My Ex-CEO's Secret Heirs

Emma Carter stared at the email on her computer screen, her fingers frozen above the keyboard. Mandatory Staff Meeting — 9:00 A.M. Attendance Required. She let out a quiet sigh. Mondays were already exhausting enough without surprise meetings. "Emma!" Lily hurried over to her desk, unable to hide her excitement. "Have you heard? The new CEO is finally coming today." Emma didn't even look up from her laptop. "So?" Lily rolled her eyes dramatically. "So? He's young, ridiculously handsome, and already made Forbes' Top 30 Business Leaders. Half the women in this office are already fixing their makeup." Emma chuckled. "I came here to work, not to admire CEOs." If only she knew. At exactly nine o'clock, every employee gathered inside the conference hall. The room buzzed with whispers and anticipation. Emma deliberately stood near the back, hoping the meeting would end quickly. She glanced at her watch. Five more hours. If she was late again, the two little people waiting for her at daycare would definitely cross their tiny arms and refuse to talk to her. The thought brought a small smile to her lips. They were the reason she had survived the past four years. Then... The room fell silent. The conference room doors opened. A tall man walked in wearing a perfectly tailored black suit. Every step he took radiated quiet authority. His expression remained calm. Cold. Unreadable. He didn't need to raise his voice to command the room. Everyone was already watching him. Emma's smile slowly disappeared. No... It couldn't be. Her heartbeat stopped for a second. Adrian Blackwood. The man she had spent four years trying to forget. The man who had once promised her forever. The man she left without a single explanation. He stopped at the front of the room. "Good morning." His deep voice echoed through the hall. "I'm Adrian Blackwood." "The new CEO of Blackwood Group." Applause filled the room. Emma couldn't hear any of it. Her hands were trembling beneath the folder she held tightly against her chest. Please... Don't recognize me. Don't look at me. Not today. Adrian's sharp gaze slowly swept across the room. Professional. Calm. Detached. Until... His eyes stopped. On her. Time seemed to freeze. His expression changed ever so slightly. For the first time since entering the room... The CEO looked genuinely shocked. "...Emma?" Every memory she had spent years burying came crashing back. The promises. The tears. The night she walked away carrying a secret he never knew. Emma forced herself to lower her gaze. "Good morning, Mr. Blackwood." Her voice was calm. Professional. As if they had never fallen in love. Adrian's jaw tightened. The atmosphere became unbearably tense. No one understood why the new CEO had suddenly gone silent. After a long moment, Adrian finally spoke. "... Meeting dismissed." The employees quickly began leaving the room. Emma turned immediately, hoping to disappear before he could stop her. "Ms. Carter." She froze. Without turning around, she closed her eyes for a brief second. "... My office."