His Surrogate Secretary

UNSPOKEN RULES

That same night, I went to the Mercer Tower Penthouse. When the elevator opened, I stepped into a vast, pristine, and profoundly lonely residence. There were very few decorations, just shades of grey, white, and glass. It was a reflection of Alexander's very personality.

He was standing on the balcony, staring at the city lights, holding a glass of water. When he heard my footsteps, he slowly turned around.

"You came," he said in a low voice.

"I want to get this over with, Mr. Mercer," I said directly, standing in the middle of the living room. "I came here to tell you my decision."

He walked over and pointed to the sofa. "Sit down first, Maya."

"I prefer standing."

He sighed and placed his glass on the table. He walked over to me, stripped of any power or harshness. "Did you get the results from St. Jude this morning?"

I looked down. "Yes. The doctor called. Confirmed. I am four weeks pregnant. The embryo successfully attached."

Alexander blinked. I saw the shock on his face. He was overjoyed by the news he heard from me.

"So . . ." he asked softly. "What is your decision?"

I took a deep breath. I looked him dead in the eye. "I will not abort the baby."

Alexander breathed a sigh of relief. His shoulders dropped. "Thank you, Maya. Thank you—"

"Don't thank me yet," I cut him off quickly. "I have conditions. And if you do not accept these conditions, I will find a legal way to terminate this pregnancy, no matter what happens to my body."

Alexander's face turned serious once more. "Tell me. What do you want?"

I pulled a sheet of paper from my bag and threw it onto the table. "First: I am resigning as your secretary tonight. I am never going back to that office. I don't want to experience your stress and insults every day while I am pregnant.

"I agree," he answered quickly. "In fact, I don't want you working there in your condition either."

"Second," I continued. "I want a clear legal agreement. This child will be yours, but I will be its mother. You cannot treat me as a mere vessel for your child. I will have full rights in raising them, and you cannot take them away from me."

Alexander stared at me. "Maya, I have no intention of taking the child away from you. I told you, I am going to die within two years. When I leave this world, you will be the only parent left. All my assets, all my shares in Mercer Holdings, will go to the child and to you to ensure you will never suffer financially."

I froze at his words. The reality of his illness struck me once again.

"Third . . ." I said softly. "I want privacy. No one in the office, the media, or your family will know how this happened. And I don't want a marriage."

Alexander stepped toward me until we were only a few inches apart. I could smell his familiar scent of sandalwood and expensive cologne.

"I have one counter-condition, Maya," he said, gazing at me.

"What is it?"

"You move here to the Penthouse."

My eyes widened again. "What?! Are you crazy?! Why would I live here with you?!"

"Because this is the safest place for you and our child!" he explained quickly. "This pregnancy is high-risk because of the error that occurred. You need 24/7 medical supervision, proper nutrition, and protection from the media and my business enemies. If you stay in your small apartment, what if you have an emergency in the middle of the night? What if your ex-boyfriend shows up there?"

I took a step back. He was right about Mark. Mark knew where I lived and would certainly use every means to win me back or beg.

"But we can't live under the same roof, Alexander!" I protested. "I'm angry with you! And you're angry with me! You made my life miserable at the office for two years!"

"And I regret that!" he shouted suddenly, startling me.

We both froze. Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. When he looked at me again, his voice was softer.

"I regret the way I treated you at the office, Maya. I was harsh, demanding, and heartless. But I did that because... because I didn't want to form an emotional attachment to anyone after I found out about my illness. I pushed everyone away."

I stared at him. Every word he spoke carried deep sorrow.

"I am not asking you to forgive me right away," he added. "All I ask is that you allow me to take care of you and our child for the remaining months I have with you. You will have your own room here. You will have your own freedom. But I need to make sure both of you are safe."

I looked around the massive penthouse. Then I looked down at my stomach. A small life was already beginning inside me. A life that tied me to this man, the man I had resented for so long, but now I was slowly seeing the real person behind his cold mask.

"Fine," I answered softly. "I will move in here. But I have one final request for you, Mr. Mercer.

"What is it?"

"Starting tonight . . . stop calling me Miss Santos. And I will stop calling you Mr. Mercer. If we are going to live under the same roof as this child . . . we need to learn to be partners."

A faint yet genuine smile appeared on Alexander's lips, the very first smile I had ever seen on his face.

"Deal... Maya."

The following months brought a monumental shift in my life. I moved into Alexander’s penthouse. I had my own massive bedroom with a balcony overlooking the city. Every day, a personal chef came to cook nutritious meals tailored for a pregnant woman, and every week, an obstetrician visited to check on my condition.