Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 290

"Nothing to do with him?" Julian took another sip of his tea, casually tossing out a grenade as if they were just chatting about the weather. "I heard the Yates family is currently hunting for a grandson. This is going to be quite an entertaining spectacle."

Willa's heart violently skipped a beat before plummeting to the pit of her stomach.

The man's face still held that faint, unreadable smile.

She couldn't tell if it was just a fishing expedition, so she forced herself to keep an iron grip on her composure. She absolutely could not show a single crack.

"Mr. York, that's Yates family business, which has nothing to do with me. There's no need to discuss it."

Julian put his cup down and chuckled. "I just brought it up in passing, something fun to gossip about. But tell me... if they actually find him, won't it tragically tear a mother and son apart?"

Willa's hands clenched into fists against her will, cold sweat pooling in her palms.

She comforted herself with the thought that as long as she refused a paternity test, a prestigious family like the Yates wouldn't just kick her door down and snatch a child in broad daylight. They had a reputation to uphold.

Furthermore, she had the Sommers family backing her.

Suddenly, Willa flashed back to Naomi's bizarre behavior that day at the house, and the breath hitched in her throat.

Was that why Naomi had come over? Was that her real objective?

She didn't dare follow that train of thought. The deeper she dug, the more terrified she became.

Julian leaned back in his chair. "You're a smart woman, Ms. Vance. I didn't want to spell it out for you, but since you're being so stubborn, I'll put my cards on the table."

"Your son belongs to Randal, doesn't he?"

"No, he doesn't," Willa shot back without a second's hesitation. "My child belongs to Corbin Sommers. If you don't believe me, Mr. York, you are more than welcome to dig around."

She understood the threat loud and clear. Julian wasn't going to give her a long leash.

Leaving the bistro, Willa didn't return to the office.

She had taken the whole day off just to go home and be with Nugget.

On the subway, she leaned against the doors, staring blankly at the pitch-black tunnels flashing by, her mind a tangled knot of panic.

She had no idea how far along the Yates family's investigation was, but she had to protect Nugget at all costs. It was the one boundary she would die defending.

Tossing the options around in her head for the entire ride, she finally made a decision: she was going to tell Sophie Sommers absolutely everything.

Right now, the only people she could genuinely trust and rely on were the Sommers family.