He Doesn’t Know I Had His Child, And Now He’s My Boss

NORA POV I knew something was wrong the moment I saw his face. The file in my hand almost slips from my fingers as I stare at the framed picture hanging behind the HR officer’s desk. Davis Rowan. CEO of Rowan & Co. My new boss. And the man I spent one reckless night with three years ago. For a second, I can’t breathe properly. No. This has to be some kind of mistake. “Ms. Edward?” The HR officer’s voice pulls me back, but my eyes stay locked on the picture. I know that face. The sharp jaw. The calm eyes. The expression that revealed nothing even while he had me pinned beneath him in a hotel bed three years ago. God. My stomach drops. Mai. The thought slams into me so hard I shift the file to my other hand. No. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. “Are you okay?” the HR officer asks again, this time sounding confused. I force myself to look away from the frame. “Yes. I’m fine.” Lie. Nothing about this is fine. The room suddenly feels too small, too warm, too suffocating. I hold the file against my chest, trying to steady myself while the HR officer continues speaking. “You’ll need final approval from the CEO before your resumption process is completed.” My heartbeat stops for half a second. The CEO. Davis Rowan. I swallow hard. Three years ago, I left that night thinking it was over… that I’d never see him again. And now I’m about to stand in front of him with a secret I’ve been carrying alone all this time. “Ms. Edward?” I blink quickly. “Sorry?” “The secretary outside will direct you to the CEO’s office.” I nod too fast. “Okay. Thank you.” The HR officer studies me for a second longer, like he can tell something is off, but thankfully, he says nothing else. I turn and walk out of the office before the HR officer can ask another question. The hallway blurs for a second. I keep walking. I can’t do this. I should leave. Right now. Before he sees me. Before something in his memory clicks into place. But Mai’s school fees flash through my mind. Then my mother’s latest hospital bill. My steps don’t stop. They can’t. I need this job. I can’t lose this opportunity. Even if it means standing face-to-face with the man who unknowingly changed my life. The secretary looks up immediately when I approach her desk. “Ms. Edward?” “Yes.” “Mr. Rowan is expecting you.” Of course he is. I force a smile that doesn’t feel real. She gestures toward the large double doors at the end of the hallway. “Last office by the corner.” “Thank you.” Every step toward that office feels heavier. Not because I’m meeting my boss, but because I’m about to sit in front of the only man in the world who can destroy me without even trying. My palms are already damp by the time I reach the door. I raise my hand and knock. “Come in.” His voice hits instantly. Too calm. Too familiar. I hesitate at the handle. I open it and there he is. Davis Rowan. Real. Close. For a second, the rest of the room disappears. The desk, the window, the city skyline behind him. All of it fades, because he’s here. And after three years, I’m standing in front of the man who has no idea he has a daughter. His eyes lift from the file on his desk. Then settle on me. Calm. Unreadable. The same eyes I haven’t been able to forget. My heart begins to race. Please don’t recognize me. Please. A second passes, then another. Nothing. No shock. No recognition. No sign that he remembers that night. Maybe he really doesn’t remember me. Until his gaze sharpens. His eyes narrow slightly, as if something about me has caught his attention. My pulse jumps. “Ms. Edward?” My voice almost fails me. “Yes.” His fingers stop moving on the file. The room goes quiet. Then he looks directly into my eyes and says… “Why do I feel like I’ve seen you before?”