The Billionaire Playboy’s Secret Family
Chapter 82

One Year Later

"Regina! Over here! Over here!"

She turned smiling to the cameramen. Waving to them she eventually made it into the venue but she knew it was probably going to be happening all night long. Ever since Selena's successful stage run she had become a recognizable figure and being trailed by someone with a camera was nothing new. She had a feeling it was only going to get worse with tonights announcement.

"You certainly are popular," Marcus teased as he walked beside her, a protective arm around her waist.

"Don't you start," Regina shook her head.

Though she had always wanted to be on the stage she really hadn't thought much about being famous. She supposed she was like Savannah in that respect wanting to pursue her interests but embarrassed when she was recognized for them. With Marcus at her side it wasn't so bad but it was rather intimidating when she was on her own or with the kids.

Marcus chuckled kissing her temple as they entered the ballroom only to be greeted by a ripple of applause. Regina blushed acknowledging the other guests as they made their way inside. It didn't take her long to spot people she knew.

Silas and Ava, Lucas and Sarah, were by far the most prominent of them but she also saw her sister, parents and others as well. Her father looked uncomfortable but he was at least trying.

At the moment he sat at a table with Miles and Ulima.

Gabriella sat in his lap seemingly quite happy to finally have her grandfather's attention. Savannah, Carlos and Tony were crowded between Miles and Ulima and had been far more reluctant to accept him. This wasn't the first time she noticed them keeping their distance. "What's wrong?" Ava asked following her gaze to the table of grandparents and children.

"Nothing," Regina accepted a drink from Marcus who grabbed a pair of glasses from a passing server. She couldn't help but notice he had given her a glass of cider.

"Nothing?" Marcus repeated before answering for her, "the kids still don't accept their grandfather."

"Oh, well that's not unusual," Ava said with a sad smile. " Ours were the same way with their grandfathers, Silas's father and especially mine didn't make very good impressions on them either."

"Really?" Regina looked at her, rather surprised. In the various events she had attended the Prescott triplets seemed to have a good relationship with both their grandfathers.

"Well, that was over ten years ago," Silas nodded. "The triplets were very protective of their mother and both our fathers made the mistake of attacking her so it shouldn't be a surprise."

"H-how did they get over that?" Regina asked. The situation wasn't quite the same since her father had refused to be a part of their lives for so long.

"I just takes time," Ava sadly shook her head. "There is no rushing it and he's going to have to prove himself over and over again before they really start to trust him."

Regina nodded. She figured as much but even she was awkward when it came to interacting with her father. As much as she wanted their relationship the way it had been she was beginning to realize that wasn't possible. It was certainly better but the absolute trust was gone. She sighed, still....

"You're thinking again," Marcus kissed her temple.

Regina gave him a waning smile.

"Maybe something stronger than cider would take the edge off your nerves," Lucas suggested before getting an elbow from Sarah.

"No. No alcohol," Marcus immediately answered. "She can't."

"Can't?" Lucas repeated before Sarah suddenly lit up at the same time Ava's did.

"Really?" she asked. "Are you two expecting?"

Regina felt her face warm. They hadn't meant to say anything yet as it wasn't even a month since they found out. Finally she said, "It's his fault."

"Well, I'm sure you were there at the time," Lucas said earning another elbow.

"Stop it," Sarah warned him.

Marcus chuckled even as he felt his face warm. In truth it was mostly his fault. Given that Regina couldn't take birth control pills because they gave her suicidal thoughts the burden of contraception was on his shoulders. After Selena completed its run to raving reviews they had celebrated a little too heavily and gotten carried away. Even so, he wasn't upset by the news in the slightest. He was looking forward to it though he knew Regina was nervous how it would affect her next project.

"What's the matter?" Ava asked sensing Regina's disquiet."

This is good news, isn't it?"

"It is," Regina agreed. "I mean, I'm happy, it's just... Well, don't say anything because its going to

be announced later but I was approached to do a pilot for a television show."

"Really! That's so exciting!" Sarah practically squealed.

"It is," Regina agreed, "it's just..

"You don't know how the pregnancy is going to affect it?"

"I already talked to them and they are totally willing to film around it and maybe even write it into the show, so that's not the issue. It's just, my other pregnancies weren't the best

experiences."

"I'm here now," Marcus said. "You have nothing to worry about."

Regina smiled leaning against him. Yes, she didn't have to do this alone.

***

Cybil smiled greeting guests she knew casting a glance at Marcus and Regina with a satisfied smile. She wasn't sure why the pair had been so tense the last few days but they seemed to be quite comfortable now, practically joined at the hip, so it couldn't be bad news. Hopefully the proposal for the television pilot was still on track since Regina had been so excited about it when she first received the offer.

"Cybil!"

She turned to see someone she would have been happy never to see again: Robert Hudd. Crossing her arms she waited for him to reach her with a look of disdain on her face.

"Where are they?"

"They? Who are you talking about?" Cybil asked feigning ignorance. Ever since she had given her message to Vincent for his father she expected Robert would come looking for her and she wasn't wrong. It was almost a daily occurrence

"You know who," he scowled

"Why do you care now? You didn't care twenty years ago.

You called her a gold-digger and a cheap substitute," Cybil reminded him.

Robert opened his mouth to say something, looked around and thought better than to raise his voice. He breathed deep, "I-I didn't know she was pregnant."

"Didn't know? You threw the pregnancy test back in her face like it was some elaborate ploy to keep you," Cybil scoffed. "What did you want her to do? Beg, because she did that too. And you still turned your back on her for that two-bit slut."

"Don't talk about her like that."

"And why not? She's the one who left you for another man and when he didn't pan out she came crawling back begging for you to take pity on her," Cybil scoffed. "And like the dumb fool you are, you did, thinking she would be loyal to you: I noticed Vincent was born pretty quickly. I bet he's not even yours."

Robert's scowl deepened. It was true he had his own doubts about Vincent's parentage though

he had never looked into it and fully accepted him as his son. She supposed she couldn't fault him for that but it was still a knife she could twist and she wasn't about to let go of any

weapon in her arsenal.

"Where are they?" Robert said again. "You can't keep them from me."

"I'm not keeping anything from you," Cybil shrugged. "You weren't some secret Mary was willing

to take to her grave.

Your daughter knows all about you. She knows about how you treated her mother. She knows

about her siblings too.

She is the one who chooses to have nothing to do with you because she doesn't want to know

you."

Robert sucked in a breath. No, that couldn't be true. If he could just see her, talk to her.

"In fact she's here tonight," Cybil said.

Robert's gaze widened and he looked around the room.

"That wouldn't do you any good. She already saw you come in and trust me, she's not looking

for you to notice her," Cybil said with a smirk watching him.

He glared at her.

"Have a good night, Robert," Cybil smiled before making her way toward Marcus and Regina.

"You may be a fair businessman, but you know s**t about women."

Mary had been quite clear she didn't want to see him though she left it to Rebecca to decide whether she wanted a relationship with her father. However, she too decided she didn't want the connection. Cybil would never betray either. New York was a big town and secrets were

buried along every street.

it was nothing new.

Fin.