The morning sun over London was cold and gray, but inside the Carlton penthouse, the atmosphere was even frostier. Serafina sat at the breakfast table, her eyes tired but her posture perfect. Across from her, Leo was methodically eating his fruit, his small brow furrowed as he read a physical copy of the Financial Times.
"Mommy, the man from the gala is downstairs," Leo said casually, not looking up from the paper.
Serafina froze, her coffee cup halfway to her lips. "What? How do you know that?"
"I checked the lobby security feed on my tablet," Leo replied with a shrug. "He's been sitting in a black SUV since 2:00 AM. He looks messy. And he keeps looking up at our window."
Serafina felt a chill race down her spine. Dominic. He had followed her. Worse, if Leo could see him, it meant Dominic had likely seen them.
The doorbell rang, the sound echoing like a thunderclap in the quiet suite.
Serafina stood up, her heart hammering. "Leo, go to your room. Now."
"But Mommy-"
"Now, Leo!"
The boy grabbed his tablet and scurried away, but not before casting a curious glance at the door. Serafina took a deep breath, smoothing her silk robe, and checked the peephole. It wasn't Dominic.
She swung the door open to find Julian Vance. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored navy suit, carrying a bouquet of calla lilies and a bag of Leo's favorite pastries. But his expression was grim.
"He's downstairs, Sera," Julian said without greeting. He stepped inside and closed the door firmly. "Dominic Sinclair looks like he's lost his mind. He tried to push past the concierge an hour ago claiming he had a 'family matter' to discuss."
"He knows," Serafina whispered, leaning against the wall for support. "Julian, he saw us. He knows about Leo."
Julian's eyes darkened. He stepped closer, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. To anyone watching, they looked like the perfect, powerful couple. "He knows nothing until we tell him. And as far as the world is concerned, I've been by your side since you arrived in London. Let him wonder. Let the doubt eat him alive."
Suddenly, a heavy thud sounded from the hallway.
"SERAFINA! OPEN THE DOOR!"
Dominic's voice was hoarse, stripped of its usual billionaire polish. He sounded desperate, broken, and dangerously close to the edge.
Julian didn't hesitate. He pulled Serafina toward the center of the room and wrapped an arm around her waist just as the suite door burst open. The hotel security guards were scrambling behind a disheveled Dominic Sinclair, who had clearly used his status-and perhaps his fists-to get past them.
Dominic stopped dead in his tracks. He saw Julian's hand on Serafina's waist. He saw the flowers on the table. And he saw the domestic intimacy he had thrown away six years ago.
"Get out, Dominic," Serafina said, her voice like cracking ice. "You're trespassing."
"The boy, Serafina," Dominic gasped, ignoring Julian entirely. His eyes were red-rimmed, searching the suite frantically. "The boy I saw in the window. He has my face. He has my eyes. Tell me the truth. Is he mine?"
Julian tightened his grip on Serafina, stepping forward to shield her. "You have a lot of nerve coming here talking about 'truth' after what you did to her. Serafina is my partner now. Anything involving her family goes through me."
Dominic's gaze snapped to Julian, his fists clenching at his sides. The air in the room felt like it was about to explode. "Your partner? I don't give a damn who you are, Vance. If that's my son in there, no amount of money or security is going to keep me from him."
"You called her a placeholder, Dominic," Serafina interjected, her voice shaking with six years of repressed rage. "You said any child of mine would be a 'gold-digger's insurance policy.' Well, guess what? This 'placeholder' became the woman who owns your debt, and that 'insurance policy' is a child who doesn't even know your name. Now, get out before I have you arrested."
At that moment, the bedroom door creaked open. Leo stood there, clutching his tablet, staring at the man who looked exactly like a grown-up version of himself.
"Mommy?" Leo asked, his voice small. "Who is the loud man?"
Dominic's knees hit the floor. The sight of the boy was a physical blow that robbed him of his breath. "Leo..." he whispered, the name tasting like a miracle and a curse all at once.
