Chapter Five

SERENA

I was sitting at a table by the window and staring out at the traffic when Adrian returned with a burger, some fries, and a soda before I could even open my mouth to protest. I hadn't planned to eat, but the smell of food hit me like a truck, and suddenly, I started inhaling the fries like I hadn't eaten in years.

Adrian watched me the whole time with his suit jacket off and his sleeves rolled up, and an amused look on his face. I didn't miss the couple of times he glanced down at my cleavage, but I honestly didn't care. I was just so hungry, and the only thing I cared about was shoving as much food into my mouth as possible.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked after a few minutes, leaning back in his seat. "I mean I get that you're hungry, but the food is just disappearing every time I blink."

I wiped my mouth with a napkin and avoided eye contact. I didn't even realize I'd gone into a trance until he pointed it out. Now I felt like a fucking glutton, and he probably thought I had a planet sized hole in my stomach.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied awkwardly. "I just didn't realize how hungry I was until you put the food in front of me."

He raised an eyebrow slowly like he was trying to stare into my soul, and I felt like I was being examined under a microscope. Adrian had such an intense way of looking at you that you couldn't help but feel vulnerable, and I wondered what was going through his head. What gears were turning in that head of his, behind those beautiful eyes that could make anyone feel like they were drowning in a deep, warm pool?

I shook my head and turned my attention back to my burger, choosing to lose myself in the buns rather than his eyes.

"I think I should speak to the head of your department," he said, leaning back into his seat. "We don't want our employees starving because they're on the clock."

"No, it's really not her fault," I said, my eyes widening in terror at the thought of being the one who snitched on her boss to the CEO. "It's all my fault really. I was busy being a productive employee and all that, and I totally lost track of time."

He smiled a little, then he said, "You've only been here for what, a week?"

"Ten days," I corrected, pointing at him with a fry. "And for your information, I've already messed up enough times to last me a career. So maybe let's not draw attention to that."

He chuckled a little bit, and I had to look away before I started doing something stupid, like staring at his mouth. It was a nice mouth though, and way too nice for someone who probably had a wife at home making him quinoa salads and green juice.

He tilted his head slightly and said, "You know, I can't help but feel like there's a lot you're not telling me, Serena."

"Why do you think so," I asked, my voice coming out smaller than I wanted it to.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "It's just a hunch, but I feel like there's more to you than meets the eye. There's so much you're not telling me, and I can't help but feel like it's a mystery I need to solve."

"Trust me, there's no mystery here," I said with an awkward snort. "I'm an open book.

"I don't think so," he said, narrowing his eyes. "I think there are certain parts of you that you keep locked away, and I intend to find them out."

"Good luck with that," I laughed. "I'm basically a wallflower, to be honest. Not like you, Mr Obvious."

"Mr Obvious?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "Is that what you guys call me?"

"No, that's just me," I said. "It's just my impression of you since I first met you."

"And what led you to this conclusion?" he asked.

"Well you're tall, rich, famous, and you run a company," I said. "You tick all the obvious boxes for most women."

"Obvious boxes," he repeated, like he was trying not to grin. "That's flattering. I'll add that to my résumé."

I rolled my eyes, shoving another fry in my mouth as I said, "You're impossible."

"Maybe. But at least I didn't almost collapse in the middle of an elevator because I forgot to have lunch."

I glared at him with my cheeks puffed out with food, and he just laughed again. For a second, it almost felt normal. Like we were two regular people eating fast food after a long day at work, not a billionaire CEO and a panicking woman with a very inconvenient secret growing inside her.

When I finished my burger, he leaned forward a little bit with his elbows on the table. "So," he said, his tone turning slightly serious, "what's really going on, Serena? You've looked jumpy since I ran into you yesterday. And now you're forgetting to eat lunch. Are you sure everything's okay?"

I froze, halfway through sipping my drink. "Everything's fine," I said too quickly.

"You don't look fine."

"That's just my face," I shot back. "Resting panic face. It's genetic."

He chuckled again, shaking his head as he said, "Right. Well, if you ever need to talk about work or anything, you can come to me. I don't bite."

That was a lie if I ever heard one, because something about his voice made my stomach twist in ways that definitely felt dangerous. But I forced a laugh and nodded. "Thanks, but I'll be fine."

"Good," he said softly, studying me with that unreadable expression. "Because I still have a feeling you're not telling me everything. And I intend to figure out what it is."

For one terrifying second, I thought he knew the truth. I thought he'd somehow pieced it all together, and he knew about the nightclub, the mistake, and the pregnancy. What if it was all coming back to him?

