Billionaire's Regret: Losing Me And Our Son - Chapter 101: Chapter 101

The party was about to kick off, and the hall was already buzzing with guests.
Everyone was toasting and chatting, but their eyes were all on Ben, who stood at the front, ready to speak.
He took the microphone, said a few polite words, and then shifted gears with a grin. "Thank you all for coming. This birthday is extra special for the Smith family.
"I'm so happy to finally introduce my daughter, who we've been searching for for over 20 years. We're so thankful to have her back."
When Ben finished speaking, Shirley grabbed my hand, and we walked up to join him on stage.
The crowd was stunned. The news was so unexpected that people just froze for a second. Then the whispers started, some congratulating us, others just shocked by the revelation.
Flashes from cameras lit up the room. Then, one reporter's voice cut through the noise. "Isn't this Miss Natalia Hinton? The former lady of the Madden Group?"
At the mention of my name, all eyes shifted to me. The Madden family and the Smith family were both big names in Enschester, so everyone knew who I was. I couldn't exactly hide the fact that I was Quinn's ex-wife.
Ben's smile faded slightly, and he raised his voice a bit. "Everyone," he said, "we're here to celebrate my birthday and welcome my daughter home. I'd appreciate it if we could focus on that, and leave the other questions for another time."
But of course, the reporters weren't going to let this headline material slide.
One of them shoved the microphone toward me and asked, "Ms. Hinton, there have been rumors that you and Mr. Madden might be getting back together. Is that true? And does it have anything to do with your return to the Smith family?"
The question was blunt—was this one of those rags-to-riches stories, and were the Madden and Smith families about to merge through marriage?
If I wasn't careful, my answer could affect the stock prices of both companies. Years of experience in the business world had taught me never to answer personal questions too directly.
I smiled and shrugged off the question. "It's hard to talk about relationship when I'm single."
Shirley took over, giving the reporter a knowing look. "Any other questions?"
The reporter hesitated for a moment, then quickly shifted to safer topics, like my favorite brands.
It was clear the Smith family had prepped them on how to handle the situation. Once the reporters had settled down, they didn't dare press further, not wanting to offend the Smith family.
After the interview, Ben and Shirley guided me through the crowd to meet some of Enschester's big names. I made sure to stay calm and collected, and people seemed impressed.
I was getting thirsty, so I quietly told Shirley I needed some drink.
As I looked around, I noticed a woman nearby, phone in hand, pointing at my direction like she was secretly taking pictures. When she saw me noticing, she quickly tucked her phone away and shot me a weird look before turning and leaving.
I didn't think much of it, probably just another reporter trying to get more shots.
At the counter, I grabbed a glass of orange juice and took a big sip.
"Ms. Hinton, it's a pleasure to meet you." A guy with long hair pulled back into a ponytail came over, his gaze intense and a bit artistic.
I didn't recognize him, so I set my glass down and politely responded, "Hi."
He smiled and introduced himself. "I'm Zachary Jones, an artist. You're incredibly beautiful, and I'd love for you to be my model."
I gave a small, awkward laugh. That was... pretty bold. But before I could politely decline, Shirley appeared at my side.
She gave Zachary a quick once-over and said, "I heard you recently bought a gallery, Mr. Jones. What made you decide to call yourself an artist all of a sudden?"
I blinked. Wait—was Shirley implying Zachary wasn't legit?
Zachary's confident demeanor faltered. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "Oh, Mrs. Smith, you've known my mom forever. You can just call me Zachary. No need for the formalities."
Then, as if he couldn't escape fast enough, he added, "Anyway, I just remembered I've got something to take care of. Excuse me!"
Shirley watched him scurry off and snorted. "Natalia, don't be fooled by boys like him. Zachary's got too much free time on his hands. If his family didn't have money, he'd have to find a real job just to survive."
"Mom, I'm not a kid," I said, smiling at her protectiveness.
She sighed, taking my hand gently. "I know, sweetheart. But I didn't do enough to protect you before. That's not going to happen again."
Her words hit me unexpectedly, and I felt a warmth in my chest. I finally understood. Hearing the reporters mention Quinn earlier must have reminded her of my failed marriage.
She felt guilty, and that was why she wanted to shield me from everything.
"Let's not talk about this now," she said, patting my hand. Her eyes suddenly brightened as she looked toward the door. "Look who's here."
I followed her line of sight and nearly froze. Aiden, dressed sharply in formalwear, was walking toward us.
Shirley invited Aiden? I wasn't sure how to feel about that. I had planned to explain everything to her about my friends—after the party.
"Mrs. Smith, Natalia," Aiden greeted warmly as he stopped in front of us.
His eyes lingered on me for a moment before he smiled. "You look amazing tonight, Natalia."
"Thanks," I said, trying not to sound awkward. But no matter what, there was always this strange uneasiness between us I couldn't quite shake.
"Natalia, I heard Aiden's been there for you since you were a kid," Shirley said with a smile. "That's why I made sure to invite him to your father's party."
She sounded so pleased with herself, and I could tell she liked Aiden, maybe even a little too much. It felt like she was trying to push us together.
"Aiden, why don't you keep Natalia company for a bit? I need to go check on the guests," she added, giving me a quick wink before walking off.
Aiden turned to me, his gaze warm. "Natalia, I'm really happy for you. Finding your family and seeing how much they care about you, it's amazing."
"Thanks," I said, smiling politely. Honestly, I wasn't sure what else to say.
As I stood there, the blackmail call popped into my mind. I debated telling him but decided to keep it to myself. The 300 thousand dollars money was already paid, and I didn't want to drag him into it.
Then, Aiden leaned in slightly and dropped his voice. "I've got some updates on the U3 case," he said. "It's not the best place to talk about it, though. Want to step outside for a bit?"
I froze for a second. He was still looking into U3?
"Sure," I replied, already planning to tell him to drop it before he got himself into trouble.
But before we could head out, a woman in trendy clothes and a DSLR slung over her shoulder stepped in front of us.