but lift my hand and put it in his. And it was at that moment, as our hands touched, that he realized.

“Lily?” he whispered, looking at me in surprise. He turned his attention to the little boy standing between us. The blood seemed to leave his face as his eyes met mine, searching for answers.

There was no going back. The truth was right in front of him.