Chapter 104: Its unheard of
Susan shook her head slowly, her elegant features tightening with protective worry. She had always envisioned grandchildren who carried the Reed bloodline, continuing the family story she and Adam had worked so hard to create. The idea of her son stepping into fatherhood under uncertain circumstances stirred deep maternal opposition. "Caleb, claiming a child is not the same as biology. You are a successful man with a bright future now that Moonshine is public. Taking on another man’s responsibility so early in a relationship could bring years of complications. Legal questions, emotional challenges for the child when they grow older and start asking about their origins, whispers from our circle. Have you really considered all of that? Or are you letting affection cloud your judgment?"
Adam nodded in agreement, his hand still resting on Susan’s arm. His voice remained firm but carried the measured tone of a man who had built his own legacy through careful decisions. "Your mother is right. We want your happiness more than anything. But happiness built on secrets and another man’s child often carries hidden costs. You revealed yourself as Moonshine’s owner last night in spectacular fashion. The media is already dissecting your engagement to Fiona. If this child is not yours and the truth emerges later, it could damage your reputation, the company, and the family name. Why rush into this? Why not build your own family naturally, with certainty?""I have considered every angle," he said. "Fiona is not a fleeting affection. She is the woman I see my future with. We have discussed the child openly, the challenges, the responsibilities. I am choosing to be the father this child needs because love and commitment define family for me. Biology is important, but it is not the only thing that matters. I am certain about this path. I ask for your understanding as we navigate the early stages privately.""We are not trying to control your life, son. But as parents, we see the bigger picture. You have worked incredibly hard to build Moonshine in secret and now step into the light. An engagement is already a major step. Adding a child that may not be yours so quickly adds layers of complexity that could affect your leadership, your reputation, and your future children. If the biological father ever reappears, what then? If the child grows up feeling the difference, how will you handle that? These are real questions that deserve real answers."Susan eventually sighed, her expression a blend of love and lingering worry. "I hear you, Caleb. I see how much you care for her. But as your mother, I cannot pretend this sits easily with me. Raising another man’s child is a heavy burden. Promise me you will think about the long road ahead, not just the feelings of today."
Adam nodded, his voice firm but supportive. "We will support you as best we can. But we expect honesty going forward. Bring Fiona around more. Let us get to know her properly. A grandchild is something we want to celebrate, but we need to understand the full picture."
On their way home Caleb’s mom couldnt believe her son would be so very secretive to the point of wanting to raise another mans son .It was unheard off .
"I still cannot wrap my mind around it, Adam. Our son, the boy we raised with such strong values, wanting to raise another man’s child. Secretly. Without telling us anything until we practically forced the truth out of him. It is unheard of in our family. We have always been open about important matters. Legacy, responsibility, bloodline — these things matter. And now he is choosing to step into fatherhood like this, as if it is some noble sacrifice rather than a decision that could affect all of us."
Adam nodded slowly, his hand reaching over to cover hers in a gesture of shared understanding. The estate lights appeared in the distance, warm and familiar, but tonight they brought little comfort. "I agree. Caleb has always been independent, but this level of secrecy is new. He built Moonshine behind our backs for years, and now this engagement and the pregnancy. If the child is not his, as we both suspect, then he is taking on a burden that could bring complications we cannot even imagine yet. The media is already circling the engagement. Once they catch wind of a child, the speculation will be merciless."
Susan turned to look at her husband, her elegant features etched with worry. She had raised Caleb with clear expectations honesty, family unity, building a legacy that could be passed down with pride. The idea of him raising another man’s son felt like a break from everything they had taught him. She remembered the subtle signs she had observed during lunch: the gentle rounding beneath Fiona’s carefully chosen outfit, the protective way the young woman held herself, the soft fullness in her face that spoke of early pregnancy. Those details had confirmed what her instincts had whispered from the moment she saw Fiona.
"I watched her so carefully today," Susan continued, her voice quieter now but no less intense. "The way she moved, the way she touched her stomach without thinking. It is early, but unmistakable to a mother’s eye. If this baby belongs to someone else, perhaps even someone connected to her time at Voss, then Caleb is walking into a situation that could destroy the stability he has worked so hard to create. Why would he do this? Why keep it from us?
Adam sighed, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. The car turned onto the long driveway leading to their estate, the grand house coming into view with its classic architecture and manicured grounds. "He is in love, Susan. Love can cloud judgment. He spoke with such conviction about commitment and choice over biology. But you are right. This is not the way we do things in this family. Raising another man’s child brings questions that never fully go away. What happens when the biological father learns the truth? What happens when the child grows older and wants to know their origins? Caleb is stepping into fatherhood at a time when his own life is under intense public scrutiny. Moonshine’s reveal last night was already a shock. Adding this layer makes everything more fragile."
The car came to a smooth stop in front of the main entrance. The driver opened the door for them, but Susan and Adam remained seated for a moment longer, the conversation too important to cut short. Susan stepped out first, her heels clicking on the stone path as she walked toward the house. Adam followed closely, his hand resting on her lower back in a gesture of support.
Inside the grand living room, with its high ceilings and comfortable furnishings, Susan poured herself a glass of water and sat on the elegant sofa. Adam joined her, loosening his tie as he settled beside her. The house felt quiet after the intensity of the day, but their minds were still racing with the revelations from the lunch.
