Page 36 of Secret Baby for my Off-Limits Fiancé

A child.

The little boy clings to her, his tiny hands fisted into her dress, his head tilting back to look at the sky with wide, curious eyes.

“Mommy, can we go inside now?” His voice is soft and innocent.

My world tilts on its axis.

Mommy?

I blink, trying to process what I’m seeing, but nothing makes sense.

Layla is a mother?

I take a step out of my car, my throat suddenly dry. “Layla?”

Her body stiffens at the sound of my voice.

Slowly, she turns, and for a fraction of a second, I see it, the sheer panic in her eyes before her features change into something unreadable.

The little boy tugs at her sleeve, oblivious to the tension crackling between us.

Layla swallows hard and brushes a strand of hair from his face, setting him down.

“Play here for a little bit, sweetheart,” she murmurs, her voice softer than I’ve ever heard it.

The boy nods obediently, waddling over to a tiny playhouse set up near the porch.

Then, she straightens and faces me head-on, her expression a mixture of annoyance and defiance. “What are you doing here?”

I barely hear her.

My eyes are still locked on the child.

He looks like her. Same delicate features. But those eyes… So familiar. Why?

My stomach twists.

“How old is he?” My voice comes out low, raspy.

She hesitates. Just for a second.

“That’s none of your business.”

I finally tear my gaze away from the boy, meeting her eyes with steel in mine.

“You disappeared. You haven’t answered any of my texts. I had to track you down just to get answers.”

Layla lets out an exasperated breath. “I’ve been busy, Valentino.”

“Too busy to uphold your end of the deal?”

She crosses her arms. “I don’t recall signing a contract that says I need to check in with you every hour.”

I step closer, my patience fraying. “No, but it does say you need to be seen with me, regularly. How are we supposed to sell this relationship if you vanish?”

“I don’t need to justify myself to you.”

“Actually, you do.”

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