The Billionaire's Bought Bride and Instant Mom Chapter 18

Aveline

I arrived at Arlington Academy early, hoping to get settled before the inevitable drama of Ryan's first day back. The morning sunlight streamed through the academy's elegant windows, casting everything in a warm, golden glow that should have been peaceful.

Instead, I walked straight into a firing squad.

"Well, well, well," Catherine's voice cut through the morning quiet like nails on a chalkboard. She was standing near the reception desk with a cluster of other teachers, all of them turning to stare at me with barely concealed amusement. "Look who's back! How wonderful that you had such a short-lived success with the Blackwell family."

I kept my expression neutral as I headed toward my classroom, but Catherine wasn't finished.

"Really, Aveline, when opportunity knocks, you're supposed to open the door, not run away from it." Her voice dripped with false sympathy. "I mean, here you are, back to regular classroom duty. That tells us everything we need to know about how your 'home consultations' went, doesn't it?"

The other teachers giggled behind their hands, clearly enjoying the show. I could practically see them thinking the same thing Catherine was saying out loud—that I'd been fired, that the great Dr. Reeves had failed where they might have succeeded.

"Actually," I said calmly, setting down my bag, "Ryan will be joining us here at the academy today."

The giggling stopped abruptly. Catherine's smug expression flickered with uncertainty.

Principal Foster appeared from her office, having clearly overheard the conversation. "I'm sorry, did you say Ryan Blackwell is coming to school today? Voluntarily?"

"That's right," I replied. "He decided he wanted to experience classroom learning with other children."

Foster's eyes widened with something close to shock. "Dr. Reeves, do you realize what an accomplishment that is? That child hasn't shown interest in group activities or peer interaction in... well, ever. How on earth did you manage it?"

Catherine's face had gone from smug to sour in record time. "Oh please," she scoffed. "She's obviously making this up. Probably got kicked out of the house and is trying to save face. You'll see—no one's going to show up."

That's when we heard the rumble of engines outside.

And not just one engine. Multiple engines, growing louder by the second.

We all turned toward the large windows that faced the circular drive, and what we saw made everyone's jaw drop simultaneously.

A convoy of black SUVs was pulling through the academy's gates—easily ten or twelve vehicles, all moving in perfect formation like some kind of presidential motorcade. They spread out across the usually quiet drive, their tinted windows and sleek profiles radiating money and power.

"Jesus Christ," one of the teachers whispered. "What is this, a state visit?"

The SUVs came to a stop in perfect synchronization, and then we heard it—the distinctive purr of a high-performance engine. A sleek black sports car emerged from behind the convoy, moving with predatory grace to the front of the formation.

Catherine's mouth fell open. "Is that... is that really...?"

The sports car's door opened, and Orion Blackwell stepped out.

Even from inside the building, his presence was magnetic. Tall and imposing, he was dressed in a charcoal grey suit, tailored from a fine wool that draped perfectly over his broad shoulders. Every line was precise, from the crisp white cuffs of his shirt to the subtle gleam of his silk tie, projecting an aura of unflinching authority. He moved with the kind of confidence that came from owning half of Manhattan, his dark hair catching the morning sunlight as he walked around to the passenger side.

The academy had gone completely silent. Every teacher, every administrator, every staff member had stopped what they were doing to stare out the windows.

"Oh my God," Foster breathed. "He actually came. In person."

Orion opened the passenger door and extended his hand to help Ryan out of the car. The little boy emerged slowly, looking around at the academy with those serious dark eyes, clearly taking in the scale of attention his arrival had generated.

"Did he bring security?" someone whispered.

"Look at all those cars..."

"Is this normal for him?"

Catherine and the other teachers practically stampeded toward the front entrance, clearly hoping to position themselves for the best possible first impression. Foster followed, her professional composure barely masking her excitement at having Manhattan royalty on her doorstep.

But I stayed in the hallway, watching through the windows as father and son approached the building. I could see Ryan saying something to his father, gesturing animatedly, and Orion nodding with what looked like amused understanding.

The front doors opened, and suddenly the academy's main entrance was filled with the sound of teachers trying to outdo each other in their welcomes.

"Mr. Blackwell! What an honor!"

"Ryan, sweetie, we're so excited to have you back!"

"Please, let us show you around!"

I watched from the hallway as they formed a sort of receiving line, all bright smiles and eager faces. Orion nodded politely to each of them, his expression courteous but distant, while Ryan stayed close to his father's side.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Ryan suddenly pulled away from his father's hand and broke into a run.

Straight toward me.

"Miss Aveline!" he called out, his face lighting up with pure joy.