The girl boss

Dinner With The Devil

Mrs. Ashford was terrifying.

Pearls. Designer dress. And eyes exactly like Malik’s.

"Siddiqa," she said, kissing both my cheeks. "My son has terrible taste in business. But excellent taste in wives."

I smiled until my face hurt.

"Thank you, ma. The marriage was... sudden."

"Sudden is good," Malik cut in, pouring wine. "Means it’s real."

The lie tasted bitter.

Dinner was 2 hours of questions. Where did we meet. Who proposed. When were grandkids coming.

I answered every one while my phone burned in my pocket.

3 missed calls from the nanny.

Finally, Malik’s mom left.

And I bolted for the door.

"Where are you going?" Malik asked.

"Work."

It was half true.

I got to the hospital at 10pm.

Leo was asleep, IV in his tiny arm. The nanny looked exhausted.

"He’s okay," she whispered. "Just a virus."

I held my son for an hour. My CEO. My secret. My reason for everything.

And I hated Malik Ashford for making me choose.

When I got back to the penthouse at 1am, Malik was awake.

In the kitchen. Drinking whiskey.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"Work."

"At 1am?"

"Tech doesn’t sleep, Mr. Ashford."

He walked up to me. Too close. I could smell the whiskey and him.

"You’re lying."

"And you’re in my space."

We stared at each other. Husband and wife. Strangers and enemies.

Then his phone rang.

He answered, listened, and his face went dark.

"Carter Tech stock just dropped 8%." He looked at me. "Someone’s shorting you."

I went cold.

Only one person knew I was vulnerable right now.

Only one person could do this.

Malik.