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  Madeline

  A Couple Weeks Later

  I paced Allison’s studio, nibbling my nails; a habit I’d broken years before.

  “Come on, Julia,” I mumbled to myself. It felt like she’d been gone for an eternity already, but when I checked the clock, it had only been about twenty minutes.

  How could I have been so stupid? Unprotected sex, really? With a stranger, nonetheless? Since I hadn’t been getting any with Derek, I’d slipped up on taking my pills. This lapse of judgment didn’t even occur to me until my period didn’t come as it was supposed to. Which is how I ended up pacing my best friend’s apartment while my assistant ran to the store for a pregnancy test.

  Julia really needed a raise after everything these last few weeks. She managed to keep my secrets, stop my ex from winning over my client, and even flirted her way into Pierre Chevalier’s heart somehow. Enough so that I was given a second chance to talk to him; a chance that was coming up within a matter of days and I couldn’t blow it this time.

  The door opened, and Julia slipped in. Her red hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and she was in sweats and a t-shirt. I’d called her while she was at the gym, and yet, she came rushing over to help me out. She handed me the bag, which had three tests inside.

  “Go, now,” she said. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

  Nodding, I rushed off to the bathroom and peed on the little stick. The minutes ticked by so slowly, and Julia popped her head in to check on me.

  “Everything going okay?” she asked.

  “Just waiting,” I said.

  She’d avoided asking the obvious question so far, but I could see it was weighing heavily on her. It was the same question everyone would ask me if the test came back positive.

  “I bet you’re wondering who the father is?” I asked.

  “It’s none of my business, really,” she said. “I’m just hoping it’s not Derek’s.”

  She chuckled, but I couldn’t bring myself to laugh. Not at a time like this.

  “No, Derek and I haven’t been together in months,” I said.

  She nodded, not saying anything. Julia knew how to mind her own business. Being in the personal assistant field meant she had to be. Many people treated their PAs like employees. They ordered them to run their errands, to do their bidding. At one time, I did so too. But Julia was more than just my assistant, she was my friend. I trusted her.

  And since Allison was still out of the country and in a different time zone, I needed someone I could confide in. Someone I could trust.

  “It’s the guy from the photos in the news,” I said softly. “His name is Jax. I don’t even know his last name. Jesus Christ, I don’t even know the father of my child’s last name!”

  I stood up and wrung my hands as I stared down at the pregnancy test. No results were shown, but I knew in my gut, that it would come back positive. I just had a feeling.

  “You don’t know yet--” she started to protest, but I shot her a look that stopped her. “I mean, even if you are, we can take care of this, Madeline. There are options.”

  “Options?” I scoffed. “I’m Madeline Byers, daughter of Greg Byers. I can’t even go to the store without the entire world knowing about it. I have no options except to keep this baby.”

  Not to mention, I’d always wanted to be a mother. God, not like this though, I begged. But it was too late. I knew it was too late. The pregnancy test was only affirming what I already knew.

  “It’s positive,” I said softly. “I’m pregnant.”

  The results hit me hard, like a punch in the gut. My eyes welled up with tears to the point I couldn’t even make out the lines on the test, and Julia helped me to sit down on the closed toilet seat.

  “Breathe, Madeline,” she said, her voice helping calm me. “You’re the strongest woman I know. If anyone can handle this, it’s you.”

  As if on cue, my phone buzzed. I reached for it, and my father’s face stared back at me. Derek and I had pretended like everything was normal while at work, and I just hadn’t talked to my father about things. In his mind, I’d been throwing a tantrum and would eventually come to my senses and forgive Derek for his indiscretions. It wasn’t going to happen, of course, but it was useless to argue with him. I figured he’d come to his senses eventually - that he’d forgive me for breaking up with Derek and get used to the idea. Eventually.

  Except, eventually would be happening sooner rather than later. It was more than my life and reputation on the line now. There was a child about to be brought into this world, and any choices I made would directly impact it as well.

  A lump formed in my throat as I hit cancel. He’d keep calling back, of course. That’s what my father did when he didn’t get his way. He’d keep hammering away until he won. This time, he wasn’t going to win, however.

  Derek and I were over.

  And whether he liked it or not, my father was going to have a grandchild - and there’s no way he could ever find out who the father was.

  Jax would have to remain my little secret, which meant he wouldn’t know about his child. That didn’t sit right with me, but I didn’t have the mental energy to think it over in the moment. I shut my phone off and listened to Julia.

  I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and worked at calming myself down. There’d be plenty of time for stressing later - with doctor’s appointments and everything that came along with bringing a child into the world. There was no way I could hide it from the media, and that meant my parents would find out soon, whether I told them or not.

  “I have to tell my dad,” I said softly, opening my eyes and seeing the horror on Julia’s face. She did her best to wipe the look away, but I knew exactly what she was thinking.

  Rubbing my arm, she smiled sweetly. “This is good news, Madeline. Don’t forget that amidst the chaos.”

  Yeah. Good news. I wasn’t feeling that great. Chaos was right. My life was about to become a shitstorm. Another reason I didn’t need to drag poor Jax into the middle of it. He’d wanted nothing serious, he wasn’t ready for it. My life had suddenly become much too serious for him - I was doing him a favor.

