The Boss Obsession

Chapter Six - Liana

Liana.

I woke up in a hospital bed with Eric sitting beside me. The room smelled of disinfectant, and a machine beeped softly somewhere behind my head.

He looked exhausted and sad, and I wondered if it was because of my condition. When I stirred, his head snapped up and his eyes locked with mine. He didn't say a word. He just stared, and the silence felt heavy enough to crush me.

"Why am I here?" I asked, breaking it.

He bowed his head and ran a hand through his hair like a man possessed. My worry doubled. Finally, he looked up.

"You fainted," he said.

Shocker. As if I didn't know that. Tell me something new, Eric.

"You're pregnant, Liana." His voice almost broke.

Now that was new.

My heart pounded so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to sound shocked. He saw right through me.

"Don't play games. I'm in no mood for them. Who got you pregnant?"

My throat went dry. I blinked slowly and picked at my fingers. My mind drifted back six weeks, to my boss's bedroom, to his hands on me, to my own voice calling out his name. If only I had known how bad things would get, I would have turned down that invitation.

"Who got you pregnant?!"

Eric's yelling snapped me back. He looked so furious I half expected smoke to come out of his ears. For a second, I wanted to cry. He sounded like he was scolding a child, as if all of this were my fault. I was new to all of it, naive and unprepared.

But lying would only make things worse.

So I told the truth.

"It was Mr Vance," I whispered, keeping my head down because I couldn't bear to look at him. "I... I slept with him."

"Arrgh!" Eric groaned and slammed his fists on the bed. The mattress shook beneath me. He was angry, hurt, and disgusted that I had let this happen.

But what could I do?

"One day," he said, holding up a single finger. "One day in his office and you lose yourself to him?"

"It's not like that," I said weakly. "He invited me to dinner and it just... happened."

It was the truth, but Eric wasn't buying it.

"It just happened? That's your excuse?"

I lowered my head again, with nothing left to say.

"Do you know how this hurts me?" His voice cracked. "Do you know how long I've wanted to hold you? To call you mine? And you gave yourself to him in one day. One freaking day, Liana!"

His pain was so raw that, somehow, I felt like he had a point. I had never let him touch me because I wanted to wait for my wedding night. What happened with Mr Vance was never part of the plan. It was a mistake, an honest one.

"I'm sorry, Eric. I didn't know it would hurt you this much."

"Hurt me this much?" He laughed bitterly. "I love you, Liana!"

His words hit me like a slap. I didn't even realize I had started sobbing.

"What's going on here?"

I looked up and saw Natasha in the doorway, confused, her eyes darting between us. Eric covered his face with his palm and began pacing the room. Natasha rushed to my side and wiped my tears with her hands. A nurse hurried in, drawn by the noise.

"Is everything okay here?"

"Everything's fine, nurse," Natasha said smoothly. "The couple were just having a conversation."

The nurse nodded and left. Eric gave me one last dark glare, then stormed out. The door slammed behind him, and the sound echoed through my chest. I sank back into the pillows, defeated.

Natasha turned to me. "What happened? Why was Eric yelling?"

Her voice was full of concern. I took a deep breath and told her everything. When I finished, she looked at me with pity, not judgment.

"Don't let him get to you. He's heartbroken, and he'll come around sooner or later. Don't let him make you believe you did something terrible, or that this baby is a mistake. It's not your fault, Liana. This baby deserves to be loved."

She placed her hand gently on my stomach. Her words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, and my tears slowed. A life was growing inside me. I should feel excited, not ashamed. This was a gift, and I wanted to treasure it.

Even when everything felt wrong, I still had my best friend.

"Besides," Natasha grinned, "I'm psyched to be a godmother to this little one. Just remember, with me, you'll always be home."

I laughed through the last of my tears. She squeezed my hand, and for the first time since I woke up, I breathed easy. Whatever tomorrow brought, I wouldn't face it alone.

The sadness lifted. The heartbreak faded. I stopped replaying my choices and picking myself apart.

For the rest of the day, I simply felt at home.