Chapter 175

Steven burst out of the restaurant, barely slowing down as he reached the doors. Andy and Marcos were waiting by the entrance, tense and alert.

"Mr. Heath," Andy called out.

"Did you see where Bria and Cody went?" Steven demanded, scanning the area. Andy nodded quickly. "She took Cody toward the pedestrian bridge."

Steven's eyes widened. "And you didn't follow them?"

Andy shifted, looking uneasy. "She told us not to, sir."

Steven bit back a curse and took off running, heart pounding. The restaurant sat in the middle of a maze of commercial buildings, all connected by a long, glass- covered pedestrian bridge. He sprinted up the stairs and burst onto the bridge, searching desperately.

In the distance, he spotted them. Bria sat calmly in her wheelchair, but Cody-oh God-Cody was perched right on the bridge's railing. The little boy's legs wrapped tight around the metal, his hands clutching the bars so hard his knuckles were white. Below, traffic streamed by, cars rushing beneath his dangling feet. One wrong move and-

"No! I want to get down, I'm scared!" Cody's cries echoed across the bridge, tears streaming down his face.

Bria just watched him, her face unreadable, completely unmoved.

"Daddy, help me! I'm scared!" Cody wailed, eyes darting everywhere, searching for help.

Bria's voice was calm, almost cold. "Do you know why you're being punished?"

"I don't know! I want to get down!" Cody sobbed, voice shaking.

Bria didn't flinch. "I've told you so many times, Cody. You only have one mommy. Today you called another woman 'Mommy' right in front of me. That hurt me, so you need to be punished."

She'd spent the past few weeks doing everything she could to win his love, to get closer to her son. But today, seeing him run up to Lucie and shout Momm like it was the most natural thing in the world-it felt like someone had stabbed her right in the heart. He was her son, but she hadn't given birth to him, and there was always this gap between them she couldn't quite close.

Cody cried even harder, his little chest heaving. "I want to get down, please!"

"Do you realize your mistake?" Bria asked, her tone strict.

Cody's face went pale with fear. "Yes! I'm sorry, Mommy, I'm sorry!"

Bria's eyes were icy. "If you forget again, your punishment will be a lot worse next time."

Steven finally found his voice, horror in every word. "Bria, what are you doing?!" He rushed forward, practically throwing himself across the bridge. Cody was frozen in place, clinging to the bars, too terrified to move.

"Daddy, Daddy, I'm scared! Please help me!" Cody screamed.

Steven's heart nearly stopped. He snatched Cody off the railing, holding him tight against his chest Hands shaking, he rounded on Bria, anger and fear pouring out at once "How could you do that That was so dangerous, Bria! If he'd slipped-if he'd fallen-he could have died!"

Bria just looked at him, her face cold. "I was teaching him a lesson."

Steven barely holdi it together. "There are other ways to teach a child, Bria! You can't just put him in danger like that!"

"I tried being gentle. It didn't work. This way, he'll remember." She turned to Cody, her eyes sharp. "Cody, what do you call me?"

Cody flinched, still trembling in Steven's arms. "Mommy," he whispered through his tears.

"How many mommies do you have?"

"One. You're my only mommy. I won't call anyone else that ever again."

Bria shot Steven a look, a little smirk curling at her lips. "See? It worked."

Steven's blood ran cold. It was like staring at the Bria from ten years ago. She's fearless, ruthless, always doing whatever it took to get results. Back then, he'd been the same way angry, ambitious, obsessed with winning and crushing anyone in his

way. But now, he was over thirty. He'd clawed his way to the top, become the king of New Amberton's entire gaming industry. He wanted something different now He wanted to leave that dark, cutthroat past behind. He wanted to be respected, to be known as a real businessman, not that ruthless monster people used to fear.

He forced himself to take a breath, trying to keep his voice steady. "Bria, things

are different now. We can't do things like this anymore."

Bria was quiet for a long moment. "I haven't changed, Steven. You're the one who changed."

He frowned, frustration bubbling up. "Of course we've changed. We have to. Heath International is a major company now. Our reputation matters more than anything. We can't afford another scandal."

She gave a small, sad smile. “So that's it, huh? You're embarrassed by me now? You think I'm not good enough for you anymore?"

Steven felt a tight ache in his chest.

tyou to

"That's not it at all. If I didn't want you, I wouldn't be marrying you just see that the old ways-they don't work anymore. We have to move on."