Chapter 6

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the penthouse. Amelia sat at the kitchen island, her fingers wrapped around a warm mug of tea. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind—the vulnerability in Lucas’s eyes, the gentle touch of his hand on her back as he walked her to her room, the unspoken words that lingered between them.

She glanced down at her growing belly, a subtle reminder of the life they had created together. The baby was a bond that tied them, yet the emotional distance between them remained vast.

Lucas entered the kitchen, his presence commanding as always. He poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, his gaze meeting hers.

“Morning,” he said, his voice low.

“Morning,” Amelia replied, her tone cautious.

They stood in silence, the tension palpable.

“I have a meeting downtown,” Lucas said, breaking the silence. “I’ll be back late.”

Amelia nodded, her heart sinking. The walls between them were rebuilding, brick by brick.

As Lucas left, Amelia couldn’t shake the feeling of isolation. She decided to take a walk, hoping the fresh air would clear her mind.

⸻

The city buzzed with life, but Amelia felt detached, lost in her thoughts. She wandered aimlessly, eventually finding herself at a small park. She sat on a bench, watching children play, their laughter echoing around her.

A woman approached, her eyes kind. “Mind if I sit?”

Amelia shook her head, offering a small smile.

“I’m Karen,” the woman said. “You look like you have a lot on your mind.”

Amelia hesitated, then nodded. “I’m Amelia.”

They sat in silence for a moment before Amelia spoke. “I’m pregnant. The father… it’s complicated.”

Karen nodded, her expression understanding. “Complicated relationships are never easy.”

Amelia sighed. “We have a contract marriage. It was supposed to be business, but now… I don’t know.”

Karen placed a comforting hand on Amelia’s. “Sometimes, the heart doesn’t follow contracts. It follows feelings.”

Amelia looked at her, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t know if he feels the same.”

“Give it time,” Karen said gently. “People often need time to understand their own hearts.”

⸻

That evening, Amelia returned to the penthouse, her mind still swirling with thoughts. Lucas was already home, sitting in the living room with a glass of whiskey.

“You’re back,” he said, his eyes meeting hers.

“I went for a walk,” she replied, sitting across from him.

They sat in silence, the air thick with unspoken words.

“I met someone today,” Amelia said. “A woman named Karen. She reminded me that feelings can’t be dictated by contracts.”

Lucas looked at her, his expression unreadable.

“I don’t know what we are, Lucas,” she continued. “But I can’t keep pretending that this is just a business arrangement.”

He set his glass down, leaning forward. “Neither can I.”

Amelia’s heart raced. “Then what are we?”

Lucas stood, walking over to her. He knelt before her, placing a hand on her belly. “We’re a family. And I want to be here, with you, for our child.”

Tears streamed down Amelia’s face as she reached out, pulling him into an embrace. For the first time, the walls between them began to crumble, revealing the possibility of something real.

The warmth of Lucas’s embrace still lingered on Amelia’s skin hours later.

She couldn’t sleep.

She lay in bed, the covers pulled up to her chest, one hand resting protectively over her belly, the other tracing the outline of the man she’d begun to fall for—slowly, dangerously, inevitably.

His words echoed through her mind.

“We’re a family.”

The sound of it shouldn’t have made her heart race the way it did. This was still a contract. It wasn’t real. Or… was it becoming something real?

She turned toward the window. The Manhattan skyline glittered in the distance, but her thoughts were louder than the city ever could be.

And across the hall, she imagined him awake too—Lucas Stone, the man who had made her feel like nothing, who had slowly begun to unravel at the edges every time he looked at her now. Who had knelt, unprompted, to touch the swell of her stomach like it was sacred.

They hadn’t kissed.

Not again.

Not yet.

But the air between them was thick with everything they couldn’t say.

⸻

The next morning, Amelia woke to the smell of espresso and the low hum of music—soft jazz drifting from the kitchen.

She padded into the living area barefoot, still in her nightgown, to find Lucas standing at the counter in a crisp charcoal suit, sleeves rolled, pouring her tea into a delicate porcelain cup.

He looked up when she entered. His eyes briefly dipped to the curve of her stomach before settling on her face. Something unspoken passed between them.

“I made breakfast,” he said, and it wasn’t a command. It was… almost shy.

Amelia blinked. “You cook?”

He arched a brow. “I heat. There’s a difference.”

She laughed softly, her heart catching at the edges. A plate was already set—scrambled eggs, toast, a perfectly sliced mango. He handed her the cup of tea like it was an offering.

“You didn’t have to,” she said, curling her fingers around the warm ceramic.

Lucas shrugged, reaching for his coffee. “I wanted to.”

Those three words held more weight than a thousand apologies.

They sat at the kitchen island again, this time in silence that didn’t sting. Amelia ate slowly, watching him over the rim of her cup.

“I have a meeting at Stone Tech this afternoon,” he said eventually, “but I’d like you to come.”

She froze mid-bite. “Me?”

He nodded, casual, like this wasn’t a huge shift. “There’s a product launch, and I want you there. As my wife.”

Amelia’s throat went dry. “Lucas, we haven’t really—”

“I know.” He looked up at her, something vulnerable in his expression. “But you’re not just my assistant anymore.”

Her chest tightened.

“I don’t want to hide you. Not after last night. Not after everything.”

She swallowed hard. “What about the board? The press?”

“They’ll deal with it. You’re carrying my child, Amelia. They’ll have to accept that.”

And just like that, the paper-thin wall between them peeled back a little more.

⸻

Stone Tech’s downtown headquarters was a marvel of glass and steel. The moment they stepped inside, Amelia felt eyes on her. Whispers followed them down the hallway.

She’d dressed in a navy-blue maternity dress Lucas had surprised her with—sleek, elegant, hugging her figure like a glove. His hand rested gently at her lower back, his presence grounding her.

The launch event was buzzing. Media, tech partners, investors. And Lucas, ever the CEO, was the gravity in the room.

But every time she glanced at him, he was already watching her.

Like she was the most important thing there.

After his speech, while champagne flowed and reporters swarmed, Lucas leaned in and murmured against her ear, “Wait for me on the terrace.”

She stepped outside into the late afternoon air, cool and crisp. The city stretched below her—alive, chaotic, breathtaking.

Minutes later, Lucas joined her. The door clicked softly shut behind him.

“You did great in there,” she said, her voice a little breathless.

He stepped closer. “You looked beautiful.”

A pause. The weight of the moment wrapped around them like silk.

“I meant what I said this morning,” he added, his voice low. “I don’t want to hide you anymore.”

“I don’t want to be hidden,” she whispered.

And that’s when it happened.

He kissed her.

Not in the heat of a mistake. Not in a haze of confusion.

But with intention.

It started soft—his lips brushing hers like a question. When she didn’t pull away, he deepened it. His hands found her waist. Her fingers curled into the lapels of his suit.

Amelia felt herself unravel, piece by piece, into the warmth of him.

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless.

Lucas rested his forehead against hers. “I’m scared of what this is,” he admitted, voice hoarse. “Of what it could become.”

“So am I,” she whispered.

“But I don’t want to run from it anymore.”

Neither did she.

⸻

That night, they didn’t speak much.

They didn’t need to.

Lucas held her under the soft glow of the bedroom lamp, one hand resting over her bump like he belonged there.

“Did you always want kids?” she asked quietly.

He was silent for a moment.

“No,” he said. “Not until now.”

She closed her eyes, the weight of those words settling deep into her chest.

This wasn’t love. Not yet.

But it was something.

A spark in the dark. A beginning.

And for now, that was enough.