Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

The executives exchanged startled glances, their eyes finally glued to the big screen in front of them in collective astonishment.

Rumors about Mr. Lynch having kids, specifically twins, had been swirling around North America, making headlines ever since Dustin had posted about it on his social media. But what really caught everyone off guard was Dustin actually showing up with the kids? The execs wished they could hit pause and soak it all in. Yet, Dustin had a real knack for getting the kids to sleep. In no time, a fussy Jaime was snoozing peacefully.

Returning to the TV, Dustin's face slipped back into its usual cool, composed look. "Let's continue, pick up where we left off," he said, and the meeting rolled on.

This scene was becoming a bit of a regular feature. During meetings, Dustin often ducked out to tend to his kids, and sometimes, you could even catch him giving the nanny some pointers. Naturally, everyone was curious about the mother. Why was Dustin always the one taking care of the kids?

A rumor soon started trending across North America, suggesting the mother had been sidelined, with Dustin and her not seeing eye to eye-hinting at an unexpected pregnancy.

Given the late hour in Beaconsfield, folks assumed Dustin wouldn't catch wind of the gossip, but he quickly set the record straight on social media:

"She's fine, just taking some time off. I'm waiting for her to come back."

People reading this felt like they were flipping through a novel. How could the famously flirtatious Dustin be waiting patiently for a woman, especially one who wasn't around for their child?

In high society, full-time moms were the norm, and not managing a child attracted all sorts of in-law disapproval. But here was Dustin, seemingly handling it all himself.

After that single post, Dustin put down his phone. For as long as Emma had been away, his nights had been sleepless, a restless need to hold onto something to finally drift off.

He thought back to when Emma was recovering, how he'd camp out on the couch beside her, holding her hand to stop her from scratching at her stitches. These gestures were reserved for Emma alone, and no one else.

But if Emma realized she might lose Peyton over this, she'd probably shrug it off.

Dustin let out a sigh, feeling a dull ache in his chest.

Breaking up with others had never felt like this before. It was usually just a sense of freedom. But Emma leaving felt like going through a divorce.

Unable to resist, he sent her a message at three in the morning.

"Are you eating well?"

Emma didn't reply-she was deeply engrossed in her own world, having bought back her family land at a steep price and getting the locals to help build houses.

The wooden homes were cozy, and she'd even procured the land in front of her courtyard, thinking about planting a couple more trees there.

The villagers were stunned by her lavish spending, quickly realizing Emma must've struck it rich in Beaconsfield.

"Peyton wasn't exaggerating, Emma's actually made a mint over there," they chattered.

"She spent enough buying back her land to snag a house in town. Really sparing no expense."

"She's got a place in

Beaconsfield-why would she care about town? Probably just wants some fresh air here, maybe a vacation. Rich folks do love their mountain villas."

With so many hands on deck, her house was coming together quickly, complete with a courtyard and a newly cleared well with sweet water. In under a week, the kitchen was up and running. en FindNovel

Emma stocked up on rice, spices, and essentials from town, planning to source fresh veggies from the villagers. Seeing

s. Seeing her newfound

wealth everyone was eager to match her up with their sons, hoping she'd take a liking to one.

The once-overlooked 'tomboy' had turned into the village's hottest catch.

"I'm already married. My husband's in Beaconsfield," she told them.

Her marriage news sent them away, but the rumor mill spun fast, and soon everyone knew Emma had tied the knot with a wealthy man in Beaconsfield.

Emma let them gossip; the wilder the rumors, the less she'd be pestered.

Three days passed before Emma saw Dustin's message. Being back, she'd fallen out of the habit of checking her phone. The message now seemed unnecessary to respond to. Still, she couldn't bring herself to block Dustin.

She just couldn't let him go.

So, here she was, dealing with the consequences she'd brought upon herself.