CHAPTER FOUR
1018 Words
Emily felt something cool against her forehead.
Voices echoed faintly around her, distant and muffled, like they were coming from the other side of a wall.
“Emily… Can you hear me?”
The voice was familiar but she wasn't sure who the person was.
Slowly, Emily forced her eyes open.
The bright lights above her made her blink several times before her vision finally cleared.
The first face she saw was Daniel’s.
He was leaning over her, his brows drawn together with worry.
“Easy,” he said gently when he noticed her eyes open. “Don’t try to sit up yet.”
Emily frowned slightly, trying to remember what had happened.
“I…” Her voice came out dry.
Daniel quickly handed her a bottle of water.
“Drink.”
She took a small sip, the cool water helping steady her breathing.
“Where am I?”
“My office,” Daniel replied. “You fainted in the lobby. We brought you here.”
Emily slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position despite his earlier warning.
“I’m fine.”
Daniel sighed softly.
“You collapsed, Emily.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Her voice was firmer now.
Daniel studied her face for a moment but didn’t argue immediately.
But the concern in his eyes didn’t disappear.
“Emily… the doctor was just here.”
Her brows drew together slightly.
“Doctor?”
“Yes,” Daniel said carefully. “We had to call one when you passed out.”
Emily immediately tried to stand.
“I don’t need a doctor..”
“Sit down,” Daniel said firmly.
The tone in his voice stopped her.
So Emily slowly sat again.
Daniel ran a hand across his face before speaking.
“The doctor ran a quick examination.”
Emily’s stomach tightened.
“And?”
Daniel hesitated for a moment.
Then he looked directly at her.
“You’re pregnant.”
The room went silent.
Emily’s fingers tightened around the water bottle.
She hadn’t planned to tell anyone yet,not even Daniel.
Not until she had figured out what to do.
Daniel watched her carefully.
“You didn’t tell me.”
Emily looked down briefly.
“I just found out.”
Daniel let out a slow breath.
“Well… the doctor confirmed it.”
Emily felt her hand move instinctively toward her stomach again.
The small, fragile life inside her suddenly felt more real than ever.
But Daniel wasn’t finished.
“The doctor also said something else.”
Emily looked up again.
“What?”
Daniel’s voice was quieter now.
“You’re under extreme stress.”
She almost laughed at that.
Of course she was.
Her marriage had collapsed.
Her companies were under attack.
Her reputation was being destroyed.
Stress was the least surprising diagnosis.
But Daniel continued.
“And if you keep pushing yourself like this…”
He paused.
“…you could lose the baby.”
The words landed like a heavy weight in the room.
Emily didn’t move and she didn’t speak.
For a moment, the entire world seemed to freeze around her.
Her hand slowly rested over her stomach again.
“I can't afford to lose this baby, she said softly.”
Daniel softened his tone.
“The doctor said you need rest.”
Emily looked away.
Rest.
The word sounded almost impossible.
How was she supposed to rest while Gael was dismantling her life piece by piece?
Her thoughts drifted again to the terrifying possibility that had already been forming in her mind.
What if Gael actually succeeds?
What if he takes everything?
Her company.
Her reputation.
Everything she had built.
But now there was someone else.
Her child.
Emily closed her eyes briefly.
Seven years of work.
Seven years of sacrifices.
All of it hanging by a thread.
And now the life growing inside her was fragile too.
Daniel spoke again.
“You need to slow down.”
Emily shook her head immediately.
“I can’t.”
Daniel’s voice hardened slightly.
“Emily.”
“If you lose the baby—”
“I won’t,” she interrupted.
Daniel walked closer to her and said,
“Then you need to take this seriously.”
Emily stood up slowly.
“I am taking it seriously.”
Her hand slipped away from her stomach again.
Because if she let herself think about it too long, the fear might break her.
Instead, she focused on the other battle in front of her.
“The shareholders are selling.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
“The board removed my authority.”
“Yes.”
“And Gael is pushing a court hearing tomorrow.”
Daniel held up a document.
“I was about to tell you that.”
Emily took the paper from him quickly.
Her eyes moved over the words.
Court Notice – Emergency Hearing Scheduled.
“The hearing is tomorrow morning.” Daniel said
Emily exhaled slowly.
Gael wasn’t wasting a second.
If the court ruled in his favor, he could gain temporary control of most of her companies.
And once he had that…
Everything could collapse.
Daniel watched her closely.
“You can’t go into court tomorrow like this em.” Daniel said.
Emily looked up at him.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“You do.”
She shook her head again.
“No.”
Daniel crossed his arms.
“You’re risking two lives now.”
Emily froze slightly at the words.
Two lives.
For a moment, the fear she had been pushing away crept back again.
But then something inside her hardened.
Gael thought he had broken her.
He thought he had taken everything.
He had no idea what he had actually started.
Emily folded the court document slowly and placed it on the desk.
Her voice was calm when she finally spoke.
“Then we fight him carefully.”
Daniel studied her expression.
“And you rest when you need to.”
Emily gave a small, tired smile.
“I’ll try.”
But deep down she already knew one thing.
The real battle with Gael had only just begun.
- Writer
