THE BILLIONAIRE SECRET BABY

MY FEARS

ADRIANA

A week had passed since I walked out of Stone Corp, leaving my hopes of landing the job behind.

I'd sent out my résumé to various organizations, and none had sent even a rejection mail.

Laura, who had been by my side since I came back, remained optimistic that I would land a job soon, but I'd already lost faith.

"You just don't get it, Laura," I said, frustration etched on my face. We sat in my small apartment, surrounded by the comforting sound of Brian playing quietly, oblivious to our conversation.

“Even if Levi had it in him to give me the job—which I doubt he will—his fiancée won't let him do it. I'm sure she's suspecting something between us by now." I rolled my eyes, the bitterness still fresh.

“And by the way, I shouldn't have even continued with the interview the moment he recognized me. If I'm to work with him, how many more years before he uncovers that Brian is his son?"

Laura's gentle touch brushed a strand of hair from my face. "It's okay, Addy. You'll get a better offer soon. I'm sure of it."

I crossed my arms, letting out a sigh that seemed to shake my entire body. "I wonder why these kinds of things always seem to happen to me alone. I'm such a grain of bad luck." The words hung in the air, heavy with regret.

Laura's expression turned serious, her eyes narrowing. "You shouldn't say something like that. At least giving birth to Brian can't be classified as bad luck," her voice was low and protective.

Brian looked up from his toys, confusion scrunching his little face. “Did I do something wrong?" he asked, his small voice filled with concern.

Laura chuckled, scooping him into a hug. "Nothing, my love," she whispered, shooting me a warning glance over his shoulder. "Watch yourself, Addy."

I wasn't about to blame Brian, though. He was my everything, my comfort after Levi shattered my world. Sometimes, his bright blue eyes reminded me of Levi, of the life I might have had, but I'd promised myself I'd never resent my child for the dreams I'd put on hold.

Four years ago, I'd had plans—university, public administration, a sleek office job. But then Levi knocked me up and left. My world imploded.

Laura's elbow gently nudged me, snapping me back to reality. "You seem distant, Adriana. Thinking about him?" Her eyes searched mine, concern etched on her face.

I shook my head, watching Brian play. Laura was watching me. She didn't need words to understand my thoughts; my tension was evident.

"Forget about him, Addy," she whispered, glancing at Brian to ensure he wasn't listening. "Maybe not getting the job is for the best since you've decided Levi can't know about Brian."

I turned to her, my voice thick with emotion. "It's not fair. Why should I suffer because of my ex? I didn't even know his family owned Stone Corp until last week."

Laura's eyebrows rose. "He never mentioned it?"

I shook my head. "Only that his parents died in an accident when he was a baby. Who knows if that was even true?”

Laura sighed, settling back into the couch. The soft cushions creaked beneath her. "Maybe we should go get some ice cream. You, me, and Brian. It will reduce tension, and he'll love it."

Brian's head snapped up at the mention of ice cream, his brick tower forgotten on the floor. "Ice cream!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling.

I laughed. "Where am I supposed to find the money for that?"

Laura made a face and chuckled. "Come on, your money situation is not that bad, is it?"

"Trust me, it's bad enough I can't afford to buy ice cream for my own son," I said, my voice dropping.

Brian chimed in, his lips pouted. "Mama, please! Let's get the ice cream."

We both laughed, and I turned to Laura, my eye raised in mock annoyance. "Laura, you started this! What's the plan?"

Laura grinned, her eyes twinkling. "What can we do? You'll have to get him ice cream."

"Just for Brian?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.

Laura giggled. "Maybe for me too."

Brian whipped his face hastily at Laura, his little face turning serious. "Aunt Laura, you don't need ice cream."

“Of course she doesn't,” I laughed. "But why not, Brian?"

Brian sat silently for a moment, his eyes rolling up. “She's not a baby.”

The room erupted in laughter, and for a fleeting moment, my worries disappeared.

He turned back to his toys, his pout forgotten. "She's too big," he said.

Laura sprang up, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Neither are you, mister. Anyway, I'm doing the buying."

Brian jumped up, his face brightening. “Aunt Laura, I'm getting vanilla flavor. What about you, Mama?"

Just as I was about to answer, my phone buzzed. Rachel's name flashed on the screen.

"Hey, Rachel," I answered, my face coated with a bright smile.

We’d remained in touch since after the interview, chatting casually and getting to know each other.

Rachel was a recent graduate from NYU and still lived with her parents in Queens.

"Calling to tell me you got the job?" I joked. She already knew I had no chance of getting the job, though I didn't go into details.

“Actually, I didn't get it.” Rachel's voice was tight with disappointment. “Stone Corp emailed me today saying the position's filled."

"Oh my goodness, I'm sorry, Rachel,” I sympathized. “Your skills are impressive. I'm sure you will get a job soon.”

"Yeah,” Rachel sounded down. "I thought that was it, the interview was impressive, and I thought, bang, I've finally landed a corporate job."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Well, interviews can be like that sometimes."

We chatted briefly before Rachel finally said, "Alright, Adriana, I just wanted to give you a heads-up."

“Thanks for the heads-up, Rachel. I’m heading out with my sister and Brian for some ice cream, but I’ll call you later.”

As I hung up the phone, I immediately scrolled to my email. I already knew I hadn’t gotten the job, but I wanted to see the official rejection letter.

Laura leaned over my shoulder, peering at my phone.

“Checking email?"

My hand froze as I scrolled through my inbox. The subject line made my heart skip a beat: "Job Offer: Personal Assistant to CEO."

"Mrs. Rodriguez, we are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the personal assistant to the CEO, Levi Brownstone. You are expected to report to work on Monday."

Laura's squeal pierced the air. "You got the job!"

I stood frozen, the phone still clutched in my hand. Brian's smile was contagious, but my mind reeled with the implications.

Brian tugged at my shirt again. "Mama, what's wrong?"

I forced a smile, still trying to process the news. "Nothing, baby. We're getting ice cream, remember?"

I turned to Laura, and in a quiet voice muttered, "I can't take the job," my eyes darting between Brian's innocent face and the phone screen.

“What do you mean, Addy?” Laura stepped in front of me, her eyes mixed with elation and confusion.

“This is what you’ve been waiting for. You’ll finally be able to provide adequately for Brian.”

I shook my head, uncertainty clouding my expression. With a voice barely above a whisper, I muttered, “How am I supposed to work with Levi and still keep his son a secret?”