Page 51 of The Billionaire's Secret Heir

Courtney beamed. “Fallen, hm?”

Madi blushed under Courtney’s teasing smile. “I guess it’s silly to deny it. I’m crazy about him.”

“It’s clear that it goes both ways. Seeing him like this, I understand why his father made this a big deal, though I didn’t agree with it at the time. You know what they say: father knows best.”

Madi was stuck on the first part of what Courtney said. “What do you mean about Beckett’s father? What big deal?”

Courtney waved a hand. “Oh, you know. The whole requirement for Beckett to have an heir to run VDKI. I can’t tell you how relieved Graham was that he wasn’t going to have to take over the company, even temporarily. Not his thing. The timing of all this was really a God thing.”

“Mom, can we watch a movie? Please?” Logan and Selena rushed into the kitchen and Madi was thankful for their timing.

Her stomach turned over. She managed to keep her face impassive. There was a contract? About needing an heir to run VDKI?

The warmth in her body fled as all her fears and worries rushed in, leaving her cold. She was surprised her breath wasn’t visible the way it might be on a winter day. Beckett needed an heir to keep running the company?

Was that why Beckett was in their lives?

She couldn’t imagine him faking how he felt about Becka. Or lying about wanting to date her. Courtney seemed to believe it. And yet … everything had happened so fast. He had swooped in and inserted himself right in the middle of their lives.

As she watched Beckett, worry squeezed around her heart like a cold hand. She swallowed the sob that rose in her throat.

While Courtney set out ice cream, letting it melt a little before serving, Madi sent a quick text to Bret. He was the last person she wanted to talk to about this, but as her legal counsel, he might also be the only one who might know. She hadn’t spoken to him since they finalized the child support paperwork and hadn’t told him that she was now dating Beckett.

Madi: Did you know anything about a contract requiring Beckett to have an heir?

His response was almost instantaneous, but didn’t make her feel any better.

Bret: No, but that wouldn’t shock me. He didn’t fight hard enough or even order independent paternity tests, which would have been something I’d have pushed for as his counsel. If he had a vested interest, that would make much more sense.

Bret:What’s going on?

Madi was trying to decide how to answer when suddenly Beckett’s arms wound around her shoulders. She clicked off the phone, feeling like she had been caught. Beckett nuzzled his face into her hair.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

Madi bit her lip. He might not be lying, but she couldn’t help reading into his words in light of what she knew. Was he glad she was here because of his feelings for her or because she and Becka made it possible for him to keep control of his precious company?

He didn’t notice that she didn’t respond and Madi was grateful when Selena dragged him out to the back room. When Becka settled into his lap, instead of the warmth she had felt earlier while watching him, Madi felt a sense of loss so palpable that she had to excuse herself to the bathroom.

Another text from Bret came through while she was leaning over the sink, trying to calm her breathing.

Bret: Everything okay? Do you need help?

With shaking hands, she replied.

Madi:I’m not sure. Call you later.

She didn’t want to get Bret involved with anything in her life after feeling like he was using her. Maybe she had snapped to judgment too quickly. He had done an awful lot of work and spent a lot of time helping her without pay and never so much as asked for any, not even as they talked with Beckett. He had assumed and then made her feel like Bret was trying to get more money.

Or maybe Beckett thought he could take advantage of her if she didn’t have a lawyer looking out for her best interest.

As her tears dropped into the sink, conflicting thoughts tore at her. Beckett seemed to sincerely care for her and for Becka. But Courtney’s words came back to her: they had never seen him act like this. It was a huge change.

Was Beckett different because of his feelings for her or because keeping the company depended on putting on some kind of show for his father?

She didn’t want to believe that it was all an act, but she couldn’t shake the dark thoughts that threatened to crush her heart. If Beckett truly cared for her, he should have told her the truth about his father and the company. But he didn’t. And that single omission now made Madi wonder if everything else was a lie.

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