MY BILLIONAIRE EX THREW $30 AT ME WHEN I WAS PREGNANT AND SAID: "TAKE IT AND DISAPPEAR!" 10 YEARS LATER, I SAW HIM ON TV TELLING MILLIONS: "MY GREATEST REGRET IS THAT I NEVER HAD CHILDREN." I LOOKED AT THE 10-YEAR-OLD TWINS SLEEPING BESIDE ME—BOTH CARRYING HIS UNMISTAKABLE FACE—AND LAUGHED. THEN I TEXTED MY LAWYER: "GET THE INVITATIONS READY. WE'RE ATTENDING HIS COMPANY GALA."

Julian didn't draw a gun. He slowly raised both hands, a cold, arrogant smile spreading across his scarred face.

"Look at the happy couple," Julian drawled, eyeing Ethan’s bleeding chest under his tactical vest. "You look terrible, Ethan. Did you really break into a private estate for a boy who isn't even yours?"

"He's my son!" Ethan roared, his finger tightening on the trigger. "Move away from him, Julian!"

"Or what?" Victoria sneered, stepping behind Noah, pulling a sleek small-caliber pistol from her purse and resting the barrel directly against the back of Noah's neck. "Shoot us, Ethan, and the boy dies before your bullet reaches Julian. You lose either way."

My blood ran completely cold. "Victoria... please," I gasped out, my hands trembling as I held them up in a pleading gesture. "Take the stock. Take the Chairwoman seat. Take everything. Just let my son go!"

"Mom, don't!" Noah yelled, trying to pull away from the gun. "Don't give them anything!"

"Shut up, brat!" Victoria barked, digging the gun barrel deeper into his neck. "Sign the surrender papers, Clara! Now!"

I pulled the black encrypted leather folder from my coat pocket, stepping forward slowly. "I have the master override keys right here. The trust transfers to you the second I scan my thumbprint."

"Bring it here," Victoria demanded, her eyes glittering with manic greed.