His Heir, Her Secret - Chapter 42: Chapter 42
You are reading His Heir, Her Secret, Chapter 42: Chapter 42. Read more chapters of His Heir, Her Secret.
Lucien
I didn’t know fury could settle in the bloodstream like ice.
The moment I read the petition Damon filed, the world blurred at the edges. Full custody? Of my son?
The nerve of the bastard.
My office was a frenzy of motion the moment the news broke. Peter, my legal counsel, moved like a machine, briefing the rest of the litigation team while I stood frozen at the window, fists clenched.
The skyline of Manhattan was usually my anchor—a constant reminder of what I built, what I own. But tonight, it was meaningless. No building I erected, no deal I closed could compare to what I stood to lose.
Leo.
And Isla.
“Lucien,” Peter said from behind me, his tone tight. “We need to talk strategy.”
I turned, still in my tailored jacket, though I hadn’t touched the scotch sitting on my desk.
“What does he have?” I asked. My voice came out low. Controlled. Dangerous.
“Nothing concrete,” Peter replied. “He’s grasping. Claiming that since you’ve only recently come into the picture, and Isla ‘withheld’ the child from him, she’s unstable. He’s leaning into her past, her decision to raise Leo alone, and using it against her.”
I swore under my breath.
“Unstable?” I laughed bitterly. “Isla raised that boy with dignity and strength while I—while both of us—were blind. She deserves a crown, not court orders.”
Peter nodded. “I agree. But Damon is playing dirty. He’s already pushed for a temporary hearing.”
“When?”
“Three days.”
Three days. That’s all the time we had to unravel whatever strategy he was sewing behind the scenes. I ran a hand through my hair and turned back to the window.
“Pull every file we have on him. His business dealings, his finances, his criminal records—any dirt that’s buried, I want it uncovered.”
Peter gave a grim nod. “Already in motion. I also hired a private investigator. We’ll know where he eats, who he sees, what time he breathes.”
Good.
“And Isla?” I asked, my voice quieter now.
“She’s protected. I made sure of it.”
Not protected enough.
I left the office within the hour and was in the car before I could talk myself out of it. I needed to see her. Hear her voice. See Leo’s sleepy face pressed against her shoulder. Remind myself what this fight was for.
When I arrived, security nodded and stepped aside. I’d doubled the guards after the petition was served. Damon wouldn’t touch her or Leo. Not without going through me.
The elevator doors slid open and I stepped into the penthouse. It was dim inside, the city lights casting gold reflections against the marble floors. The scent of Isla’s perfume lingered in the air—citrus, vanilla, something heartbreakingly familiar.
She was on the couch, arms wrapped around her knees, the document still sitting on the table like a snake between us.
Her eyes lifted the moment she heard me. And for the first time since this began, I saw fear flicker in them.
Not fear of Damon.
Fear of losing Leo.
I sat beside her without a word and reached for her hand. She didn’t pull away. That was something.
“We’re going to destroy him,” I said softly.
Her chin trembled, but she nodded. “He’s bluffing, right? This can’t be real.”
“It’s real,” I said. “But it’s not going to work. He has no claim. No connection. He’s a ghost trying to step into a story he abandoned.”
She looked down. “I should’ve told you sooner. Maybe we could’ve—”
“Stop.” I turned to her. “We can’t rewrite the past. But we will decide the future.”
She looked at me then, truly looked at me, and something passed between us. Not the electricity that usually buzzed in the air when we were close—but something deeper. Like a promise forming in silence.
“I can’t lose Leo,” she whispered.
“You won’t,” I vowed. “Not while I’m breathing.”
Her lip quivered and she looked away, blinking rapidly. “He’s just a little boy. He doesn’t even understand what’s happening. He asked me this morning if we’re going on a new adventure.”
I let out a breath that felt like a knife. “Then we’ll make it one. A safe one.”
We sat in silence for a while. The city outside was alive, a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside the penthouse.
Eventually, I stood and walked to the windows. “There’s something I want to do,” I said, turning back to her. “Something Damon won’t see coming.”
She looked up.
“I’m holding a press conference tomorrow.”
Her brows furrowed. “About what?”
I stepped closer. “About Leo. About you. About all of this. I’m going to tell the world the truth.”
“Lucien…” she breathed.
“I know it’s fast. But it’s the right move. We can’t let Damon control the narrative. Not when I have the power to define it.”
She stood too, her arms crossed protectively over her chest. “Do you think it’ll work?”
“I think the truth always works. I’m not just a billionaire in a suit anymore, Isla. I’m a father. The world will see that.”
A beat passed. Then she whispered, “And what about me?”
I stepped forward and gently touched her face. “You’re the woman who gave me a reason to become the man I should’ve been all along.”
Her breath caught. And for a moment, the world outside disappeared. There was just us.
