Page 5 of The Forbidden Billionaire Attorney

Once he’s all fastened in, I shut the door and make my way into the driver’s seat.

“Does it hurt to get your tooth pulled out?” His little voice trembles.

“Just a little bit, I won’t lie to you. But afterward—video games and ice cream. How’s that for a brave-boy reward?”

“Can you playGenshin Impactwith me?” Caleb’s eyes hold hope, and who am I to deny him?

“Until Grandma swoops in,” I confirm. “Then I’ve got a client dinner at Bistro Laurent.”

“Okay,” he sighs, resigned but understanding. It’s our thing—this balancing act of business and bedtime stories.

“Hey, Dad?” Caleb pipes up again, still a touch anxious about his appointment.

“Yeah, Caleb?”

“Can we get strawberry shortcake ice cream?”

“Strawberry shortcake it is, bud.” I shoot him a wink in the rearview mirror before driving off.

***

The drive back from the dentist is a quiet victory lap, Caleb’s bravery certificate in the form of strawberry shortcake ice cream in tow. We pull into the driveway of my Beverly Hills home, where my mother’s gray sedan is already parked.

“Did you see how she yanked it out?” Caleb asks. He’s animated now, the fear replaced with the kind of glee only an eight-year-old can muster over a lost tooth.

“Like a pro,” I say, ruffling his hair as we approach the front door, the familiar digits punched into the keypad without a second thought.

As we step inside, Macie Cole, my eternal lifeline and mother extraordinaire, greets us with that knowing smile. “Let me see, champ.” She bends down to Caleb’s level, her eyes full of grandmotherly warmth.

He opens his mouth wide, pointing to the gap left behind. “It’s gone!”

“Looks like you’ll be getting all your big boy teeth in no time,” she says, her voice as comforting as warm milk. But Caleb’s grin falters, his brow creasing with new worries.

“What if the other kids laugh at me? They all have their adult teeth already.”

“Hey,” I kneel down to meet his gaze, my hand on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault you had one stubborn baby tooth. It’s just temporary, bud.” The reassurance feels thin, even to my ears, but it’s thebest I’ve got.

He nods, the sadness lingering in his eyes making me want to punch that baby tooth if it were still around. “You know what will make you feel better? Setting upGenshin Impactfor a co-op session with yours truly.”

His face lights up like I just told him Christmas came early. “Really? Even though Grandma is already here?”

“I’ve got time to spare. Go on, get it started.” I give him a gentle nudge toward my office where the gaming PC awaits.

“Okay!” he shouts, already halfway there, worry forgotten in the face of epic digital battles.

I stand up, watching him disappear around the corner, and there’s this moment—a fleeting second—when everything else fades away. The million-dollar deals, the office politics, Isabella’s infuriating perfectionism—it all pales in comparison to Caleb’s excitement over a video game.

I watch Caleb’s back as he dashes upstairs, little legs pumping with the kind of energy I wish could be bottled and sold. Turning to Mom, I can’t help but let out a sigh that feels like it’s been building since Colette left.

“Am I awful at this?” I ask, my voice trailing off. “Colette could always just ... make him smile.”

Mom snorts, her disbelief ringing clear in the quiet of the foyer. “Oh, please. That woman—” She waves a dismissive hand. “If she was ‘Mother of the Year’, she wouldn’t have jetted off to Paris faster than you can say ‘au revoir’ as soon as the ink dried on your divorce papers.”

“Mom …” I start, but once she’s on a Colette rant, there’s no way of stopping her.

“She calls, what, once or twice a month? That’s not motherhood; that’s barely an acquaintance. Doesn’t she miss her own son?”

The bitter taste of reality is one I’m familiar with, but it still stings. “She never wanted to be a mom. She did it for me.” My voice hardens. “Well, mostly for my money.”

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