Chapter 43

Max's silence lasted only a beat after my declaration. Just long enough for me to wonder if he truly hadn’t expected it and then he erupted.

"Lila, you have no idea how happy this makes me," he said, his voice overflowing with excitement. It felt too rehearsed, too immediate, like he'd fantasized about this moment over and over again and finally got his script ready. "You have no idea. I’ve been waiting for you to see what I’ve always seen. Us. Together. A future. You and me and the baby."

I didn’t respond immediately. I let his words fill the silence. I could almost hear the wide grin spreading across his face.

"I swear to you, Lila, this is the best decision you’ve ever made. I’m going to take care of you, I'm going to love and cherish you and I won’t let you regret this. Not for a second."

He meant it, too. But not in the way I needed him to.

His version of taking care meant control. It meant keeping me in a comfortable place so he could do whatever it was he was planning in the shadows. He didn’t want love. He wanted leverage.

Still, I let out a soft breath, one I hoped sounded emotional. "I just hope I’m not making a mistake."

"No," he rushed to say. "You’re not. I promise. We’ll build something beautiful together. Thank you for giving me this chance."

I bit down on my lip to stop myself from scoffing. The audacity.

"Goodnight, Max," I murmured.

"Goodnight, Lila," he replied smoothly.

And just like that, the call ended.

I stared at my phone for a moment, then tossed it onto the bed.

A minute later, it buzzed.

Max: Goodnight baby. I love you. PS: Expect more of this. I will shower you with lots of love.

I shook my head, letting out a hollow laugh.

He didn’t waste time. He had been waiting for this.

His excitement was practically dripping through the text. It was like a mask had been peeled off. The man who pretended to be calm, understanding, patient? That man was gone.

He thought he had won.

But I was just getting started.

The next morning came with a cloudy sky and a heavier heart.

I got ready for work in silence, Max’s message still burned into my mind and I didn’t reply. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction yet. Not when the game was still unfolding.

At the office, things moved as usual. The calm before the storm. I worked through my tasks with mechanical precision, forcing myself to focus even as my thoughts dipped into shadows.

I tried not to wear my emotions on my sleeve and forced myself to keep a smile on my face as I worked. But beneath it, I was measuring my steps, laying out mental traps.

As the day wound down, I found myself in Drew’s office, finalizing some logistics for an influencer marketing campaign we wanted to run. The atmosphere was professional, focused, but there was always that under current between us. That tension we refused to name.

I handed him the printed schedule. "That should cover the rollout plan. I’ve already spoken with the influencers about the changes."

"Good," Drew said, scanning through it. His voice was neutral, but his eyes flickered to me now and then.

Just as I reached for the remaining files, my phone rang.

Max.

I stared at the screen, hesitating.

Drew looked up. "You should take that."

I blinked at him.

"It might be important," he added.

Right. Important. Sure.

I nodded slowly and answered the call. "Hello?"

Max's voice was chipper, smooth as ever. "Hey, gorgeous. Are you still at work?"

I glanced at Drew, who was politely pretending not to listen but was clearly tuned in.

"Yeah, just wrapping up."

"Perfect. I was thinking, maybe we could grab an early dinner? Nothing fancy, just you and me. I miss your face."

The smile in his voice was so wide I could hear it. It was ridiculous. I glanced away from Drew again and said, "That sounds nice. I’m done here anyway."

"Great. I’ll come pick you up. Give me ten minutes."

"Okay. See you soon."

I ended the call and slipped the phone into my bag. I didn’t look at Drew.

"So," he said quietly, tapping a pen against the desk. "I’m guessing that was Max."

I nodded, still avoiding his eyes. "Yeah."

"Dinner date?"

"Yes."

There was a pause, and then he said it.

"You know... for a moment I thought the whole relationship thing with Max was just a charade. But seeing this, I guess I was wrong."

That made me stop.

My head lifted, eyes locking with his.

I swallowed. "My personal life isn't your business, Drew. Remember? We agreed to keep things professional."

He held my gaze. “We did. And I’ve tried.”

There was a pause.

“But that doesn’t mean I don’t have opinions.”

My heartbeat skipped.

“What’s your opinion, then?” I asked, even though I didn’t want to hear it.

“I think,” he said quietly, “you deserve better than Max.”

I stiffened.

His words hung in the air, heavier than they should have been. There was something behind them. Something more.

I didn't answer.

And he didn’t explain.

I swallowed hard. My voice was quieter than I intended when I replied. “Honestly? I don’t even know what I deserve anymore. But I’m an adult. I’ll take responsibility for whatever decisions I make.”

He didn’t speak.

I sighed. “Thank you for your concern, but let’s just stick to being professionals.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

Because the look on Drew’s face.

It shifted.

Shock first. Then anger. And finally... that cold distance I hadn’t seen in weeks. The version of him I thought I’d left behind. The one who had walls for skin.

The tension was unbearable. I didn’t even realize I was gripping my bag until my phone buzzed again.

Max.

I took that as my cue.

“Max is outside,” I said, and turned to go.

“Of course he is,” Drew muttered under his breath.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t.

I gathered my things and left the office, the silence behind me louder than anything Drew could ever say.

As I stepped into the hallway, I felt my heart thudding.

This game I was playing… it had just creaked open a little wider.

But now, it wasn’t just about Max anymore.

It was Drew too.

And the worst part?

I didn’t know whose side he was really on.