The woman I loved.
And the child who made us a family.
I didn’t know fury could settle in the bloodstream like ice.
The moment I read the petition Damon filed, the world blurred at the edges. Full custody? Of my son?
The nerve of the bastard.
My office was a frenzy of motion the moment the news broke. Peter, my legal counsel, moved like a machine, briefing the rest of the litigation team while I stood frozen at the window, fists clenched.
The skyline of Manhattan was usually my anchor—a constant reminder of what I built, what I own. But tonight, it was meaningless. No building I erected, no deal I closed could compare to what I stood to lose.
Leo.
And Isla.
“Lucien,” Peter said from behind me, his tone tight. “We need to talk strategy.”
I turned, still in my tailored jacket, though I hadn’t touched the scotch sitting on my desk.
“What does he have?” I asked. My voice came out low. Controlled. Dangerous.
“Nothing concrete,” Peter replied. “He’s grasping. Claiming that since you’ve only recently come into the picture, and Isla ‘withheld’ the child from him, she’s unstable. He’s leaning into her past, her decision to raise Leo alone, and using it against her.”
I swore under my breath.
“Unstable?” I laughed bitterly. “Isla raised that boy with dignity and strength while I—while both of us—were blind. She deserves a crown, not court orders.”
Peter nodded. “I agree. But Damon is playing dirty. He’s already pushed for a temporary hearing.”
“When?”
“Three days.”
Three days. That’s all the time we had to unravel whatever strategy he was sewing behind the scenes. I ran a hand through my hair and turned back to the window.
“Pull every file we have on him. His business dealings, his finances, his criminal records—any dirt that’s buried, I want it uncovered.”
Peter gave a grim nod. “Already in motion. I also hired a private investigator. We’ll know where he eats, who he sees, what time he breathes.”
Good.
“And Isla?” I asked, my voice quieter now.
“She’s protected. I made sure of it.”
Not protected enough.
I left the office within the hour and was in the car before I could talk myself out of it. I needed to see her. Hear her voice. See Leo’s sleepy face pressed against her shoulder. Remind myself what this fight was for.
When I arrived, security nodded and stepped aside. I’d doubled the guards after the petition was served. Damon wouldn’t touch her or Leo. Not without going through me.
The elevator doors slid open and I stepped into the penthouse. It was dim inside, the city lights casting gold reflections against the marble floors. The scent of Isla’s perfume lingered in the air—citrus, vanilla, something heartbreakingly familiar.
She was on the couch, arms wrapped around her knees, the document still sitting on the table like a snake between us.
Her eyes lifted the moment she heard me. And for the first time since this began, I saw fear flicker in them.
Not fear of Damon.
Fear of losing Leo.
I sat beside her without a word and reached for her hand. She didn’t pull away. That was something.
“We’re going to destroy him,” I said softly.
Her chin trembled, but she nodded. “He’s bluffing, right? This can’t be real.”
“It’s real,” I said. “But it’s not going to work. He has no claim. No connection. He’s a ghost trying to step into a story he abandoned.”
She looked down. “I should’ve told you sooner. Maybe we could’ve—”
“Stop.” I turned to her. “We can’t rewrite the past. But we will decide the future.”
She looked at me then, truly looked at me, and something passed between us. Not the electricity that usually buzzed in the air when we were close—but something deeper. Like a promise forming in silence.
“I can’t lose Leo,” she whispered.
“You won’t,” I vowed. “Not while I’m breathing.”
Her lip quivered and she looked away, blinking rapidly. “He’s just a little boy. He doesn’t even understand what’s happening. He asked me this morning if we’re going on a new adventure.”
I let out a breath that felt like a knife. “Then we’ll make it one. A safe one.”
We sat in silence for a while. The city outside was alive, a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside the penthouse.
Eventually, I stood and walked to the windows. “There’s something I want to do,” I said, turning back to her. “Something Damon won’t see coming.”
She looked up.
“I’m holding a press conference tomorrow.”
Her brows furrowed. “About what?”
I stepped closer. “About Leo. About you. About all of this. I’m going to tell the world the truth.”
“Lucien…” she breathed.
“I know it’s fast. But it’s the right move. We can’t let Damon control the narrative. Not when I have the power to define it.”
She stood too, her arms crossed protectively over her chest. “Do you think it’ll work?”
“I think the truth always works. I’m not just a billionaire in a suit anymore, Isla. I’m a father. The world will see that.”
A beat passed. Then she whispered, “And what about me?”
I stepped forward and gently touched her face. “You’re the woman who gave me a reason to become the man I should’ve been all along.”
Her breath caught. And for a moment, the world outside disappeared. There was just us.
The woman I loved.
And the child who made us a family.
End of His Heir, Her Secret Chapter 42. Continue reading Chapter 43 or return to His Heir, Her Secret book page.