Chapter 1 - The Grandfather's Arrival
The heavy oak doors of the private dining room swung open with a resounding thud.
Everyone turned to see Richard Blackwood standing in the entryway.
He leaned heavily on a silver-handled cane.
Despite his frail appearance, his piercing blue eyes carried the weight of a billionaire who built an empire from scratch.
Ethan froze, his hand still hovering over the black credit card on the table.
Victoria took a sudden step back.
Her perfect, elegant posture faltered for a fraction of a second.
"Father," Ethan said, his voice entirely stripped of its previous hostility.
Richard ignored his son completely.
He walked past the stunned executives and the trembling restaurant manager.
He stopped right in front of Hannah.
For the first time since he entered, the old man’s stern face softened into a warm smile.
He looked down at the six-year-old boy hiding behind Hannah’s leg.
"Hello again, Noah," Richard said gently.
Noah peeked out and gave a shy wave.
"Hi, Mr. Richard," the boy mumbled.
The entire restaurant seemed to stop breathing.
Ethan stared at his father in absolute disbelief.
"You know this child?" Ethan demanded.
Richard finally turned to look at his son.
The warmth vanished from the older man's face, replaced by a cold fury.
"I know my own grandson, Ethan."
The word dropped like a bomb in the silent room.
Victoria let out a sharp, breathless laugh.
"Richard, please, you can't possibly believe this gold-digger's lies."
Hannah clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms.
"I never asked him for anything," Hannah stated firmly.
"She speaks the truth," Richard said.
He reached into his tailored suit jacket.
"In fact, it took me three weeks of begging just to get her to allow me to meet the boy."
Ethan looked between Hannah and the child.
He saw the shape of Noah’s jaw.
He saw the dark, unruly hair.
He saw the exact same shade of striking gray eyes that stared back at him in the mirror every morning.
A wave of dizzying realization hit Ethan, making the room spin.
"Hannah," Ethan whispered, his voice cracking. "Is he... is he mine?"
Before Hannah could answer, Victoria stepped between them.
"This is absurd!" Victoria shrieked. "She faked a pregnancy seven years ago to extort money from you, Ethan, and now she found a random kid to finish the job!"
Richard slammed his cane against the hardwood floor.
The loud crack silenced Victoria instantly.
"The only one extorting my family is you, Victoria," Richard growled.
May you like
He pulled a thick, sealed manila envelope from his jacket.
"And I have the bank records from seven years ago to prove exactly whose account that payoff money really went into."
