Page 243 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

My heart nearly stops.

Then, Theo’s voice carries toward us.

“Mom?”

I freeze.

No.

Not now.

Please, not now.

I hear his footsteps before I see him.

Then Theo steps into view.

He is holding the half-built model he has been working on all morning, one loose plastic piece turning between his fingers.

I look at Julian.

He is staring at my son.

Everything in his face changes so slowly that I almost convince myself I am imagining it.

His gaze moves over Theo’s hair.

His eyes.

His face.

Then back to me.

I cannot breathe.

Theo studies him with open curiosity, completely unaware of the ground shifting beneath the three of us.

Julian looks at me again.

“You have a son?” he asks.

My grip tightens around the leather bag.

There is no lie left available to me.

“Yes,” I say.

Theo glances toward me.

“Mom, who is he?”

I force my voice to stay steady.

“This is Julian Blackwell. He’s someone I’m working with.”

Theo nods once and looks back at Julian.

Julian does not stop staring at him.