MERRY CRISIS

NAILA'S POV

TWO WEEKS LATER

“Are you okay?” Nadya kept rubbing circles on my back, trying to steady me.

Okay?

My stomach churned and I felt the urge to throw up for the third time since I rolled out of bed.

It had to be a feverㅡ that's what I said when I felt like shit this morning. Then, Nadya had come over with a pregnancy test for extra measures as she called it.

Now, the two pink lines stared back at me and I gripped the strip tighter, feeling bile rise up in my throat.

It was positive.

It felt like air had been knocked out of my lungs and I shut my eyes, muttering a few prayers to myself to keep sane.

No. No. This couldn't be.

My fingers trembled as the strip fell to the floor. “Nadya,” I croaked. “There has to be a mistake. Let me do another one.”

Her red hair was packed up in a messy bun as she had literally just got out of bed to drive her at six in the morning. “Naila. That's the third strip. It's not a mistake.” Her voice was soft. Concerned.

But it did nothing to quench the feeling that brewed low in my stomach.

Oh god no. Why me? One stupid mistake. How did it end up like this?

My fingers curled around my stomach and I gave her a look. One that reflected fear. Because I didn't know what the future heldㅡ and I wasn't sure I wanted to. “What do I do?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

It was almost like the words were too heavy to get out. Too painful.

She said nothing for a second, just pulled me into a hug and stroked my hair. “Doesn't matter what you choose to do. Whatever you choose to finally do, I'm here with you. You can keep it or…” she trailed off, the implication clear. “What matters is that you're okay.”

My mind flickered back to Remy.

Should I look for him? Tell him that I was pregnant with his child? No. That would be causing unnecessary troubles. We weren't dating. I had pushed him away after having sex with him. I was setting myself up for more disappointment.

My gaze flickered down to my stomach and my heart lurched. This was the last thing I wanted to ever worry about. But now, in this situation? No decision seemed to come into mind easily.

“Take your time,” Nadya muttered when she noticed the look on my face. “If you're thinking about money, you have me. You just got a job. You can take it slowly, Naila. You don't have to make any decision now.”

She was right.

I took a deep calming breath because I fucking needed it and I bit down hard on my lip. “I don't wanna…rush into a decision. Because I'm thinking about a fucking crazy thing. I can't afford this right now but let's see. I mean…I have a fucking job interview in Sydney by 8am and I'm here at 5am already freaking out because of this.”

My words were a jumbled mess. Fuck it. I was a jumbled mess myself.

Mum would be so disappointed in me. I was disappointed in myself.

Her slender fingers clamped down on my shoulder. “Hey, it's okay. I'll drive you if you don't feel up to it, okay?” She whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips. “C'mon, go to bed. I'll clean this up.”

I nodded, wiping at the corner of my eyes before trudging back to my bed and collapsing on it.

As my heart pounded in my chest, the truth came rearing its ugly head no matter how much I tried to shut it out.

I was pregnant.

For Remy Sterling.

******************

The air felt tight and I gripped the edge of my chair, staring at the documents on the table.

The interior was…nothing short of immaculate.

So immaculate that the moment I walked in, I was convinced that they would never hire someone like me.

The walls stretched tall, sunlight bleeding in through the windows while the floor gleamed polished oakㅡ everything about this was intimidating.

I adjusted uncomfortably in the seat, my heart in my throat.

Why would they ask me to wait in the CEO’s office? Was this part of it? Were there no other applicants? Surely, there had to be better options aside from me.

I wasn't even sure why they called me back. Someone would walk in and tell me it was a mistake.

Fuck, that would be embarrassing. More to add to the list of things that happened in my miserable life.

As I waited for whatever, my gaze travelled over the documents on the table absentmindedly. Thenㅡ

I paused and looked at the name tag again. Huh?

R.S. INDUSTRIES — Executive Division

Chief Operations Officer: R. Sterling

Sterling.

My breath hitched.

No. No, no, no— Surely it wasn’t— Get yourself together, Naila. Your luck wasn't that bad. From a cabin in Colorado to a company in Australia? Yeah, my luck couldn't be that bad and specific.

Remy wasn’t the only Sterling in the world, right?

Right?

I leaned closer to check the initial again, squinting like maybe the letter would magically shift into something else.

R. Sterling.

My pulse spiked. But before the panic could bloom into something worse, the door behind me creaked open and I immediately sat up, freezing.

“Congratulations, Miss Cole. You're hired.”

I froze at the voice, the message not quite clear. Thenㅡ “I'm hired?!” I squeaked, turning around and then, my heart stopped.

Because Remy stood there. Shirt buttoned, tie loose at the collar, hair slightly damp like he’d just stepped out of a shower — and that same blank, controlled expression he always wore when he was trying not to let something show.

Holy… no way. This had to be some cruel joke.

“Remy?” I stuttered.

He tilted his head, shoving his hands in his pockets.

It was almost like he wasn't surprised. Like he…planned this?

I felt sick to my stomach.

“Good morning, Naila.”

My lips parted in heavy shock, fear brewing with unease in my stomach.

Fuck no.

“What are you doing here?” I squeaked, rising to my feet immediately.

He shrugged, tucking his hands in his pockets, a bland look on his face. “Is that any way to talk to your new boss?”

My heart lurched. “Excuse me?” I hissed.

He walked inside fully, dropping a stack of papers on the table.

My gaze raked over it. Flight details.

“Welcome aboard, Naila… I think you know the nature of your job as my secretary. You're qualified, you got the job, we have a flight by the end of the week with other employees to finalize a deal. Get yourself ready and ohㅡ congratulations and merry christmas, Naila.”

And he was walking out.

My fingers curled over my stomach. A trip? With him? Where I had to hide my pregnancy? And I knew I couldn't turn the job down. Not with the paycheck.

Christmas just got a whole lot fucking worse.