"I cannot stop thinking about it," Susan said, staring into her glass. "Caleb has always been so careful with his choices. He built an entire empire in secret, yes, but that was business. This is personal. This is about bringing a child into our family who may not carry our blood. It feels wrong. Unnatural. We have traditions, expectations. Grandchildren who continue the Reed line with pride. Now he wants us to accept this without question, without even knowing the full story. Who is the real father? Why is Fiona hiding it? These are questions that deserve answers before we fully welcome her."
Adam nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We raised him to be independent, but perhaps we gave him too much freedom in this area. He should have come to us first. An engagement is one thing. A pregnancy and the decision to raise the child as his own is entirely different. I worry about the long term. The media will dig. Competitors like Voss will use it against him. And if the biological father ever surfaces, it could tear the family apart. We need to protect our son, Susan. Even if that means pushing him to reconsider."
As the night deepened, Susan stood by the large window overlooking the estate grounds, her reflection faint in the glass. She could not shake the disbelief. Her son, the boy she had raised with such care, choosing secrecy and another man’s child. It was a path she had never imagined for him. Yet beneath her opposition lay deep love and a determination to protect him from potential heartbreak.
Meanwhile
Moonshine was buzzing with loads and loads of work. Tanya was at work but her mind not there. All her dreams shattered in one night being Mrs Reed is as she ever wanted to be.
The open-plan office on the upper floors of the Lumière Tower hummed with frenetic energy the morning after the launch. Phones rang constantly, team members moved between desks with urgent files and celebratory chatter, and the large screens displayed real-time sales figures that kept climbing higher. Lumina Glow had exceeded every projection overnight. Orders poured in from retailers and online platforms, social media mentions exploded, and the media coverage of Caleb’s dramatic reveal continued to drive massive interest. The entire company felt alive with momentum, the kind of buzz that came from a perfectly timed breakthrough.
Tanya sat at her desk in the HR department, surrounded by stacks of new hire paperwork, benefit forms, and urgent emails about expanding the team to handle the surge. Her computer screen glowed with unread messages, but her eyes kept drifting away from the words. She typed a few lines, then stopped, her fingers hovering uselessly over the keyboard. The usual professional focus that had defined her role for years had deserted her completely. Instead, her mind replayed the devastating moment from the launch over and over again.
Caleb on stage, his voice steady and warm as he announced his engagement to Fiona Flare. The way he had looked at her with open affection in front of the entire room. The collective gasp, the chaos that followed, and the way Fiona had stood there in that beautiful emerald gown, graceful and composed beside him. Tanya had forced herself to keep working through the night, managing the aftermath with the team, but the pain had only grown sharper in the quiet hours.
Being Mrs. Reed. That simple dream had lived quietly in her heart for so long. She had imagined it in countless small moments over the years. Late nights when Caleb thanked her for staying late with that grateful smile that always reached his eyes. The times he brought her favorite coffee without being asked, remembering exactly how she liked it. The quiet pride in his voice when he told the team how much her work mattered to Moonshine’s success. She had built her entire emotional world around the possibility that one day he might see her the way she saw him. Not just as a reliable colleague, but as the woman who understood his vision, supported his dreams, and could stand beside him as an equal partner.
Those dreams felt foolish now. Shattered in one public announcement. Fiona had taken the place Tanya had longed for in silence. The pain was not loud or dramatic. It was a deep, aching emptiness that settled in her chest and refused to leave. She had loved Caleb with a quiet, patient devotion, never pushing, never demanding, content to be the steady presence in his life. She had celebrated his successes as if they were her own, stayed late when he needed her, and kept her feelings hidden behind perfect professionalism. Now that hidden love felt like a burden she carried alone, heavy and pointless.
Tanya blinked rapidly, forcing her attention back to the screen. An email from the finance team requested updated contracts for new hires. She started typing a response, but the words blurred. Instead, she remembered the night they had worked through the first major product crisis together. The lab had been empty except for them. When the breakthrough finally came at three in the morning, Caleb had turned to her with pure joy in his eyes. "We did it, Tanya. You stayed with me through all of this." Their hands had brushed during the celebration, and for one fleeting second she had allowed herself to imagine what it would feel like if he pulled her closer. She had replayed that touch for weeks afterward, wondering if it meant something more.
Another memory surfaced. The time he had brought her favorite vegetarian takeout during a stressful board preparation. "You always stay late when I need you," he had said simply, setting the bag on her desk. That small gesture had warmed her for days. She had analyzed every word, every glance, convincing herself that his thoughtfulness was a sign of something deeper. Now those memories felt like cruel echoes, highlighting everything she had lost in one night.
She tried to focus again, opening another email about team expansion. The words swam on the screen. Being Mrs. Reed had been her private dream for so long. She had pictured quiet evenings reviewing strategy together, supporting him during tough decisions, building a life that blended their shared passion for Moonshine with something personal and lasting. She had imagined wearing his ring, standing beside him at future events, being the one he turned to when the weight of leadership grew heavy. That vision had sustained her through many lonely nights. Now it lay in pieces, replaced by the image of Fiona wearing the ring and standing in the place Tanya had secretly hoped would one day be hers.
A colleague passed by her desk, offering a quick congratulations on the successful launch. Tanya forced a smile and a polite response, but inside the pain sharpened. She had contributed so much to this success. She had been there from the beginning, helping shape the company culture, supporting Caleb’s vision when others doubted it. And yet, in the end, it was Fiona who had captured his heart. The unfairness of it burned quietly in her chest.