My heart thudded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. If he suddenly recognized me, I would be done for. I would have to come clean to him, and this was not how I imagined it. If Adrian was indeed the father, I certainly didn't want to tell him I was carrying his child while sitting at a table in a fast food restaurant. It had to be somewhere special, where he would hopefully be more ready to listen to me.

But then his phone suddenly buzzed, and he looked down at the screen with a groan.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Yeah, personal problems," he muttered. "I should get going. Are you going to be okay on your own?"

"I think so," I nodded weakly, as a tiny part of me wished he wouldn't ditch me. "I'll be fine."

"Great," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a wad of hundred dollar bills. "Get an Uber home, and get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

I wanted to protest that I didn't need his money, but he was already heading for the exit. I watched him walk away with a scowl on his face, and I just sat there in stunned silence, staring at the door long after he was gone. My chest felt tight, my fries were getting cold, and the little voice in my head wouldn't stop whispering the same awful question over and over again.

What if it wasn't Aiden?

What if the man I'd slept with, the father of my unborn child, was Adrian Knight all along?

Whoever it was, I certainly wasn't about to find the answers in my burger. So I finished eating quickly and headed out. I counted the bills he'd dropped, and realized it was over five thousand dollars. I felt weird knowing it came from him, but then again, he was a freaking billionaire. He definitely wasn't going to miss five thousand dollars.

As I walked out, I took out five bills and slipped them into the hands of a homeless man, who stared at me in shock before I walked away hurriedly with a smile on my face.

I could certainly get used to this.

***

When I finally got back to the apartment that evening, I was completely drained. My head was spinning from everything that had happened, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry, scream, or sleep for the next forty-eight hours straight. The elevator ride, the McDonalds and the pregnancy news all felt like I was living someone else's life, and I just happened to be trapped inside their body.

Lola was in the kitchen when I walked in, standing in her usual spot by the counter with a glass of wine in one hand and a spoon in the other. She looked up the moment she saw me, and her eyes immediately narrowed.

"You look like someone just told you the world's ending," she said, setting the glass down. "What happened?"

I didn't even bother answering at first. I just dropped my purse on the nearest chair, pulled out another one, and sank into it with a long sigh. My hands were trembling, and I didn't trust my voice enough to start talking.

"Serena," she said softly as she moved closer, sitting down across from me. "You're scaring me right now. What's going on?"

I looked up at her and whispered, "I heard from the doctor this afternoon with the results."

She was quiet for a few seconds, like she was bracing herself. "And what did they say?"

"I'm pregnant," I said, my voice cracking halfway through the word.

Lola froze as soon as the words left my lips. Her eyes went wide, her mouth fell open, and for a solid five seconds, she just stared at me like she was waiting for me to take it back. Then, suddenly, she got up and came around to my side of the table, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Serena, I… wow. Okay. It's going to be fine. I promise."

I didn't even realize how badly I needed that hug until I felt her warmth against me. I pressed my face into her shoulder and let out a shaky breath, my body finally relaxing for the first time all day.

When she pulled back, her eyes were soft but serious as she said, "Okay, so... what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. "I really don't. I mean, I can't even figure out who the father is, Lola. I don't know if it's Adrian or Aiden. I don't even know which one I slept with. And if I tell them, how am I supposed to explain that? 'Hey, I'm pregnant, but I'm not sure which one of you did it'? Yeah, that'll go over well. Everyone will label me as the office slut."

Lola winced at the word, then she said, "Okay, yeah, that's... complicated. But we'll figure it out, okay? You're not alone in this."

Her confidence would've been inspiring if I wasn't currently stuck in what felt like a real-life soap opera. I managed to smile anyway, because that was Lola for you. She was always positive and calm, and always ready to fix things even when everything was burning to the ground.

She reached over and squeezed my hand, then she said, "You're going to be fine, Serena. Maybe this isn't the end of the world. Who knows, maybe it's the beginning of something better. You might even end up with the right twin in the end."

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. "Don't even start with that. I'm not trying to end up with anyone right now. I just want to get through this week without passing out in another elevator."

Lola laughed softly and said, "Fair enough. But for what it's worth, I think you're stronger than you realize. Whatever happens, you're going to handle it."

"Yeah," I said quietly. "I just wish I knew how."

We sat there for a while in silence, with the only sound being the faint humming of the refrigerator and the clinking of her wine glass when she took another sip. It wasn't the dramatic breakdown I'd imagined I'd have when I found out I was pregnant, but maybe that was a good thing. Maybe quiet acceptance was the first step.

At least now, I wasn't alone. I had Lola, who would always be there for me.

And in a weird, roundabout way, I also had Adrian in my corner.