Chapter 5

The first time I saw him again in the light of day, I forgot how to breathe. I never imagined that the man who had haunted my dreams and whose child I bore would be the CEO of the company I was to work in. It seemed like something out of a ridiculous soap opera.

Jasper Kent stood at the head of the conference table, a wall of glass behind him spilling sunlight over his broad shoulders. He was exactly as I remembered, sharp jaw, eyes like storm clouds, but there was no trace of the disoriented man from that night. Here, he was power formed into flesh, a man who owned the room simply by existing.

And he didn’t even know me.

“Miss Gray,” he said, voice low and clipped, as if testing my name on his tongue. “You’ll be presenting your proposal today, correct?”

For the briefest second, his eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared almost imperceptibly, as though he’d caught a scent he couldn’t place. His gaze lingered too long, unsettled.

My breath hitched and palms dampened instantly once his attention was fixed on me. I clutched the folder tighter. “Yes, Mr. Kent.”

Vanessa sat at his right hand, smiling faintly, her nails tapping against her notebook as if marking time until I failed.

I began my presentation, voice steady at first. The slides projected onto the wall, glowing with the numbers I had worked on for months. Every statistic, every market projection had been my lifeline.

“This proposal,” I said, pointing to the chart, “is built around integrating AI-driven logistics into your current infrastructure. With predictive algorithms, we can anticipate shipping delays before they happen, cut transport costs by at least 20%, and strengthen Kent Enterprises’ trade routes with my pack’s land access.”

A low chuckle came from one of the older investors. “Ambitious. AI predicting the future? Sounds like wishful thinking.”

Before I could reply, Vanessa leaned forward, her tone sugar-sweet but sharp as glass. “Exactly. The market is flooded with untested AI startups. What makes yours different? Why should Kent Enterprises gamble on projections that may collapse in three years?”

I inhaled slowly, forcing calm. “Because ours isn’t untested. We’ve already run pilots in smaller trade hubs, and the results were consistent. Predictive rerouting cut delays by 17% in the first month alone. Imagine that scaled across your global network.”

The laughter faltered. Silence prickled the room.

Vanessa’s smile didn’t break. “Still optimistic.”

I met her gaze squarely. “Optimism is seeing potential. Strategy is proving it works. I’m offering both.”

For the first time, Jasper leaned forward, storm-colored eyes fixed on me. “Continue,” he said softly, though it felt like a command.

Somehow, I did.

Finally, Jasper leaned back in his chair and gave his verdict. “It’s efficient, precise, and very ambitious.” He paused, gaze never leaving mine. His voice carried a faint edge, almost as though he was speaking to himself as much as the room. “And familiar. I like it.”

Relief washed over me so sudden my knees nearly buckled.

Vanessa’s smile tightened. “But, sir—don’t you think her projections are a little… optimistic? She doesn’t have the experience Kent Enterprises usually requires for this scale of partnership.”

Jasper’s reply was immediate, unwavering. “Then she’ll gain it under us.”

The finality in his tone silenced the room. Vanessa lowered her eyes, but I caught the flicker of fury in them. But I didn't pay her any heed. I was so happy that my wolf's tail was wagging. This was a good beginning and I would work hard to keep it that way.

When the meeting ended, I gathered my papers, trying to slip out unnoticed. But Jasper’s voice stopped me.

“Miss Gray. Stay behind, I need to have a talk with you."

The others filtered out while I stood looking like a frozen goose. Vanessa hesitated but a cold gaze from Jasper had her on her way. She shot me a poisonous look before exiting. The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with him.

I swallowed hard. The last time I had been alone with this man, my entire life had changed.

He circled the table slowly, his movements precise, deliberate. When he stopped in front of me, I felt small beneath his gaze.

“You did well,” he said. “Better than I expected.”

“Thank you,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes narrowed slightly. “Though you seemed nervous. As if something weighed on you.”

The words cut deep. If only he knew. I forced a faint smile. “Just the stakes of the deal, Mr. Kent. Nothing more.”

He studied me in silence, and for a terrifying moment, I thought he saw straight through me—to that field floor, to Johnathan, to the secret I carried like a brand.

"Is this your first time in the city?" He suddenly asked.

"Yes." I answered unsurely. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing. You just seem so familiar but never mind that."

His eyes flickered with something, recognition perhaps. But it slipped away before he could grasp it. He then turned away, dismissing me with a nod. “Don’t disappoint me.”

I escaped the room with lungs aching, every nerve alight with panic and another emotion I dare not think about.

By the time I returned to my temporary office, Emilia was waiting with Johnathan, who clutched a drawing in his small hands. My assistant gave me a sympathetic smile.

“He insisted on coming to see you. Said he wanted to give you this before he forgot.”

Johnathan ran up, thrusting the paper at me. Crayon lines, uneven but proud. A stick-figure me, him, and a tall man holding our hands.

“Do you like it?” he asked, eyes shining.

I forced my smile, my heart splitting. “I love it, baby. It’s perfect.”

Emilia watched me carefully, as if she saw the crack beneath my façade. “You’re carrying too much alone,” she murmured when Johnathan ran off to play with her bag zipper.

I shook my head. “If Jasper finds out… everything falls apart.”

"If who finds out?" She asked.

I just shook my head. "Nothing." She couldn't know the truth, no one could know. Jonathan is a child that would be killed brutally is anyone found out that his father was a human. I couldn't trust anyone with this secret not even Emilia. When it comes to my son, everyone is a threat including Jasper. If Jasper knew Johnathan was his, a lot could go wrong. He could take him away from me or worse, reject us both and destroy everything I’ve built.

That night, exhaustion dragged at my bones, but sleep refused me. Every time I closed my eyes, Jasper’s face appeared—the confusion of that night, the certainty of today. The way his voice lingered like a com

mand in my veins.

I hated him for being a reminder. And still one look from him unraveled me.