His Heir, Her Secret - Chapter 54: Chapter 54

Lucien
The boardroom of Wolfe International was the height of glass and steel elegance, perched atop the sixty-first floor like a throne room built for war. I stood at the head of the long obsidian table, staring out at the skyline of Paris bathed in the glow of a late afternoon sun. My reflection in the glass was sharp, composed, impenetrable. But beneath the tailored suit and cufflinks, tension simmered.
“Your press conference changed the game, Lucien,” Soraya said from her seat beside me, tapping a crimson fingernail against a tablet. “The public is on your side now. You’ve rebranded yourself overnight—from ruthless billionaire to protective father. Women are swooning. Men are backing off. The sympathy factor? Off the charts.”
“It wasn’t for the public,” I muttered, though I knew it played both ways. “It was for Leo. For Isla.”
I turned from the window and took my seat, steepling my fingers as the rest of the team filed in. Attorneys. PR strategists. My private investigator. Even my chief of security. This wasn’t business strategy anymore. This was war.
“Any updates on Damon Cross?” I asked.
Charles, my investigator, nodded grimly. “We confirmed his petition to contest custody was filed yesterday afternoon. He’s playing dirty—he’s pushing the narrative that Isla withheld his son and kept him from being a father.”
“He’s using the press,” Soraya added, flicking the screen to show a headline splashed across a gossip site. “From Billionaire’s Mistress to Baby Thief? Damon Cross Demands Justice.”
I felt my jaw clench, the muscles locking tight. “We have evidence to counter every one of his claims. Isla documented everything—his abandonment, the threats. If it comes to court, we’ll crush him.”
“But he’s aiming for the court of public opinion too,” Charles pointed out. “He’s already working with a spin team. And he’s not just targeting Isla. He’s coming for you.”
I didn’t flinch. “Let him.”
Soraya raised an eyebrow. “You realize this could turn into a media circus. If Damon escalates, he might subpoena you. Your business dealings. Your private affairs. He might even go after your stake in Wolfe, try to paint you as unstable or distracted.”
“Let him try,” I repeated, my voice cold. “He won’t find anything that isn’t calculated. I’ve lived with a target on my back since I was twenty-two. He’s just another man with a weak ego and an overinflated sense of power.”
There was a pause, and then Soraya leaned forward, tone softer. “You care for her. I’ve never seen you this exposed.”
“Because I am,” I admitted, finally allowing a crack to show. “I thought I could control this. That if I made my move—publicly claimed them—he’d back off. But he’s the type who doesn’t like losing. Especially not to someone like me.”
“And Isla?” she asked. “How is she?”
“Terrified,” I said quietly. “And trying not to show it. She’s fighting every instinct to run. But she’s stronger than she knows. She’s been protecting Leo on her own for five years. I owe it to her to stand beside her now.”
Soraya gave me a rare, genuine smile. “Then let’s make sure she never has to run again.”
The meeting continued for another hour—strategizing legal angles, planning our media counter-offensive, preparing for every outcome. When it ended, I stepped into my private office and closed the door behind me.
My phone buzzed. A text from Isla.
He was at Leo’s school this morning.
My blood turned to ice.
I called her immediately. She answered on the second ring, her voice tight.
“Lucien.”
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
“He didn’t go inside,” she said. “He was parked across the street. One of the teachers saw him and alerted security, who called me. I called the police, but they said he hadn’t broken any laws. He just… watched.”
“He’s testing boundaries,” I growled. “And trying to scare you.”
“It worked.”
“I’m sending two of my men to you. They’ll stay close, 24/7. And I’ll call the head of the school. He’s not getting within fifty meters of Leo again.”
She was quiet for a moment. “I hate that he can do this. That the law doesn’t stop him.”
“It will,” I promised. “Because I will.”
There was another pause, then she said softly, “Leo asked if you were coming over tonight.”
That hit me harder than anything else.
“Tell him yes,” I said. “Tell him I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Two hours later, I stood outside Isla’s apartment, holding a small stuffed tiger I’d picked up on the way. It wasn’t just a toy. It was a promise.
She opened the door in a soft grey sweater and jeans, her eyes rimmed with exhaustion but still luminous. I’d never seen anyone look more beautiful.
“Hi,” she said, stepping aside.
“Hi,” I replied, brushing a kiss against her temple as I passed. “Where’s our little tiger?”
She smiled faintly and nodded toward the living room. Leo was curled up with a book, his face lighting up when he saw me.
“Lucien!” he called, leaping up and running toward me.
I knelt to catch him. “Hey, buddy. I brought you something.”
He gasped when I handed him the tiger. “He looks like me!”
“He’s your protector,” I said. “He’ll keep watch while you sleep. Just like I will.”
Leo wrapped his arms around me, and I held him a moment longer than necessary.
Isla watched us, something fragile in her expression. When Leo ran off to show the tiger to his other toys, she spoke quietly.
“You’re really here.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I said, straightening. “And neither is he.”
“I believe you,” she whispered.
I stepped closer, lifting a hand to her cheek. “Good. Because we’re going to fight this, together. Damon doesn’t get to win. Not this time.”
She nodded, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Then we both turned, watching Leo laugh from across the room, unaware of the storm brewing around him.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like a father. Not a billionaire. Not a strategist. Just a man who would burn down the world to keep his son safe.