The Billionaire’s Secret Baby

7

True to what he said, she encountered a few men in black suits on her way home. They were just coming out of the house, and a few of them muttered greetings as they passed by her.

Hazel rushed inside and headed straight for her father’s workspace. When she couldn’t find him anywhere else, she went there…and found him on a call. The moment she stepped in, he ended it.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Hazel asked impatiently.

Cox looked at his daughter, removed his glasses, and calmly sat behind his desk.

“I don’t know what you’ve heard,” he replied.

“Are you really reaching out to Karina for help because the company is going bankrupt?” she asked.

Despite her urgency, Cox remained relaxed, completely unmoved, even as Hazel felt restless for no reason.

“And where did you hear that from?” he asked.

In that moment, Hazel realized she had already said more than she should have. Her eyes darted anywhere but at him.

“Raven…” she swallowed hard after saying his name.

Cox let out a short, amused chuckle. Then he stopped and looked at her.

“You just got back yesterday, and you’ve already met him?” he said. His expression darkened slightly. “I reached out to that bastard before I reached out to his mother…and he dares to come to you after the humiliation I suffered?”

“It’s not what you think, Dad!” she defended quickly. “He didn’t reach out to me…I went to the reunion knowing he would be there.”

“Karina would never…”

“I have something that belongs to her,” Cox cut in calmly. “She won’t be able to resist the offer.”

Hazel froze.

Not sure she had heard him right. “You… you’re not thinking of using my son as…”Her words died in her throat.

She suddenly realized she hadn’t seen Owen. Hadn’t heard his voice. “Where is Owen?” she asked, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.

“Dad!” she snapped, her eyes turning teary when he didn’t respond. In that moment, she remembered exactly who her father was.

A man who could abandon anyone for business. “The company is at stake, you stupid girl,” Cox said coldly. “He is their bloodline. Raven Fox’s son.”

“He is my f*cking son!” she yelled, her voice breaking as all her frustration spilled out. “Not anybody’s bloodline. Not anyone’s claim!”

She brushed her hair back roughly, shaking.

“You can seduce your way into making Raven agree to help the company,” Cox continued as if nothing had happened. “And your son stays a secret.”

Hazel stared at him in disbelief. Her own father, how could he stoop so low? How could he use her child like this? How could he force her back into Raven’s life like a pawn?

She had been foolish to think he would ever accept Owen…when he was the same man who had once told her to get rid of him.

If Raven or his family ever found out. Owen would be taken from her. Forever.

She couldn’t let that happen. “I’ll do whatever you say,” she said finally, her voice shaking but firm. “Just don’t involve Owen in this.”

Her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

“After you get what you want… that’s the end of us,” she added. “I’ll leave this house. We’re better off without you.”

Her eyes hardened with determination, she would do it, she would go back to Raven, face him again. If that was what it took to protect her son…

Then so be it.

Because that was the only way she could keep him safe.