I Walked Away With His Love Child

Chapter 4

I had no interest in playing along with their nonsense. So I turned straight to the waiter and said calmly, "If you really think I stole something, go ahead, call the police."

I could tell he was just trying to score points with Fiona by kicking me while I was down. And just as I expected, his boldness vanished in an instant. He muttered under his breath, "If it weren't for the big shots visiting the hotel today, I would've."

Fiona's eyes lit up, quick to latch on. "Wait, are you talking about Mr. Lowe? I heard he's in Ocean City with his family. Aren't they staying here?"

Gideon nodded, something like ambition flickering in his eyes. "If we can get the Lowe family behind our project, it would be a huge boost for the company."

Just the mention of Mr. Lowe sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd, like tossing a lit match into a dry field.

"That's why we're all here tonight, right? Hoping for a chance to meet Mr. Lowe himself?"

"This entire property is owned by his family."

"I heard he got married super young, early twenties, and already has a kid. But no one knows who his wife is."

As the buzz grew louder, the lobby manager burst in, face drenched in sweat, with several hotel staff rushing in behind him.

"Excuse me! Has anyone seen a seven-year-old boy around here? Yay tall?" He held his hand up to his waist, eyes scanning the crowd, clearly frantic.

Someone in the crowd gasped. "Wait, is it the Lowe family's little heir? Isn't he seven this year?"

That lit a fire under everyone. Guests fanned out in every direction, suddenly desperate to help, after all, finding the boy might mean a personal thank-you from the Lowe family.

Fiona and Gideon eagerly joined the search, leaving me behind. I ignored the chaos and walked straight to the dessert table. And just as I thought, there was my son, sitting under the table with his cheeks smeared in frosting like he'd fought the cake and lost.

I crossed my arms, trying to stay calm. "Out. Now."

He looked up, eyes wide. Then, classic him, he grabbed the table leg. "No."

I stepped forward, ready to pull him out, when Fiona suddenly appeared like some self-appointed hall monitor, throwing an arm in front of me. "Adeline! What do you think you're doing?!"

Her voice dripped with fake outrage. "Trying to use a kid to cozy up to the Lowe family? That's sick, even for you!"

Right on cue, Gideon arrived, his eyes full of that judgmental disappointment he'd perfected years ago. "Adeline… I didn't think you'd stoop this low. Just for money and connections?"

Behind them, the waiter yanked the manager over and pointed at me like he'd just uncovered a grand conspiracy. "That woman forced her way into the banquet and stole another guest's clothes!"

The manager's face turned to stone. He barked to the security guards, "Throw her out, no, call the cops! If she scares the young master, none of you are keeping your jobs!"

Fiona, practically glowing with triumph, bent down and plastered on her sweetest smile. "Don't worry, sweetheart," she cooed. "Auntie will protect you."

But my son didn't even look at her.

Instead, to everyone's shock, he slowly reached out and slipped his frosting-covered hand into mine.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," he said softly. "I won't run off again."