Betrayed by Her Best Friend and the Billionaire at a Chicago Gala—She Disappeared Pregnant with His Baby, Only for Him to Hunt Her Down Seven Years Later!

The private jet smelled of polished leather, expensive espresso, and the sharp, crisp scent of autumn rain hitting the tarmac at Portland International.

Julian sat by the window, his nose pressed against the thick glass as the lights of the runway blurred into streaks of gold and silver during takeoff. It was his first time on a plane, and instead of being scared, he had spent the last twenty minutes examining the leather seats and asking Reid intricate questions about how the engines generated enough thrust to lift a metal tube into the clouds.

""Your dad is pretty smart, huh?"" Leo said, leaning over to hand Julian a cup of apple juice. Leo had insisted on coming along—not just to help with the bakery’s expansion to their new Chicago pop-up, but because he didn't trust a billionaire who looked like he belonged on the cover of a finance magazine not to let Mara get hurt twice.

""He knows how many bolts are in the wing,"" Julian said proudly, glancing up at Reid, who was sitting across the aisle from Mara.

Mara kept her eyes fixed on her tablet, though she hadn't turned a single page in twenty minutes. The weight of Reid’s gaze was palpable, warm and persistent, sitting right beside her in the leather cabin.

""You don't have to sit all the way over there, you know,"" Reid said softly, his voice low enough so Julian and Leo wouldn't hear over the roar of the turbines.

""I’m comfortable right here,"" Mara said without looking up.

""You’re sitting as far away from me as the aisle will allow while still being in the same zip code,"" Reid pointed out, a faint trace of amusement in his tone. ""That’s not comfortable, Mara. That’s a defensive posture.""

Mara snapped the tablet shut and finally looked at him. ""And what would you call dragging me and my son onto a private jet to face a woman who tried to ruin my life seven years ago?""

Reid’s amusement vanished instantly. His expression grew dark, every line of his face tightening.

""My mother is not going to touch you, or Julian,"" Reid said, his voice dropping into a tone so cold it made the air in the cabin feel several degrees chillier. ""When we land in Chicago, she’s going to find out that her grandson exists on my terms, not hers. And if she tries any of her old tricks, I will strip her of every asset bearing the Calder name before the sun sets tomorrow.""

Mara studied his face. There was no hesitation there—only absolute, ruthless resolve. It was the same look he had when he closed billion-dollar acquisitions, but this time, it was being deployed to protect her.

""She’s still your mother, Reid,"" Mara murmured, her voice losing some of its edge.

""She stopped being a mother the day she conspired with Tessa to drive you out of the city,"" Reid replied quietly. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, his gray eyes locking onto hers. ""I let you walk away once because I was an idiot who trusted the wrong people to handle my life. I am not making that mistake twice.""

Julian suddenly turned around from the window seat. ""Mom, can we get pizza when we land? The big kind with the extra cheese?""

Mara couldn't help the small, involuntary smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth. She looked from her son’s slate-gray eyes back to Reid’s.