When CEOs Love Differently

~Emma~ The glass doors of the my company, Waverly Strategic Holdings tower slide shut behind me, the humid evening air hitting my skin as I make my way toward the waiting sedan. My phone buzzes in my hand, a notification from the shared business contact I share with Dylan pops up on the screen. I stop, squinting my eyes at the screen. It's from Victoria Jenkins. I recognize her as a powerhouse in her own right, but the tone of the message is... Suspicious. "Just checking in. Can't wait until Midnight for you" I stare at the words, a small, confused frown creasing my forehead. 'you'? Who the f**k is 'You' and why is she asking me about someone's schedule on a thread meant for corporate logistics? I unlock my phone, my thumb hovering over the keyboard but I didn't know what to reply back. Thomas my driver is already inside the parked Sedan waiting for me. I slide into the leather interior of the car, the door closing with a heavy thud that shuts out the garage noise. Before I can even lean back, my phone vibrates in my palm. It's Dylan calling. I answer quickly with a small hopeful smile touching my lips. "Hey, Babe. I just finished up early, I was thinking—" "Emma, listen, I've got a partnership dinner tonight," his voice cuts in, sounding rushed, almost breathless. "It's one of those meetings I can't get out of. I won't be able to make it back home tonight early for dinner. Don't wait up for me, okay?" I just cut the call without any reply back. My smile vanishes, replaced by a cold, hollow feeling in my chest. I stare out the window as the car pulls away from the curb, the image of Victoria's message flashing behind my eyes. A meet up tonight? "A partnership dinner?" I say with my voice dripping low, sounding more like the rugged CEO than the wife. "Since when did our partners start scheduling through Victoria Jenkins deals?" "Good day ma'am." Thomas says. He ask me if I would love to go home and I just nodded a yes. The driver's polite greeting is as blur as I sink deeper into the seat, my gaze fixed on the passing city lights. I don't answer him. I can't. My mind is a whirlwind, looping Victoria's vague question and Dylan's hurried tone. The silence in the car feels suffocating, thick with a suspicion that makes me rub my nails together. I pull the phone back out, staring at the screen. I want to believe him. I want to believe that I'm just overthinking, that the 'you' in Victoria's message referred to a team or a project. As the car pulls into the driveway of our home, I don't move immediately. I look at the darkened windows of the house we've shared for two decades, my heart hammering am unsteady rhythm against my ribs. I step out of the car, my heels clicking sharply on the pavement. The evening cold breeze sending chills down my spine. As I step through the front door, the silence of the foyer was broken by the sharp presence of my daughter. Olivia is standing there, arms crossed, her face masked of irritation. She doesn't even say hello to me before she starts in on me, her voice tight with frustration over my lack of response to her texts. "I'm so sorry, honey. It's been a really busy day for me," I say softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face. My voice, soothing, but my mind is racing. I watch her expression, searching me 'cause she reads me easily. The gears shift in my head. The message from Victoria was on a shared business contact, but maybe Olivia had accessed it? Or maybe she was the 'You' Victoria was asking about? I pull back slightly, my eyes narrowing as I study my daughter. The suspicion that was aimed at Dylan suddenly pivots to me not paying attention to Olivia. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, my tension melting as I sink into her embrace. I wrap my arms around her, squeezing tight, the scent of her dark beautiful neat hair grounding me. A beauty she personally stole from me. For a moment, the suspicion vanishes. She's just my daughter, and I'm just a mother who has been working too hard, chasing ghosts in a text message. "I miss you so much," I whisper into her shoulder, closing my eyes. The warmth of the hug feels like a sanctuary, a reminder of what I'm fighting to keep together. I pull back just enough to look at her, a genuine, tired smile finally reaching my eyes. "Now, tell me everything I missed today. And please, tell me something that has completely nothing to do with business or spreadsheets." "Well I'm currently on my internship program and working on a new project analysis." Olivia answered. I beam at her, feeling a genuine spark of pride. Hearing that her IT projects are thriving is the first real win of my day, and the fact that she's staying put for a while makes me so excited. I give her shoulder a warm squeeze, the dark sorrow that had settled over me in the car finally beginning to lift. "That's wonderful, Olivia. I'm glad things are clicking into place for you," I say, my voice warm and light. " If you need anything, do not hesitate to send me a list. My assistant will get them ready for you. After we were done gisting. I start to guide her toward the kitchen, my mind finally drifting away from Victoria's strange message. "Since you're staying, let's get dinner ready. I'm starving, and I think we both deserve a night of zero stress." "For real cause I'm drained." Olivia replies. After some minutes of preparing the ingredients for the dishes, I left Olivia to handle the rest as I walked into my room. I kick off my heels and reach for the zipper of my black blouse My phone rings. It is Autumn, my best friend since college. the phone pressed between my ear and shoulder. Autumn's voice is a playful, knowing purr on the other end. Her voice, with the melanin energy radiating if her like her soul. "So, tell me, Em. Is the Great Dylan Howard actually playing the part of the devoted husband tonight, or are you playing the part of the oblivious wife?" She just reads me like a book. "Stop it, Autumn," I huff, a small, defensive smile tugging at my lips as I slip into a silk robe. I shake my head, ignoring the message I saw earlier. "He has a partnership dinner. He's working hard, just like I am. Not every midnight meeting is a clandestine rendezvous." "You're too good for your own sake darling. I'd probably be digging his whereabouts if I had a husband like that." she retorts, her tone shifting to that perceptive edge that makes me feel exposed. "One of these days, that loyalty is going to be a blindfold.—" "Haaa!" I let out a sharp laugh, cutting her off before she can dig deeper. "Enough about him. I'm in my pajamas and I'm not discussing my marriage while I'm in a robe. I'll call you tomorrow." "Sure thing babes. Goodbye." We resonated our farewell. I set the phone face down on the counter, the silence of the house feeling heavy now that Autumn's voice is gone. I lean against the marble, closing my eyes for a moment and letting the tension drain from my shoulders. I stepped into the kitchen to find Olivia already preparing desserts for the both of us. "Still hungry?" I ask, glancing over at Olivia with a soft smile, trying to shake off the lingering chill. I move toward the fridge, the familiar routine of the kitchen acting as an anchor. "I think there's some of that pasta we liked from the bistro. Let's just keep it simple."