  Or so I tried to convince myself.

  Standing up, I steadied myself on the sink and looked at myself in the mirror. Without any makeup on, I looked tired. Hell, I felt tired. I hadn’t slept much the night before, too worried about my missed period and everything else going on in my life. My hair hadn’t been brushed, and I needed to shower.

  Pull yourself together, Madeline, I told myself. I walked over to the shower and turned on the water, letting it warm up as I stared at it. I’d completely forgotten about Julia for a second until she asked me, “What are you doing?”

  “I’m getting ready for work,” I said.

  “Madeline, do you think it’s a good idea to--”

  “I have to,” I said, clenching my eyes shut to block out the tears. I took another deep breath, calming myself. “I’ve missed too much already.”

  “But you’re the CEO’s daughter.”

  “Yeah, and I don’t like abusing that privilege, Julia. You know that.”

  “But you’ve just--”

  “I know,” I said, glancing back at her. “Trust me, I know all this. But it’s better if I continue acting like normal until I figure things out. I can’t give anyone a reason to suspect something is up. I screwed things up after breaking up with Derek, I made it obvious something was wrong. I can’t do that again.”

  Julia nodded, though her lips were pursed. She wanted to continue arguing with me, but I was my father’s daughter. When I decided something needed to be done, there was no talking me out of it. Julia knew that by now.

  “I need to go in there and act like everything is normal,” I said. “Now unless you want to watch me shower, I would really like some privacy.”

  My voice was sharp, and I knew I was coming off as cold. After all that she’d done for me, I felt terrible for it. Julia turned to leave the bathroom, but I stopped
her.

  “Thank you for everything,” I said. “You really are more than an assistant, you know that?”

  She gave me a crooked smile and squeezed my hand. “I know, Madeline. And you’re more than my boss. I worry about you because you’re my friend.”

  She was a good friend too, one I could count on at the worst of times. I’d have to find some way to repay her. More than just a bonus, no, I needed to do more for her.

  Perhaps setting her up with Pierre would even things out a bit? Nah, there was no way I’d ever repay Julia, and I knew that. Especially now.

  She left me alone in the bathroom, and I got undressed. I slipped into the shower and closed my eyes, savoring the warm water against my skin.

  I was pregnant. It hit me hard, like I’d just heard the news for the first time all over again. Just thinking those words took the breath right out of my lungs. Would I ever get used to the idea? Would I be able to raise this child alone?

  Somehow, I’d have to.

  ooo000ooo

  With my face flushed pink and my eyes watering still, I hurried into the conference room.

  “I’m sorry for being late,” I said, sucking on a mint to help wash away the acidic, vomit taste from my mouth.

  My father scowled at me. Derek, sitting across from him, raised his eyebrows, but said nothing as I slipped into the seat beside my dad. I used to sit at Derek’s side, but not anymore. This way, I had to look at Derek from across the conference room table, but we were as far apart as we could be. It was better than nothing.

  Dad’s assistant, Penny, was sitting beside Derek since I took her spot. She had her laptop out, prepared to take notes. Penny was an older woman, just a few years younger than my father. She’d been by his side for as long as I was old enough to remember, and often, she felt like part of the family. She was the only friendly face in the room, smiling at me.

  “Are you feeling okay, dear?” she asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” I said, lying through my teeth. “What did I miss?”

  If anyone else caught on to the fact that I wasn’t feeling well, they didn’t say anything. But my father never paid attention to details like that. Or if he did, he simply didn’t care to mention it.

  Derek spoke first, “Your father was discussing ways to cut costs on the Newman Project. We’re looking at a new contractor for the electrical systems.”

  “Cut costs?” I asked, looking at my father instead of Derek. “But why? We’re doing well on that project financially, there’s no need for cost-cutting measures.”

  My father and Derek shared a look, making it obvious that I was the odd one out here. They often did that, and it annoyed the hell out of me. It was as if they knew something I didn’t, and Derek often looked amused - as if I was the cute little girl asking silly questions, and he’d have to find a way to dumb things down so I could understand.

  Thankfully, my father was the one who answered.

  “Madeline, as you know, we run a business. Even though we’re doing well financially, there’s always ways to do better, and we should always be looking for ways to increase our bottom line.”

  It was so hard to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

  “I know this, Dad,” I said dryly. “But we’ve already lowered costs as much as possible, without skimping on quality. Byers is not known to be an affordable housing developer, we are in the luxury market. We shouldn’t cut corners if it’s going to affect the quality of our product.”

  “It’s electrical systems, Madeline,” Derek scoffed, leaning back in his chair and staring at me with his cold, dead eyes. “No one is going to notice if we cut corners there.”

  “Oh? And what about safety? I’ve looked at the numbers, and I can’t imagine any contractor worth his salt working for less than we’ve already budgeted.”

  Derek smirked at me. “I found one.”

  “You did?” I asked.

  “Yes, I have. They’re a small company, just starting out, but they show promise.”

  “Have they worked on skyrise buildings before? Because with as many floors and units as we’re talking, I’m not sure a newer company is a good idea.”

