Page 11 of Discretion at Its Finest

The office went quiet as I stayed leaning against the desk, composed. Raymond lingered in the doorway, the stress of the situation showing in his features.

“Ignore him,” he muttered, entering the office with a heavy sigh.

“That’s what you’ve been doing his entire life. Look where it got you.”

Raymond’s mouth pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t argue. He lowered himself into the chair opposite my desk, shoulders heavy, eyes skimming the office that was once his.

“He’s not ready for this. Never was.” His voice was tired, stripped of the confidence he wore in the boardroom. “But you… you can steady the company. You can give the board something they’ll follow.”

For now…But I didn’t say that part out loud. Dealing with Gregory and his tantrums was nothing new. Bringing the Newman name to the ground wouldn’t take much effort at the rate he was going.

The real prize was somewhere else.Someoneelse.

And when there was nowhere left for her to hide, no lies to hide behind, she would be exactly where I wanted her.

Because no matter what they took from me… she was never his to begin with.

Chapter six

Genevieve

After a sleepless night, I finally managed to rest for a few hours before waking up to get ready for the day. Gregory had already left for the office, his absence marked by the half-empty coffee cup and the faint trace of his cologne still clinging to the hallway. Saturdays were supposed to feel lighter, but lately all of the days pressed down heavier, every tick of the clock dragging me closer to the moments I dreaded.

I tied the sash of my robe tighter as I made my way to Eugene’s room. His door stood ajar, a slant of morning light spilling across the floor. I expected him to be half-buried in his blankets with the toy cars he insisted on taking to bed, but the sheets were messy and empty.

“Eugene, Lovebug, are you up?” My voice came soft, my gaze moving to his empty closet and bathroom.

No answer.

Then I heard it… his laugh. The gentle sound bounced down the corridor, warm and bright, and for the briefest moment, it calmed me.

The giggles pulled me to the kitchen. I stopped short in the doorway, every step bringing the feeling of dread back to the surface.

Eugene sat at the table, a plate of French toast and fruit in front of him, legs swinging beneath the chair. He looked up mid-bite, cheeks full, and grinned at me like nothing was wrong.

And then my gaze shifted past him.

Reid leaned against the kitchen island over a cup of coffee. Navy blue dress shirt clinging to him, his forearms on display with his sleeves rolled up, upper chest on display from the few buttons that weren’t fastened. His lazy, calculating grin didn’t falter when he saw me.

My pulse jumped, sudden and violent.

“Hi, Mommy!” Eugene chirped, his lips sticky with syrup.

I almost didn’t answer. All I could see was Reid, standing there with that smile carved into his face, like he’d been waiting for me to walk in.

Plastering on a fake smile, I finally ripped my gaze from him, walking over to my son as I placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

“Morning, Lovebug… Enjoying your breakfast?”

“Mhmmm.” He hummed, stuffing his mouth with the last bite of banana slices. “Uncle Reid made it for me.”

My stomach twisted.Uncle Reid.

I forced a soft laugh, though it caught in my throat. “Did he now?” I brushed a crumb from Eugene’s cheek, my fingers lingering longer than they should as he nodded.

“Hope you don’t mind.” Reid’s voice slid in smoothly, “Gregory left early, and you were still in bed while this little guy was running around.”

I straightened, smoothing Eugene’s hair to keep my mind occupied instead of spiraling. “I don’t mind,” I lied, my tone clipped, polite. “But you didn’t have to trouble yourself.”