Pregnant by my Ex-Boyfriend’s Father

I woke up the next morning sore as hell, my body aching in places I couldn’t explain.The first thing that hit me was the silence, the kind that hums inside your head when you know something’s off.Then the next realization hit harder: I wasn’t home. I was in a hotel room.For a full minute, I just sat there, frozen, the white sheets tangled around me. My heart raced as flashes from last night tried to resurface: Ethan, his betrayal, Chrissy’s laughter, the taste of that burning drink.Then it came, like a film reel I didn’t want to see: being chased, the open door, the stranger with the towel, his voice warning me to leave. My stomach twisted. God, what did I do?There was a strange gap in my memory, like someone had cut out whole scenes from my night. I couldn’t tell who exactly the person I slept with, only that I woke up like this.Still dazed, I looked to the bedside table and saw a folded note.It read:“Don’t get drunk alone like you did last night. Not everyone is as gentle as

The day I’d been waiting for.My first day as a writing intern.I could hardly believe it was happening- me, finally walking into a proper office. I’d never had a white-collar job before; my writing had always been behind a screen, in pajamas, fueled by caffeine. But today felt… different. It felt like a clean slate.I wore a crisp striped shirt tucked into a trendy pencil skirt, paired with nude pumps that gave me just the right height of confidence. My hair was pinned neatly, and a soft red gloss added a subtle glow to my lips.I paused in front of my mirror, taking a long look at the woman staring back. There was something new in her eyes, determination. Fire. I smiled.“I’m proud of you,” I whispered to my reflection before grabbing my bag and heading out.The ride to Voss Publishing was smooth. The city looked softer somehow, like it was cheering me on. When I finally stepped out of the taxi in front of the towering glass building, I had to take a deep breath.Okay, Aria. This is

I rush into the office like I’m being chased by the devil himself.Well, technically, I am, the devil in a tailored shirt with the first three buttons undone.My heart still thunders from that brief elevator ride with him. Alexander Bells. My boss. My ex-boyfriend’s father. The man who shouldn’t make my knees weak, but somehow does just by existing.I drop into my chair, trying to shake off the flush on my cheeks. Before I can even breathe, Lila appears, leaning on my desk with a mischievous grin and a chocolate bar in hand.“Why do you look like you just saw your crush?” she teases, breaking the chocolate in half. “You’re all pink and glowing. Spill, girl.”I force out a nervous laugh. “Who even gets a crush that fast? I only just started this job.”She snorts. “Mhm. Sure. Keep lying to yourself.”“I’m serious,” I say quickly, then lower my voice, pretending to wince. “It’s just my period. My face gets flushed like that sometimes.”Her expression softens. “Oh, girl, same! Mine gets a

On my way to his office, I caught my reflection in the hallway mirror and stopped short.Oh, hold up, did you think I went there with smudged mascara and puffy eyes?Hell no.I might have cried, but I refuse to look broken. Not for him. Not for anyone.I retouched my makeup, fixed my lipstick, and straightened my blouse until I looked every inch the confident woman I wanted him to see. My hands were shaking a little, sure, but that was between me and my heart. Alexander Bells would never see me flinch.When I got to his floor, his receptionist gave me that overly polite smile. “He’s in. You can go right ahead, Miss Dane.”I thanked her and turned toward the glass door, the one that looked out into the reception area.From out here, we couldn’t see in. But from inside, he could see everything.So I just knew he’d been watching the way I smoothed down my skirt and fixed my hair like some nervous intern.Perfect. Exactly the impression I didn’t want to give.I knocked once, then twice.“

It was Monday again.The first official day of my new role, Personal Assistant to the CEO.Just saying it out loud still felt surreal.I stood in front of my wardrobe, holding up outfits like I was auditioning for a movie I didn’t understand the script for. Should I look powerful or soft? Approachable or distant?Some part of me wanted to impress him, not because of him, but because I wanted to own the room I’d once been embarrassed in. Well, that was a lie, I want to show him that I’m a gorgeous babe too. The other part of me was screaming, Girl, don’t even start with men right now. Focus on the bag, not the boss.So I compromised.I went with a pair of high-waisted floral pants that hugged my hips just right and a simple cream crop top that stopped an inch above the waistband, professional enough not to raise eyebrows, but cute enough that I still looked like me.I checked the mirror one last time. Clean, glowy makeup. Hair loosely tied. Simple jewelry.“Balanced,” I muttered. “Seri