  Dad took this opportunity to step in. “Madeline, it’s fine.”

  I looked between my father and Derek, and there was that look again. Damn it, why wouldn’t anyone take me seriously around here?

  “Have you looked into the company? Their past projects? We’ve worked with Burns Electrical for years now and we know what we’re getting. Is now really the time to bring in an untested, newer contractor for something as important as electricity?”

  “Madeline, remember who you’re talking to,” Dad said.

  Before I could say another word, a sick feeling overcame me. My stomach roiled, and the taste of bile filled my mouth.

  “Oh God,” I said, pushing my chair back. Now was not the time for morning sickness. I’d already thrown up all of my breakfast, or so I thought, but there was apparently some other contents preparing to make an exit, and I knew I only had a few seconds to get to the bathroom.

  Without any explanation, I rushed from the conference room and down the hallway toward the bathroom. I prayed to God I’d make it in time, not wanting to make a mess in front of everyone. Someone must have been listening, because I made it into the stall and dropped to my knees before getting sick.

  I heard the bathroom door open but didn’t pay attention to it. Not until a familiar voice called out to me. “Madeline, are you okay in there?”

  It was Penny.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Just food poisoning, I think. Had some bad Mexican food last night,” I lied.

  “Uh huh,” she said, sounding doubtful.

  After the remaining contents of my stomach were in the toilet, I wiped at my mouth with a piece of toilet paper. I stood up, steadying myself before leaving the stall.

  Penny was waiting for me and she had a knowing smile on her face.

  “So how far along are you?” she asked, handing me a paper towel.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, not meeting her gaze. I went to the sink and splashed some water on my face, doing my best to wipe off the remnants of my smeared makeup.

  “I know morning sickness when I see it, hon,” she said.

  My heart dropped. I stood up tall, and watched my reflection give myself away. My face told Penny everything she’d needed to know. Even if I tried to lie, she wouldn’t believe me.

  “Please don’t tell anyone, Penny,” I said softly. “Not yet.”

  “Of course not, dear,” she said, patting me on the back. “That’s your news to tell. But people are going to catch on. You need to nip this in the bud before rumors start flying.”

  “I know,” I said, feeling defeated. I knew she was right. I couldn’t keep making excuses for my marathon sprints to the bathroom. When a woman starts feeling sick a lot, the first thing people tend to think is pregnancy. I could deny it, but eventually, the truth would come out.

  “Your father is free right now,” Penny said with a smile. “I’ll make sure no one bothers the two of you.”

  My stomach dropped. If I had anything left inside of it, I’d have thrown up some more.

  “You mean now?”

  She nodded. “Better to just rip off the band-aid. Especially with your father. If he found out through other means, he’d hold it against you.”

  Penny knew my dad as well as anyone, and she was right. I knew she was right.

  “Dammit,” I said, slouching forward and resting my arms on the sink. “I really don’t want to deal with that right now.”

  “I know he’s difficult, Madeline, but ultimately, your father loves you very much. He’s just not very good at showing it. He wants the best for you.”

  At one time, I thought that too. But after everything with Derek, I had a hard time believing it. It felt like he cared more for Derek than he did me, and it hurt. All my life, I’d fought to make my daddy proud, and it never felt like enough.

  And n
ow, I was about to tell him I was pregnant with a stranger’s kid. A man I’d only met twice, and whose last name I didn’t even know.

  I was about to put Penny’s theory about my dad loving me to the test.

  ooo000ooo

  “Penny said you wanted to speak with me?” Dad said as I entered his office.

  “Yes, Dad,” I said, clearing my throat. I tried to avoid calling my dad ‘dad’ while at work. It felt unprofessional. But this wasn’t about business - it was intensely personal.

  I took a seat across from him and studied his face. In the last few years, he’d aged so much. His face was still the same familiar one I remember from childhood, but there were more lines and wrinkles. He had bags under his eyes now, something I’d never noticed before. He was tired but he would not give up until he was good and ready. And to him, retiring was giving up.

  “If it’s about the electrical contractor, we’re done talking about that,” he said.

  “Dad, it’s not business. It’s personal,” I said, fighting back tears.

  “Is it about Derek? Have you two resolved your issues yet?”

  “Please, let me talk, okay?”

  Dad must have noticed the desperation in my voice, because he nodded and remained quiet. I cleared my throat and swallowed my pride.

  “I’m pregnant,” I said, blurting it out before I had a chance to second-guess myself. I quickly added, “And it’s not Derek’s,” before he could think otherwise.

  Dad stared at me, a blank expression on his face, for a long time.

  “Are you going to say something?” I asked,

  “We need to call Derek in here,” he said, reaching for his phone.

  “No, Dad, didn’t you hear me? It’s not his. He has no reason to be involved.”

  “Madeline, how can you be sure it’s not his?” he asked.

  “It’s pretty easy to tell. We haven’t been--” I hesitated, not wanting to talk about sex with my father, but decided I had no other choice. “We haven’t been intimate in a very long time. Not since he started preferring whores to me. It’s not possible for the baby to be his.”