Chapter Five
1665 Words
The Consequence
I drove home with both hands gripping the steering wheel.
I didn't turn on the radio.
I didn't call Sarah.
I didn't even answer when my father called twice.
My mind kept going back to the same moment.
Damian's hand in mine.
His voice asking me to tell him to stop.
And my own voice saying I didn't want him to.
I pulled into the driveway and sat in the car for another minute.
“Get yourself together,” I whispered.
I grabbed my bag and went inside.
My father was waiting in the living room.
He stood as soon as he saw me.
“Where were you?”
“At the hotel.”
He frowned.
“Why?”
“I needed some time.”
“Did you speak to Damian?”
I took off my coat.
“Yes.”
“And?”
I looked at him.
“We're still not agreeing on anything.”
He sighed.
“Amelia, I need you to understand how serious this is.”
“I understand.”
“No, you don't.”
He picked up a folder from the coffee table.
“The bank called this morning.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did they say?”
“They're giving us until Friday.”
I stared at him.
“And if we don't pay?”
“They'll take control of the assets.”
I sat down.
“So we have no choice.”
My father remained standing.
“There is always a choice.”
“You just said we have until Friday.”
“I said there's a deadline.”
“And Damian's offer?”
He nodded.
“Still on the table.”
I looked down at my hands.
“Then I'll take it.”
My father stared at me.
“What?”
“I'll take the job.”
“You don't have to.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Amelia—”
“I've thought about it.”
He sat beside me.
“You don't owe me this.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
I looked at him.
“Because I don't want to watch you lose everything.”
His eyes softened.
“I built this company so you wouldn't have to carry my problems.”
“You're my father.”
He reached for my hand.
“I don't want you working for Damian because of me.”
“I won't.”
“Then why?”
I swallowed.
“Because I'm good at what I do.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“That sounds more like my daughter.”
At nine that morning, I stood outside Damian's office.
His assistant looked up.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
She hesitated.
“Mr. Blackwood is in a meeting.”
“I'll wait.”
She looked at me for a moment.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I sat down.
Twenty minutes passed.
Then the office door opened.
Damian walked out with two men.
He stopped when he saw me.
“Amelia.”
“Can we talk?”
He looked at his assistant.
“Give us a minute.”
She nodded.
He opened his office door.
I walked in.
He closed it behind me.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, he said, “You came back.”
“I need a job.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“A job?”
“Yes.”
He stared at me.
“Is that why you're here?”
“Yes.”
“Not because of last night?”
My face warmed.
“No.”
He nodded slowly.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“I don't want you making a decision because you feel guilty about what happened.”
“I don't.”
“Are you sure?”
I looked at him.
“Damian, I wouldn't be standing here if I wasn't sure.”
He walked to his desk.
“Sit.”
I sat.
He remained standing.
“You understand the position?”
“Yes.”
“You'll report directly to me.”
“I know.”
“You'll have access to confidential information.”
“I understand.”
“And our families' history stays outside the office.”
I nodded.
“Agreed.”
He picked up the contract.
“Then there's one more thing.”
“What?”
“If this becomes too difficult for you, you walk away.”
I looked at him.
“And the company?”
“I'll still honor the agreement.”
I studied his face.
“You're serious.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He put the contract down.
“Because whatever happened between us last night shouldn't decide your future.”
I looked away.
“Thank you.”
He sat across from me.
“Amelia.”
I looked up.
“I meant what I said.”
“About what?”
“You don't owe me anything.”
For some reason, those words hurt more than they should have.
I looked down at the contract.
“I know.”
I signed it.
“Are you coming?”
I looked up from my desk.
Sarah stood in the doorway.
“Coming where?”
“Lunch.”
“I have work.”
“You've had work for three hours.”
“I just started.”
She walked inside.
“You've also been staring at the same email for ten minutes.”
I closed my laptop.
“Fine.”
We walked toward the elevator.
Sarah looked at me.
“You're acting strange.”
“I've had a strange week.”
“That's not an answer.”
I pressed the elevator button.
“I'm tired.”
“Amelia.”
The elevator doors opened.
We stepped inside.
Sarah lowered her voice.
“Did something happen with Damian?”
I looked straight ahead.
“No.”
She stared at me.
“You're lying.”
“I'm not.”
“Then look at me.”
I turned.
She studied my face.
Her expression changed.
“Oh.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“What?”
“You're blushing.”
“I am not.”
The elevator doors opened.
I walked out.
“Forget it.”
Sarah followed.
“I knew something happened.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Amelia.”
I stopped.
She stopped too.
“Fine,” I whispered.
Her eyes widened.
“You slept with him?”
I looked around.
“Keep your voice down.”
“Oh my God.”
“Sarah.”
“You slept with Damian Blackwood?”
“Please.”
She covered her mouth.
“I'm sorry.”
I shook my head.
“It was a mistake.”
“Do you regret it?”
I thought about the hotel room.
“No.”
She stared at me.
“That's worse.”
I laughed despite myself.
“Don't tell anyone.”
“I won't.”
She squeezed my arm.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
I smiled.
“I'll be fine.”
That afternoon, I was sitting at my desk when a wave of nausea hit me.
I pushed my chair back.
“Excuse me.”
I barely made it to the restroom.
I knelt beside the sink, breathing slowly.
When I finally stood, I splashed water on my face.
The smell of someone's perfume made my stomach turn again.
I closed my eyes.
“Not now.”
I returned to my desk.
My assistant had left a coffee beside my laptop.
I moved it away immediately.
The smell suddenly made me sick.
I stared at it.
Something felt wrong.
I opened my calendar.
Then my phone.
I counted.
Once.
Twice.
My period was late.
I sat very still.
“No.”
I checked the dates again.
My fingers started shaking.
I opened my bag.
Then closed it.
I couldn't think.
I grabbed my coat.
The pharmacy was crowded.
I stood in front of the shelves for almost five minutes before finally picking up a pregnancy test.
At the counter, the cashier scanned it.
“Anything else?”
“No.”
I paid and left.
Back in my apartment, I placed the box on the bathroom counter.
I stared at it.
“You're being ridiculous,” I whispered.
I opened the instructions.
My hands were shaking so badly I had to read them twice.
Then I waited.
One line.
I breathed.
Another line appeared.
I stopped breathing.
“No.”
I picked it up.
Looked again.
Two lines.
I sank onto the closed toilet seat.
My eyes filled with tears.
I pressed one hand against my stomach.
There was nothing to feel.
Nothing had changed.
And yet everything had changed.
My phone rang.
I looked at the screen.
Damian.
I couldn't answer.
The phone stopped.
Then a message appeared.
Damian: We need to talk about last night.
I stared at the message.
My thumb hovered over the screen.
Then another message arrived.
Damian: I don't want things to be strange between us.
A tear slipped down my cheek.
I looked at the pregnancy test in my other hand.
“Too late,” I whispered.
I had spent the entire week worrying about my father's company.
About Damian.
About the deal.
About one night I had promised myself meant nothing.
Now I had a bigger problem.
And Damian Blackwood was going to be a father.
The phone rang again.
This time, I answered.
“Hello?”
“Amelia?”
I couldn't speak.
“Are you there?”
I closed my eyes.
“Damian…”
“What's wrong?”
I looked down at the test.
My voice came out barely above a whisper.
“I'm pregnant.”
Silence.
Then I heard him breathe.
“What?”
I swallowed.
“I'm pregnant.”
He didn't answer.
Neither did I.
For the first time since I met Damian Blackwood, I had nothing to argue about.
Because there was no argument left.
There was only the truth.
And neither of us was prepared for what came next.
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