The Billionaire's Bought Bride and Instant Mom Chapter 15

Aveline

Before I could ask why his father was so eager to meet me, Ryan tugged at my hand with infectious excitement.

"Come on, come on! I have so much to show you! And Daddy got you a present!"

The gift was elegantly wrapped in cream paper with a gold ribbon—Chanel's "Jardin de Roses" in a limited edition presentation. The scent was heavier than I usually preferred, but the bottle itself was a work of art. Still, receiving such an expensive gift from a parent I'd never met felt oddly overwhelming. The gesture, while thoughtful, made the prospect of meeting Mr. Blackwell feel more daunting than I'd anticipated.

"It's beautiful," I said honestly. "Please tell Mr. Blackwell I'm very grateful."

"Oh, you can tell him yourself," Mitchell said with a small smile. "He's hoping to meet you properly today, to express his appreciation in person."

We spent the next ninety minutes in what had become our comfortable routine. Ryan and I played musical conversations on the piano, worked on a puzzle together, and I listened as he told me elaborate stories about his toy cars and their adventures. With each passing moment, I fell a little more in love with this brilliant, sensitive child.

When our session was winding down, Mitchell appeared to inform me that Mr. Blackwell would be arriving soon.

"Miss Aveline," Ryan said, tugging at my sleeve with excitement, "do you want to see my daddy's study? It has lots of books and really cool stuff!"

"That sounds wonderful," I said, letting him lead me down the hallway.

Ryan practically bounced as he walked, clearly excited to play tour guide. "This is where Daddy works when he's home," he announced, pushing open the door to reveal a beautiful room lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. "He has more books than the library! And look, there's a telescope by the window! And these are his important papers that I'm not supposed to touch!"

Mitchell followed us with a tea service, setting it on a small side table. "Please make yourself comfortable, Miss Aveline. Master Ryan seems quite eager to show you around." With a polite nod, he exited, leaving us alone.

"Oh yes!" Ryan's eyes lit up as he grabbed my hand. "I love showing people all the cool stuff! Here, try the tea—Mitchell makes the best tea in the whole world!"

I picked up the delicate china teacup and took a sip of the perfectly brewed Earl Grey. "You know, Ryan," I said gently, "Mr. Mitchell would have loved to hear that compliment when he was still here. People feel happier when we praise them to their faces."

Ryan paused, his expression growing thoughtful. "I was going to say that to him," he said slowly, "but when I'm with you, I just feel so... free. Like I can say everything without thinking too hard about it." He tilted his head with that serious expression that made him seem older than his years. "But I'll try to remember what you said, about saying nice things when people can hear them."

"You're wonderful, Ryan," I said softly, my heart warming at his earnest response.

Ryan beamed at that, then bounced excitedly as he continued his tour around the room.

"And this desk is where Daddy signs all his important business stuff," Ryan announced, climbing onto a chair to get a better view. "And these are family pictures! Want to see?"

"I'd love to," I said, following him to where several silver frames were arranged on the desk.

"This one is me when I was really little!" he said proudly, pointing to a photo of himself as a toddler. "And this is me with Great-Grandpa! He's old but he brings the most amazing presents from all around the world!"

I nodded along with his narration, taking another sip of tea as he moved from frame to frame with the enthusiasm only a five-year-old could maintain.

"And this one is my absolute favorite!" Ryan announced, picking up a larger silver frame with both hands. "It's me and my daddy!"

He held the photograph up for me to see, his face glowing with pride.

I looked at the image—a father and son shot, Ryan grinning widely while being held by a man with dark hair and devastatingly handsome features—and promptly sprayed Earl Grey across the Persian rug in a spectacular display of shock.

The man in the photo was unmistakably the same person I'd encountered two nights ago at the hotel. The same man whose unconscious body I had...

*Oh. My. God.*

"Miss Aveline!" Ryan burst into delighted laughter, apparently finding my tea-spraying reaction hilarious. "Why did you spit out your tea like that? Did it taste yucky?"

I stared at the photograph in absolute horror, my mind reeling as the catastrophic reality crashed over me in waves.

"He... he looks so much like you," I managed to croak out, my voice several octaves higher than normal.

Ryan's grin widened, clearly pleased by the observation. "Of course he does! He's my daddy!" He giggled at what he obviously considered a silly question. "I know lots of people think he's really handsome. Most of the teachers who come here aren't really here for me—they just want to meet him and maybe become my new mommy."

The innocent way he said it made my stomach perform gymnastics that would have impressed Olympic judges.

"But he's really nice," Ryan continued conversationally, completely oblivious to my internal meltdown. "Except sometimes his mood gets all weird and grumpy, but Mitchell says that's just because he works too much and has important business worries. Other than that, he's perfect daddy material!"

I made a strangled sound that was supposed to be agreement but came out more like the noise a dying walrus might make.

Ryan tilted his head, studying my face with those perceptive dark eyes. "Are you okay, Miss Aveline? You look really funny. Like you saw a ghost or something scary."

A ghost would have been infinitely preferable. A ghost wouldn't be arriving home any minute to meet the woman who'd sexually assaulted him while he was unconscious.

"I'm fine," I squeaked, though I was pretty sure I was having some sort of nervous breakdown. "Just... surprised. Your father is very... memorable looking."

"I know, right?" Ryan beamed. "That's why all the ladies want to marry him! But don't worry—I like you way better than all the other teachers. You're the only one who actually cares about me and doesn't just ask a million questions about Daddy."

The irony was so thick I could have cut it with a knife and served it at dinner. Here was this sweet, innocent child praising me for being different from all the other women, while I was literally the worst possible person he could have chosen to trust.

In the distance, I heard the front door open, followed by the sound of footsteps and Mitchell's voice greeting someone with obvious pleasure.

"Oh!" Ryan's face lit up like he'd just spotted Santa Claus. "Daddy's home! Come on, Miss Aveline, now you can meet him!"