Rhys's hand tightened around Kaelen's, not in anger, but in sheer, cold disbelief. "Alone? He wants you to give him access to the boys, unsupervised, on his terms?"
"Supervised by me," Kaelen corrected, pushing the tension from her voice. "But yes. Alone from you. It's his price for keeping the DNA test and the custody battle private."
They stood just outside the conference room, the faint outline of Elias Thorne still visible through the frosted glass—a wolf watching its prey. Rhys dragged Kaelen away from the door, pulling her toward his private, soundproof office.
"He is testing you," Rhys stated, slamming the door shut. "This isn't about the children's needs; it's about control. He wants to isolate you, Kaelen. He wants to show the twins that he is the dominant male, not me."
Rhys ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair, the action revealing the depth of his agitation. For four years, he had been the twins' constant, unwavering protector. The thought of stepping aside, even temporarily, for the man who had abandoned them was clearly agony.
"He doesn't care about our terms; he cares about winning," Rhys continued, his voice low and intense. "He's using the threat of a public scandal—which would devastate your career and traumatize the boys—to force you into a corner. You cannot agree to this, Kaelen."
Kaelen knew he was right. Every fiber of her being screamed against giving Elias a foothold. But Elias held the most powerful card: legal recourse.
"I have to, Rhys," she whispered, her resolve firming with the terrifying necessity of the situation. "We can't risk a DNA test. Not because he's afraid of the paternity, but because the exposure will hurt them. We have to sacrifice the smaller battle to win the war for their peace."
She looked directly into Rhys's protective, stormy eyes. "He gets an hour, twice a week, supervised by me. That's all. I will be present. I will coach the twins. And I will make it abundantly clear that he is an outsider who is lucky to be there."
Rhys stared at her, the silence stretching long and thin. He finally conceded, the decision visibly costing him. "Fine. We play his game. But we set the rules within the confines of his demand. The location must be neutral and safe. And Kaelen," he stepped closer, his imposing presence a physical anchor, "you must maintain the fiction. He is not their father in their eyes. He is a work acquaintance. A friend. A benefactor. Do you understand?"
Kaelen nodded, her heart heavy with the weight of the lie she was about to enforce on her children. "I understand."
Rhys opened the door, signaling the agreement to Elias's assistant. A minute later, Elias walked out of the conference room, his face reflecting a smug satisfaction Kaelen desperately wanted to wipe away.
He stopped in front of her, ignoring Rhys completely. "Good choice, Kaelen. I'll send my schedule. Now, what are their names again?"
Kaelen met his gaze, refusing to give him the power he sought. "You will address them as Silas and Seth. Nothing more. And if you attempt to discuss the past, the meeting is over, and my legal team will be waiting."
Elias offered a curt, cold nod, his triumph barely concealed. "Duly noted." He walked toward the elevator, pausing only to lock eyes with Rhys, a silent, contemptuous warning passing between them.
The moment he was gone, Kaelen turned to Rhys. "We start coaching the boys tonight. We need a story for who Elias Thorne is."
Rhys put a hand on her shoulder, his warmth a necessary contrast to Elias's chill. "We tell them the truth, Kaelen. The truth for them."
Preparing the Twins (Later that Evening)
Kaelen knelt on the rug in the twins' brightly colored bedroom, Rhys standing quietly in the doorway. Silas and Seth, in matching dinosaur pajamas, were listening with wide, serious eyes.
"Boys," Kaelen began gently, "Tomorrow, you are going to meet a man. He's a friend of mine from when I was young, before we moved away."
"Is he the grumpy man from the airport?" Seth asked instantly, remembering the confrontation.
Kaelen hesitated. "He can be a little grumpy, yes. His name is Mr. Elias Thorne. He's a very important man in the city. He wants to be a friend to you both, but he's new to being a friend to boys, so we have to be very gentle with him."
"He's very important," Rhys added smoothly from the doorway, stepping into his designated role. "Like a business partner of Mommy's. We need to be kind and polite to him, but remember: if he asks anything that makes you feel confused, you look at your Mommy right away. Do you understand?"
Silas, the more observant twin, looked thoughtfully at Kaelen. "He looks like you when you're mad, Mommy."
Kaelen's heart squeezed painfully. Even the children could sense the connection, the intensity.
"He just has an intense job, darling," Kaelen lied, forcing a steady smile. "Just remember: Rhys is your daddy. Mr. Thorne is just a friend who wants to visit. Can you do that for me?"
Both boys nodded, accepting the simple, fragile truth she had handed them. Kaelen knew the lie would be impossible to maintain, but she had to try. For their peace, she would stand between her children and the fire of Elias Thorne's relentless demand for a second chance.