The CEO's Secret Baby

CHAPTER 4

She sat in the cold light of morning, the events of the night before replaying in her mind like a broken record. Daniel's words rang out true, each one reaching further than the last. You are not someone I trust. She looked out the window, the city was alive below her, but she could find no place within her for that; she was lost in the suffocating strain of their fight.

She massaged her temples, trying to ease the pull there, but it only seemed to ache more. She wasn't abnormal in dealing with Daniel's standoffishness, but last night had been different. He had crossed a line, and no amount of defence could cover his treatment of her.

Her phone buzzed beside her and she turned to the screen. From Oliver, a note.

Is it okay if we talk?

Emily's heart had skipped a beat. She had not expected to hear from him so soon. She sent a short text in return, and within minutes, he was at her door.

"Oliver," she said, smiling wryly as she let him in.

His tone was so grave, miles away from the smoothness to which she was accustomed. "Emily, something's come up. I didn't want to dump this on you just now, but you need to know about this."

Her stomach twisted with his tone. "What is it? This concerns Daniel, doesn't it?

Oliver nodded, but his eyes held something else that hastened her heart. "It's bigger than just Daniel here. Mainly after last night, I did some digging to try and see why he's been acting so aloof and standoffish.

Emily began to straighten her neck. "And? "asked

"He has been hiding something from you. something big.

The air grew thick with the hammering of Emily's heart. "What are you meant to mean?"

Oliver handed her a folder, his voice firm. "It was tough to find, but Daniel has been acting suspiciously. Transactions that don't make sense. Then. this is what exists.

Emily opened the folder shaking hands and stared at the content of it. Her eyes turned big in utter unbelief. Inside were records—legal documents, financial reports, and. photographs. Snapshots of Daniel, not just with a woman but also by his lonesome. a woman she didn't know whatsoever.

Whispering her voice, turning the photos over, she uttered, "I don't comprehend." "Who is She?"

Oliver's face turned black. She moves underneath Ava. She has been linked to Daniel for the past few months. Slow. gentle. And though no one knew about her, she is more than just a business partner.

Emily's heart skipped a beat. "You're saying he's been fooling around on me? Still.

Oliver quickly said, "I'm not saying that." But Emily, this is more than an affair. Daniel's been helping her get riskier but worthwhile investments. This is a lot of money, and if anything went wrong, what he has built might come tumbling.

Emily stared at the photos while her hands were shaking. Suddenly, it all became too much to understand: the baby, Daniel changing direction, and now this? "Why didn't he tell me?"

Oliver's jaws clenched. "Because he thinks no one else is worthy of trust. He has been keeping this from you and others. You're stuck in the middle because he has been playing a dangerous game.

Emily did not budge, but her mind flew. She wanted to believe Daniel had kept everything for a reason, that this was more than what it seemed. But the proof was right in front of her. All that time sucking her deeper into the web of lies, the guy she thought she knew had been lying to her.

Her voice barely audible, she said, "I need to confront him."

Emily, be careful. Calling him out now will only escalate the situation. Desperate men do desperate things. He is desperate."

But she was already on her way, filled with determination. She just could not let this go on any longer. She had questions, and Daniel was the only one who had the qualifications to answer them for her.

With her heart racing, Emily stepped out of Daniel's office and pressed the intercom button. Firm of voice, even while a storm was building inside, she declared, "I need to speak with Mr Sterling."

Minutes later, the door opened, and in came Daniel-as cold and impermeable as ever-still fluttering, it seemed, from something else. Did one feel guilt? Or was it merely rage?

"Emily," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "What is this you're working on here?"

She stepped into the office and noiselessly closed the door behind her. "We need to talk."

Daniel slouched against his desk and crossed his arms. "About what??"

She let the folder fall between them on the desk. "this."

His eyes snapped down to the open folder, his demeanour unchanged, but she felt the slightest tensing of his jaw. "Where did you find this?"

Soft of voice, she asked, "Does it make a difference?" "Why didn't you tell me about her? Regarding Ava?

Daniel went dark in his eyes. "That's not what you think."

"Really?" Emily's voice shook with anger. "From where I stand, it would appear you have been concealing so much more than trust issues. You've been lying to Daniel here. I felt all this time that we might work things out, that maybe you still loved the baby. Now, however.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Daniel said, his voice rising. This doesn't have anything to do with you.

Doesn't have anything to do with me? Emily's voice went brittle with incredulity. "Everything you do affects Daniel, here. Anything.

Daniel shoved himself back from the desk, raking a frustrated hand over his hair. I was trying to protect you, so I didn't tell you.

" Protect me?" Emily snickered. "Is that what you call this? Lying to me here? Keeping me in the dark while you negotiate dangerous deals behind my back?

"You don't understand," Daniel snapped. "Ava. she's involved in something bigger. Something I had to deal with myself.

And you trusted that I couldn't take care of it? You trusted that I wasn't worthy of knowing?

Daniel's silence spoke volumes. He had never trusted her with his love, not with his secrets, and today not even with the truth.

Emily gasped shakily; her voice a little above a whisper. "What else are you not sharing, Daniel?"

For a while, Daniel watched her, his expression heavy in battle from within, where all the struggle was at the extent of revelation. His voice, finally coming out low and deadly, spoke.

"Emily, you know less about what's at stake here. All I have been trying to build gets lost once this contract goes through. Involving us.

Use"? For a long time, Daniel, there hasn't been an "us." You made sure to tell me that.

Passion knotted in her chest, she turned to leave. But Daniel's words caught her dead cold as her hand reached the door.

" Emily, back up. You need to know something else, too.

Her heart racing in her chest, she froze as her fingers hovered over the doorknob.

"There's a reason I've been keeping you at a distance," Daniel said in a strained voice. "Ava. she is not just a business associate. I lost everything once before for her.

Emily's blood froze. Her head whirling with questions, she turned slowly to meet him. "What are you meant to mean?"

Daniel fixed his eyes on hers, and she felt actual terror there for the first time.

"Ava is not what she seems. And if she gets her way, she's going to destroy us both.

Emily went cold, Daniel's words swirling in her head as if the room was revolving. She tried, lamely, to reach for an understanding of what he just said. Ava was a monster, not some other woman who lived with Daniel. How? And why?

The door slid open before she could ask, and Ava herself was standing in the gateway.

Her mouth opened on a chilly grin. "I see Daniel's informed you about me.

The suspense in the room blew with Emily's heart thumping in her chest. A sparkle in her eyes with malevolent purpose and she could feel danger oozing from Ava.

"What are you doing here? " Daniel insisted steering in front of Emily as if to protect her.

Ava's smile broadened and then she fixed her gaze on Emily. "Oh, I think it's about time we had a little chat. Don't you?

Emily's breath caught as she felt the weight of her predicament-between Ava, the woman who had sworn to take away everything she still had, and Daniel, the man who had betrayed the trust she had placed in him. And in that instant, there was only one thing Emily knew as Ava drew near: