My Baby Daddy wants Me for Christmas

Reunited… against my will 2

Aurora

I blinked and looked around, hoping that everyone else would have the same shocked expression as I, but they didn’t.

Wolves? I must have heard her wrong. Maybe she meant wolf-themed costumes, I hoped.

“Then we have the Festival of Stars,” Rina continued. “It’s an all-night celebration where the people of Averne honor the guidance of the moon. There will be fireworks, carol-singing nights, and a midnight vow ceremony between mated pairs.”

The phrase mated pairs tugged at something in the back of my mind—something that tugged painfully at the mark on my neck—but I immediately pushed the thought away.

“And of course,” Rina said, her voice warming, “the Royal Christmas Gala. It is the most important night. The royal family hosts it at the palace, and we anticipate representatives from multiple cities will attend. You will cover the decorations, the royal arrival, the performances, and the closing ceremony.”

I swallowed hard as I realized how demanding the schedules were. I was going to work directly under the prince, seeing him every day. There was no way I could avoid him, no matter what.

Rina ended her briefing with a firm nod. “This will be demanding work. Long nights. Early mornings. Heavy crowds. Lots of travel between locations. This is our biggest festival yet, and what I have mentioned are the main occasions. There will be other events like cooking shows, auctions, and more to celebrate Christmas.”

I breathed in slowly and wrote everything down. My hand felt numb, my heart racing fast, and my mind spinning.

I had come here to take photos and rebuild my career, not to face the man I ran from, not to stare at the father of my child across a conference table, and not to feel every piece of my carefully built life crumble the moment he looked at me.

But here I was—and Noel, the traitor that he was, had chosen his father’s arms without hesitation.

“This brings us to the end of the first meeting. We will meet here tomorrow morning for another meeting before the opening ceremony in the evening,” Rina announced. “But before we leave, let’s introduce one another.” She pointed to the first person beside her. “Please start.”

They started one after another—names, roles, responsibilities.

Then it was her turn.

Clara stepped forward with that same polished smile I remembered far too well. “I’m Clara,” she announced, smoothing her hair with unnecessary flair. “I’m the Head of Event Coordination and External Planning.” Her eyes slid to me, lingering too long. “I look forward to working with Aurora.”

Rina raised a brow. “You two know each other?” she asked, pointing at us.

“Yes, we used to work on smaller community projects together.” Clara let out a light, airy laugh that grated on my nerves. “I’m honestly surprised to see her here. Especially with a baby.”

My jaw tightened instantly, and I clenched my fists as I looked at my son in Leon’s arms.

But I didn’t say anything and stood up to speak when it was my turn. “I am Aurora Wright, the head photographer, and I am looking forward to working with everyone,” I said and sat down.

“Aurora will be working closely with all departments, so let’s make this smooth,” Rina announced, and they all nodded in response.

The introductions went on for minutes—design heads, logistics directors, performance managers, and others.

Leon didn’t need any introduction because everyone already knew who he was. When the final person finished speaking, Rina closed her folder.

“Good. That’s it for today. Let’s get ready for a wonderful festival. Aurora, I’ll drive you to your new place so you can settle in.”

I opened my mouth to thank her, but Leon’s voice came first. “There’s no need. I’ll take her.”

My breath caught. “That—you don’t have to do that,” I said quickly. “I don’t want to bother you.”

“You’re not bothering me,” Leon replied, a slight grin appearing on his lips like he knew precisely how flustered I was. “I insist.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the determination in his eyes made my voice disappear.

Clara stepped forward abruptly. “Your Highness,” she said sweetly, “if you’re driving, maybe I can come along? I also live in that direction and—”

“No.” Leon cut her off without even turning his full attention toward her. “I’m only taking Aurora.”

The room went silent, but I heard the snorts from others in the room.

Clara blinked rapidly, clearly stunned, but Leon didn’t take back his words. His focus was entirely on me as he adjusted the baby in his arms.

A slight sound escaped me—a snort I couldn’t suppress—and Clara frowned as her eyes met mine, but I didn’t care. For once, the universe seemed to be on my side.

Leon stepped closer to me, his eyes flicking to the baby now resting quietly against his chest. “Unless you want the baby to start crying again, I insist on taking you to where you’ll be staying.”