Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

Moving only took three hours. Emma was still getting used to living in such a big house. Peyton, on the other hand, was so excited she couldn't sleep. Instead, she took a ride to buy some offerings and spent the night quietly burning them at the doorstep for her late

husband. Years ago, he had come to Beaconsfield with dreams of giving them a better life, but fate had other plans.

Peyton never thought she'd end up in a villa in Beaconsfield. As she lit the offerings, tears slipped down her cheeks. The villa was a stand-alone, not as grand as a manor, but with over a thousand square feet on each of its two floors and a beautifully kept garden that was the pride of the place. Dustin returned to the neighborhood late at night, surprised to see his neighbor performing such a late-night ritual. Smelling of alcohol, he loosened his tie and approached to give a friendly warning.

Before he got too close, he overheard Peyton talking softly to the night. "Darling, watch over Emma and make sure she delivers the baby safely. Her boss refused to step up, and I've decided not to chase him down. Emma's right; we can't compete with people like that. We just need to live our lives as best as we can."

"If you can hear me, help us out. If you need anything, let me know, and I'll burn more for you. We aren't struggling for money anymore. You probably don't know, but Emma and I are living in a villa in Beaconsfield now."

Just as she finished, Peyton noticed a pair of fancy leather shoes in her view. She looked up to see a familiar face. It was him! Emma's boss!

"Ma'am, open flames aren't allowed around here. They could cause a fire," he said.

Peyton wanted to snap back and call him a jerk, but his refined demeanor held her tongue. Some people have that effect, making you second-guess yourself.

She frowned as he asked, "Are you Emma's mom?"

Peyton almost turned to leave. She knew it was rude, but it was hard to be civil to the man who got her daughter pregnant. Especially when he played innocent, as if he had the right to bring Emma home. "Did you say Emma is having her boss's child?"

Emma's boss? That meant someone from the higher-ups at Stellar Stage Entertainment? Peyton felt a jolt of panic. She quickly tried to cover it up. "I was just joking."

Dustin raised an eyebrow. Burning offerings for her deceased husband didn't seem like a joke to him. It looked like the child really was connected to someone at Stellar

Stage Entertainment. But why had

Emma moved here?

He chuckled softly. "No need to worry, ma'am. I was just curious. You should head inside; it's late, and you don't want to catch a cold."

Peyton hurried back inside, her heart

pounding as she closed the door.

She had kept this ritual a secret from Emma, who was dealing with severe morning sickness. Peyton worried that seeing her like this might upset her daughter.

The loss of their family's pillar was a pain they shared deeply.

Dustin, now back home, hung up his coat and called Donny. It was two in the morning, and Donny sounded groggy when he answered. "Mr. Lynch."

"Donny, I need you to send me all the details on the Stellar Stage Entertainment execs, especially their marital and parental statuses. Make it a priority."

Donny quickly got out of bed, thinking something serious had happened, and agreed. "Right away, Mr. Lynch."

Sitting in his study, Dustin pondered. Emma, coming from a humble background, was often overlooked in her small town, where they called her a tomboy-not at all like the wild, natural beauty admired in the West.

Tapping his fingers on the desk, he

wondered if Emma had gotten pregnant after moving to

Beaconsfield. But with the due date soon, the timing didn't fit for a premature birth. His brow furrowed. Could one of the Stellar Stage Entertainment execs have a past with Emma?