The following week unfolded in a careful balance between truth and silence.
Ava Collins returned to work, attempting to act as if nothing had changed, but every glance from Liam Kingsley felt like an unspoken bond, every smile a secret they alone understood. To everyone else, he remained the composed CEO—untouchable and unreadable—but she now recognized the man behind the facade, the one who whispered gentle words into her ear when no one else was around.
Still, secrets carried a heavy burden.
During meetings, she felt the strain of maintaining her facade. As coworkers engaged in casual conversations about office gossip, she kept her head down, fearful that her eyes might reveal too much. She picked up snippets—"The boss seems different lately," "He's smiling more"—and each remark made her heart race.
In private moments, Liam was attentive and protective. He ensured she ate well, personally scheduled her doctor's appointments, and insisted on shorter workdays. It was sweet—too sweet—and fraught with risk.
"Liam, people will notice," she cautioned one evening as he brought her lunch in her office.
He leaned against her desk, his gaze warm. "Let them. You're carrying something far more significant than their opinions."
She offered a faint smile. "You mean someone."
His expression softened. "Someone who already means more to me than I can put into words."
Her heart fluttered at his words, but beneath that excitement lay fear. Their relationship had crossed all professional boundaries. If the board discovered their secret, she risked losing her job—and he could lose everything.
Later that night, as she sat alone in her apartment, loneliness began to seep in. The baby was still just a tiny heartbeat within her, yet its presence was already felt profoundly. She placed a hand over her belly and whispered softly, "You're loved. Even if no one knows it yet."
Her phone buzzed with a message from Liam:
I can't stop thinking about you. Sleep well, my heart.