LOGINWhy was everyone staring at her?It all felt like a chilling repeat of the past few weeks. Reporting to work and feeling like a specimen on a slide, held in place by stage clips and prodded from all angles. Except there was something different this time.The lights weren't as harsh."The lady of the hour," Abigail beamed the second she got to the station. Anna's brows pulled tighter."What's going on, Abby?"Abigail leaned in, her voice lowering. "Does Knight Innovations have an internship program? Because sign me up.""What?""Anna! You're here."Anna turned toward the voice to find Sierra, charts in hand."What's going on, Sierra?"Sierra leaned in and whispered. "Your brother-in-law is here."Anna froze. But, Sierra wasn't done."I think he's in the director's office. Apparently, people have been suspicious of your relationship since he insisted on being treated by you.”"Our relationship?" Anna managed to choke out.Sierra nodded. "The rumor going around is that he's here to deman
Anna blinked, then pulled her lip between her teeth, realizing what she'd let out in the vulnerability of the moment.“Nothing. I didn't mention he said anything?”Leah didn't look fazed. “Anna.”“He really didn't—”“Don't ‘he didn't’ me, girl. Your ass just stood there and told me you're afraid he wants the baby and not you. So imma ask again." Leah's voice hardened, “What did Jason Knight say to you?”"He wants access to the baby."Leah scoffed like that was the most outrageous thing she'd ever heard. "There ain't even no baby yet. What—he wants to sing lullabies while rubbing your stomach?"Before Anna could stop herself, a mental image formed in her head—her, with a baby bump, lying on the swing seat on the second balcony of Jason's Villa, her legs on his lap as he rubbed her stomach and sang a lullaby. Leah snapped her fingers in front of her and Anna jerked back, blinking back into focus.She sighed the moment she saw the look on Leah's face. "It doesn't matter what he wants any
'I had a miscarriage.'The words hung between them. Anna sat frozen in place.For one strange second, everything in the room looked exactly the same—the rumpled sheets, the lamp throwing its soft light across the room—but nothing felt the same anymore.Anna's fingers tightened around the sheets.A miscarriage.Leah had said it so quietly, as though saying it softly could make it hurt less.Anna swallowed. Her mind was already reaching for questions. How far along? When? What happened? Had she needed a procedure? Had there been complications? Had the doctor said she couldn't carry another baby?The doctor in her wanted answers. The woman sitting beside her wanted to pull Leah into her arms and ask why she'd carried something this enormous alone.For once, Anna didn't know which one Leah needed.“Leah…” Her voice cracked on the name.Leah looked down at her hands. "I-I didn't know how to tell you. Or Gideon. Or anyone else for that matter. That was why I left immediately after Elena and
Anna sighed contentedly as she stepped out from the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around her head. Cold air from the air-conditioning brushed against her skin through the open robe.She stifled a yawn, stopping as she noticed the tray of food on the bedside table. Her eyes darted to the door immediately as if the person who'd brought it would still be thereShe walked cautiously over to it and touched it. It was hot.Maybe the staff had brought it in while she was bathing?Voices drifted in through the windows she'd pushed open earlier, carrying with them the quiet sounds of the grounds. She padded over, pushed the curtain aside. Jason stood near the outdoor kitchen with Cole, speaking to one of the staff. Her fingers tightened around the curtain.What were they doing out there?Another staff member walked out, joining them at the the kitchen. She stopped close to Jason and said something. Jason's head tilted, listening. Then the woman glanced toward the house.Jason's gaze lifted w
Jason hadn't denied it.She'd told him he hated her and he hadn't denied it. He'd simply shrugged. Yet he wanted her to move in with him?Was that his new way of torturing her?Because I know what it's like to grow up wondering whether your father wanted you. I won't do that to my child.He wasn't doing this because he suddenly wanted her. At least that's what she told herself. He was doing it because he refused to become his father. She hated that her heart had skipped at his determination to do better than his father. She respected it. Maybe more than she wanted to admit.She understood him, and she hated that she did. Because understanding Jason Knight made it harder to forget him. And she'd finally been doing a decent job of convincing herself she could.But where did that leave her?Did he want the mother of his child or just his child? Did he want a family—or was he simply terrified of repeating his father's mistake?Anna pushed open the glass door and came to an abrupt stop at
Jason didn't move from the doorframe. His gaze zeroed in on Anna through the mirror. Her eyes were wide and red-rimmed, damp strands of hair sticking to her flushed cheeks.His hand tightened around the straps of her heels as his gaze dropped to her lips, bruised from her biting on it. She did that whenever she was overwhelmed or nervous. His brows furrowed as something thumped hard in his belly. Seeing her like this stirred things in him—things he had no business feeling. Things he would never admit. Not anymore.His gaze dropped to her stomach as he stepped in, shutting the door behind him without looking away. Her gaze broke away from him, dropping to her stomach as well, and as though realizing her hand hovered over it, quickly dropped her hand to her side. His eyes lingered on her stomach. She was carrying a baby in there.His baby.The realization landed differently this time. Not as a possibility. Not as something everyone else had suddenly discovered but as something... real.
The next day was a blur… until that sharp ding of the doorbell. It was a Sunday, and Anna was supposed to be on shift. But she'd stayed up late watching movies—or rather, pretending to, only to wake up with a headache. So, she'd forced herself to eat, took an aspirin, and actually called in sick.
Warmth. That was the first thing Anna felt as she stirred, then softness. She burrowed deeper into it, moaning lowly. Wait. It was supposed to be cold marble, hard and the chilling night air. She'd been on the balcony. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, glancing around. She was on a
Jason didn’t move when Ethan stepped into the office, didn’t even glance up from the papers he’d been pretending to review.“You’re back,” he said flatly, voice carrying that calm edge that always made people uneasy.Ethan shifted, clearing his throat. “Yes, Boss. But um…”His gaze finally lifted,
Anna had woken up hours later near the door, curled into herself, cold and shivering. The sun was beginning its descent through the window of her sitting room, painting the sky with its orange hued light. The skin around her eyes and cheeks felt tight, dry and scratchy.Usually, she would sit by







