THE CEO,s SECRET PREGNANCY

THE FIRST FIGHT*

*Chapter 7: The First Fight*

The morning after the board meeting, everything felt different.

Damian was quiet at breakfast. Too quiet.

"Did I do something wrong yesterday?" I asked, picking at my toast.

"No," he said. "The board is just... talking."

"About me?"

"About us." He finally looked up. "My mother wants a paternity test. After the baby is born."

My cup clattered against the plate. "What? You don't trust me?"

"I trust you," he said quickly. "I don't trust them."

"But why would she even ask that?" My voice shook. "I'm carrying your baby, Damian!"

"I know." He stood up. "I'll handle it."

"Handle it?" I stood too. "I'm not some contract you can just handle, Damian! I'm a person!"

He ran a hand through his hair. Frustrated. "Don't yell."

"Don't tell me not to yell!" Tears were burning my eyes. "You brought me into this mansion, this family, this contract, and now your mom thinks I'm a gold digger?"

"That's not what I said."

"But that's what she thinks!" I grabbed my stomach. "I'm trying here! I'm trying to do this for our baby!"

Damian's whole body stilled.

"Our baby," he repeated softly.

"Yes. OURS." I was crying now. "And I hate that we have to fight about this."

The room went silent. Only the sound of my breathing.

Damian walked to me slowly. He didn't touch me. Just stood there.

"You're right," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

I blinked. "What?"

"I said I'm sorry." He looked exhausted. "For bringing you into this. For my mother. For making you feel like you're not enough."

My tears fell harder. "I just want us to be a team."

Damian reached out and wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. The touch was so gentle it broke me.

"We are a team," he whispered. "Anovia and Damian. Against the world."

I laughed through my tears. "That sounds like a contract."

He smiled. A real smile. The first one I'd ever seen.

"No contract," he said. "Promise."

He pulled me into his arms and hugged me. Tight.

And for the first time since the wedding, it didn't feel like business.

It felt like home.

Later that night, I found a note on my pillow.

`Board meeting cancelled. Taking you to the doctor tomorrow. - D`

My heart did that stupid fluttery thing again.

Contract? What contract