CHAPTER 1: THE BOYS FROM THE BENTLEY
CHAPTER 1: THE BOYS FROM THE BENTLEY
Blake Harrington didn't move.
The bustling airport seemed to disappear around him as he stared at the three boys clinging to Emma.
Three boys.
Three identical dark-blue eyes.
Three familiar smiles.
And three faces that looked alarmingly familiar.
His face.
Not completely.
But enough.
The oldest boy looked up at Emma.
"Mom, Grandpa said we had to hurry or we'd be late."
Emma smiled.
"We'll leave in a minute."
The youngest suddenly noticed Blake.
"Mom, who's that?"
The question hung in the air.
Emma slowly turned.
For the first time since leaving the plane, genuine fear crossed her face.
Not for herself.
For them.
Blake's eyes never left the children.
"Emma..."
His voice sounded hollow.
"How old are they?"
She already knew why he was asking.
"Five."
The answer landed like a bomb.
Five.
Exactly five years.
Exactly the amount of time since their divorce.
Blake's breathing became uneven.
"No."
Emma closed her eyes briefly.
"Blake..."
"No."
His voice grew louder.
The executives standing nearby exchanged nervous glances.
The oldest boy stepped closer to Emma.
Protective.
Instinctive.
Something about that simple gesture shattered Blake even further.
Because it reminded him of himself.
The way he used to stand in front of Emma whenever reporters became too aggressive.
The way he used to protect her.
Before everything fell apart.
"Are they mine?" he whispered.
Emma didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
The silence said everything.
Blake staggered backward.
For five years he had believed Emma betrayed him.
For five years he had convinced himself she had destroyed their marriage.
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For five years he had carried resentment like armor.
And now three little boys stood before him as living proof that he had never known the truth.
