MasukThe morning sun didn't shine. It stabbed. That is how it felt anyway, when I stepped out of the cab and onto the pavement in front of Steele Empire with a knot in my stomach and an ache in my lower back. I hadn't slept much the night before, not with Dominic's voice replaying in my head like a song stuck on loop.You've been walking around this office like you don't remember how it felt when I had you moaning my name.It has been a week since that day, and I do not know why I cannot get it out of my head.I gritted my teeth as I entered the building. The memory still burned, not just in my cheeks, but somewhere far more dangerous.I was not here for flirtation. I was not here to get played by a man who had a ring on someone else's finger.Especially not someone like her.Sabrina Rodriguez.She had shown up yesterday afternoon like a bad omen. I had just stepped out of the copy room, arms full of files, when I almost ran into her in the hallway near the executive floor."Oh," she said,
On Wednesday morning, I was knee deep in a budget revision, aggressively typing like the keyboard owed me child support, when my phone buzzed.From: Mr. Steele"Please bring the monthly analytics to my office. Now."Ugh.So much for pretending he didn't exist.I took a deep breath, straightened my blouse, checked that my face didn't scream emotional wreck, grabbed the file, and made my way to the lair of the emotionally unavailable CEO with bedroom eyes and a God complex.He was on the phone when I walked in, pacing behind his desk like a panther in designer shoes, but his eyes flicked up the second I entered.I didn't flinch. Not this time."Set the meeting for next week. I'll get back to you with a confirmed time," he said coolly, then hung up without a goodbye.Charming."Mr. Steele," I said, voice cool as an iced latte. I placed the report on his desk like it was a bomb I was disarming. "Here's the updated analytics. I corrected the discrepancies in the Q2 forecast and highlighted
I headed straight to the women's restroom just in time.Not for a pee break. Not to puke. But to breathe.The second the door clicked shut behind me, I pressed my back against the cold tile wall, fists clenched, jaw locked, throat burning like I'd swallowed glass. My chest rose and fell in short, shallow gasps as the weight of the last ten minutes crashed down on me like a damn wrecking ball.No. Nope. Absolutely not.I was not going to cry over that man.I wasn't.Not after the way he looked at me in his office like I was some casual craving he could summon with a snap of his fingers. Not after the way he whispered my name like it meant something, touched my wrist like it was sacred, then turned cold as ice and told me to leave.That man. That frustratingly beautiful, emotionally unavailable, silver tongued Greek statue of a boss. I hated how he made me feel. I hated that his voice still echoed in my ears like some R rated prayer. I hated that I still wanted him even after he made me
“Emily Hart?”I jolted slightly, heart jumping into my throat.I stood up like I was being called to the principal’s office. My legs felt shaky, and the butterflies in my stomach had evolved into full blown bats.“Good luck,” Sarah said, and Steve offered a soft nod of encouragement.“Thanks,” I whispered, not sure if I meant for the appointment or for just… holding space for me. For making me feel seen.I followed the nurse down a long hallway, the sound of my wedges echoing off the pale yellow walls. Each step felt heavier than the last. I could feel my heart pounding, my palms sweating, the swirl of nerves and hope churning in my gut.“You okay, sweetie?” the nurse asked gently.“Yeah,” I lied, giving her a tight smile. “Just… first time jitters.”She nodded knowingly. “It’s totally normal. We’ll get you checked in, take your vitals, and then the doctor will talk you through everything.”I exhaled slowly as she led me into a private exam room. Soft lights. A poster about folic acid
Monday morning was its usual circus, minus the elephants, but full of clowns. I waltzed into the office like I hadn’t spent the weekend stuffing my face with pepperoni pizza, dodging toxic exes like landmines, and quietly panicking about prenatal checkups while hugging my toilet bowl between episodes of Selling Sunset.My heels clicked across the marble floor with sass and caffeine-fueled vengeance. The kind of click that said, I’ve been through hell, and I’m still cute. My inbox was a warzone, my boobs hurt, and my bladder had turned into a clingy ex, but I kept my head high like I was gunning for a raise.Dominic, my boss-slash-unaware-baby-daddy, barely looked up from his MacBook. Good. Because if he did, he might see the silent fury boiling in my eyeballs. Or worse, the hormones in my bloodstream planning a full-blown emotional ambush.He sat there in his overpriced suit, sipping artisanal coffee like a Pinterest dad to be, oblivious to the fact that he had a tiny version of himse
Saturday mornings were made for quiet. At least, that’s how I’d always pictured them, and this one delivered exactly that. Blissfully quiet. No alarms, no emails, no “urgent” Slack messages from Dominic’s assistant. Just me.I sat by the big living-room window, knees curled to my chest, clutching a warm mug of peppermint tea in my hands. The mug was oversized, with that little crack near the handle, the one that leaked just enough to give it character. My favorite kind of imperfection. Outside, the world was calm. A few birds flitted through the sky as if they had no idea life underneath was a hot mess.Sunlight filtered through pale-gray clouds, briefing the day in soft, forgiving light. My eyes followed the gentle dance of shadows, and I took a deep breath. No deadlines. No threats of workplace drama. Just me, and… what comes next?I trailed my fingers over my still-flat stomach. Not a bump yet, but suddenly everything felt different. I could feel the weight of my decision resting t







