carrying the billionaire secrets

Chapter 9- Morning After

I wake before the sun with the familiar wave of nausea. Crackers from the nightstand help, but only a little. I sit on the edge of the bed in the half-dark and breathe until the worst of it passes. The guest suite is still and cool. Outside the wide windows the garden is only shadows.

By the time I shower and dress, soft light has begun to touch the trees. I choose a loose cream blouse and dark pants. The fabric hides the small curve of my stomach for now. I know that will not last much longer.

Breakfast is already on the table when I reach the dining room. Theo sits in his usual place, tablet in hand, black coffee steaming beside him. He glances up as I enter. For a second his eyes rest on my face longer than usual.

“You look tired,” he says.

“I did not sleep well.”

He sets the tablet down. “Is the bed uncomfortable?”

“No. The bed is fine.”

He watches me pour a small glass of juice. I take only toast. Anything more still feels risky in the mornings.

“There is a doctor on the household staff list if you need one,” he says. “You only have to ask.”

My fingers tighten around the glass. “I am fine.”

He does not look convinced, but he does not press. We finish the meal in silence. When he stands to leave he pauses near my chair.

“The event tomorrow night starts at seven. The driver will be ready at six-thirty. Wear the green dress. My assistant said it was altered for you.”

“I will.”

He nods once and walks out. The front door closes. The house settles into its daytime quiet.

I stay at the table a little longer, staring at the empty place across from me. The offer of a doctor sits in my mind like a stone. One blood test, one careful look from a physician, and the secret would no longer be only mine.

I push the thought away and rise.

The morning passes slowly. I walk the garden paths until the sun is higher. Then I return to the guest suite and stand in front of the mirror. I turn sideways. The curve is small but real. Soft. Unmistakable if anyone looked closely.

I rest both hands over it.

“You are making this harder,” I whisper.

The baby does not answer, of course. It only continues to grow.

In the afternoon the housekeeper brings a small package. Inside is a velvet box containing a pair of simple diamond earrings. A note rests on top in Theo’s sharp handwriting.

For tomorrow night. They match the dress.

I close the box and set it on the dresser. The earrings are beautiful. Expensive. Chosen with care. They feel like another piece of the role I am playing.

That evening dinner is quiet again. Theo asks if I need anything for the event. I tell him no. He accepts the answer and returns to his tablet. When the meal ends he leaves for the study without another word.

I walk upstairs through the silent hallway. In the guest suite I hang the green dress on the closet door so I will see it first thing in the morning. The fabric is soft and elegant. The empire waist will hide what needs to be hidden for one more night at least.

I change into sleep clothes and climb into bed. Sleep does not come easily. My mind turns over the same thoughts again and again. The masked night. The contract. The growing secret. The man on the other side of the house who still does not know.

When I finally drift off it is restless. I dream of black lace masks and the sound of a headboard against a wall and a low voice telling me to look at him. I wake once in the dark with my heart racing and my hands pressed flat to my stomach.

Morning light eventually finds the windows.

I rise, shower, and dress carefully. The green dress settles over my body like it was made for this exact moment. I fasten the diamond earrings and look at myself in the mirror.

Mrs. Winslow stares back.

Tonight I will stand beside Theo in a room full of strangers. I will smile. I will play the part. I will keep the truth locked away for a few more hours.

But the morning after that night is already waiting.

And I am no longer sure how much longer I can keep the secret from reaching daylight.