The CEO's Secret Baby

CHAPTER 5

Emily's pulse beat in her ears when Ava entered the room, her shoes clicking angrily on the gleaming floor. She radiated a terrible confidence, one that made Emily shiver. With his eyes closed and his body taut, Daniel stood straight in front of her like a human wall.

Daniel snipped, his voice low and menacing, "I didn't invite you here." Ava grinned, her eyes blazing with laughter. "Oh, Daniel still underlines your control. How cute. Emily closed her hands into fists at her sides. She held her ground even though every instinct urged her to flee and get as far away from this lady as she could. She was not going to let terror govern her. Not now.

"I believe it's time we let certain things get public. You agree?" As Ava sauntered closer, her voice was sickly sweet, fixed on Emily. "You need to know the truth about Daniel."Though Emily's breath seized in her throat, she was unable to reveal frailty. Not

directly in front of Ava. "What truth?" asks with closed fists, Daniel moves forward. "Stop Ava, she says. You are clueless about what you are doing.

"Oh,

I know exactly what I'm doing," she said, purging. "Do you?" is the question here. She turned her head back to Emily and smiled broadly. "Did he ever explain our meeting?"

Emily's gaze jumped between them, a terrible sensation wriggling in her belly. Her voice scarcely a whisper, she shook her head slowly. Not sure. Daniel's mouth constricted, but Ava interrupted before he could do anything, her voice tinged with joy. "Of course, he didn't. Then you would know the truth about the sort of guy he is.

Emily choked hard, her head whirling. "Just say it." The grin of Ava turned into something sinister. We were not just business partners. Daniel and I used to be in love. He said I was the only one who could manage the demands of his environment and who understood him. Daniel's face becomes twisted with wrath. That is enough. Ava did not stop, but, her eyes shining with hate, she moved towards Emily. "He took advantage of me, much like he is currently manipulating you. He left me nothing when things became hard and when his enterprise collapsed. Nor a farewell, nor a justification. I just... left.

Emily felt her tummy turn around. She could not look at Daniel, to see the truth in his eyes. Her eyes stayed riveted on Ava as if she were looking at a coiling serpent. "And now?" Ava went on, her voice kind yet biting. "He aims to treat you the same way. Like he did to me, he will utilize you until you are no longer handy then discard you.

Daniel stepped forward, his voice deadly calm. That is untrue. Emily, pay no attention to her—" Emily's head whirled, her sight fogging. She ran out of air. The walls closing in the room made it stifling. Was Ava presenting the truth? Could Daniel act with such savagery? She recalled all the lies, the distance, the secrets he hid from her, and a terrible ache cutting at her chest.

Her voice shaking, she at last turned to Daniel. Is it indeed? Though Daniel's gaze softened, there was harshness. "It's not that simple." Emily's heart fell. Not that basic was just another means of expressing yes. Ava laughed softly, bitterness mixed throughout. "See; He never will give you the whole narrative. Like he did with me, he will keep you in the dark.

"Enough!."

Emily flounced as Daniel's voice roared. Though it was obvious now, his wrath was not focused on Ava. His eyes ablaze with passion, he moved towards Emily. "You are not grasping what is going on here. Ava... She is controlling you.

“Me?”

Ava pretended innocence by arching an eyebrow. "I guess I'm simply telling her the reality you were too much of a coward to acknowledge." Emily felt as if a weight was dragging down her chest. She sank. She could not move even though she wanted to scream and run away from the stifling tension between them. Every phrase, every insight seemed like more damage to her already delicate universe.

Daniel softened his voice and grabbed for her. "Please pay me some attention, Emily. I never intended to harm you. I was meant to be shielding you.

Emily staggered back. Her body shook. "Protect me? Over this whole period, you have been lying to me. You have been hiding things; now, you want me to just believe you? "I wasn't lying—that is not what I was doing.

"You weren't giving me the truth," Emily said, cutting him off with genuine emotional intensity. "Daniel, there is a difference. One major one. Ava nodded and folded her arms."Looks like your little fairy tale is collapsing. Tears distorted Emily's view. She was astounded she had been so stupid to assume Daniel could be the man she wanted him to be, so blind. She had been living in

fiction, and just now that illusion was collapsing all around her.

Emily said, "I'm done," her voice breaking. "I cannot continue to do this."Daniel's eyes opened, terror blazing over his face. Emily, wait—also known as…Her mind whirled with ideas she couldn't grasp, she was already moving—heading for the door. Though chilly and insulting, Ava's laughter rang behind her and she didn't give a damn. She had to flee the dream her life had become and breathe. Daniel's voice halted her one more time as she arrived at the door. "You know something else not known." Emily stopped her hand lingering above the handle. She waited; her heart thumping in her chest; she turned not around.

Daniel spoke softly and with difficulty. "I kept you at a distance and didn't tell you anything because I didn't want you to feel harmed." Emily tightened her chest and closed her eyes. "I'm already damaged, Daniel."

"Emily, wait—." Desperate in his voice, Daniel knew it was too late. She wrenched open the door, then went out slamming it behind her. She continued to walk till she left the building; the chilly air slapped her cheeks. Her head whirled with uncertainty and betrayal as her chest shook with tears. But something else snapped into place as she stood on the pavement panting for air. Not only Daniel had been hiding secrets; others had too. She too has had. Things would only grow worse if she failed to come clean or disclose the truth about her pregnancy.

Still, the question begged: could she trust him with the truth after everything he had done?

Daniel stood still back inside, his heart thumping in his chest. His head racing, he ran a hand over his hair. He had not intended for events to spin out of hand like this. He had not intended to offend Emily.

Ava had always been a virtuoso at flipping things upside down, so now Emily doubted him more than ever. Ava smugly leaned against the desk. "That went effectively." Daniel pointed at her, fire burning in his eyes. Ava, you have gone beyond the queue.

Ava's grin didn't waver. "Oh, Daniel, be not so theatrical. I'm just starting now. Daniel's jaw contracted. It is not a game here. Ava became black in her gaze. Indeed, "Isn't it"?

He fixed her, his body stiffening every muscle. He had believed he could handle things, and keep Emily safe, but just now everything was spiralling out of control. And Ava presided over it all from the centre.

Ava did not know, however, what she could never know—that he was not the only one hiding secrets. One card remained for him to use; it was a secret that would destroy her just as she had devastated him.

He just had to learn how to make use of it before everything he cared about vanished permanently. Her phone buzzed in her pocket as Emily staggered through the downtown streets. Her heart lurching as she saw the message, she peered at the screen.

We must discuss. It relates to Ava. It came from neither Daniel nor me. Someone else sent it. Someone with knowledge beyond her imagination.