Secrets Between Them
1253 Words
Sophia barely slept that night.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Noah standing in the company garden while Liam smiled at him.
“You remind me of the daddy my mommy never talks about.”
Those innocent words kept echoing in her mind.
She had spent three years protecting the truth.
One careless moment had almost destroyed everything.
The next morning, she helped Liam get ready for daycare.
He happily stuffed his favorite dinosaur into his backpack.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Is the nice man coming back?”
Sophia froze.
“What nice man?”
“The man who found me.”
She forced a smile.
“I don’t know.”
“I like him.”
Her heart tightened.
“I’m glad he was kind to you.”
Liam nodded.
“He smiled just like me.”
Sophia quickly looked away before he could notice the tears gathering in her eyes.
After dropping Liam off, she drove to Carter Holdings.
The moment she stepped inside the office, she knew something was wrong.
People stopped talking when she walked past.
Several employees looked at her before whispering to each other.
One woman quickly lowered her phone.
Sophia frowned.
“What happened?”
Her assistant looked uncomfortable.
“There are… rumors.”
“What kind of rumors?”
Before the woman could answer, Sophia’s phone buzzed.
It was a message from Ethan.
Call me as soon as you can.
Another message appeared from her coworker.
Have you seen social media?
Confused, Sophia opened the link.
Her breath caught.
Someone had uploaded several photos from yesterday’s family event.
One picture showed Noah holding Liam’s hand.
Another showed Noah kneeling beside the little boy near the fountain.
The final photo showed Sophia running toward them before hugging Liam.
The headline underneath read:
Billionaire CEO Noah Bennett Secretly Starts a Family?
Thousands of comments filled the screen.
“They look like a happy family.”
“Is that his son?”
“Why are they hiding their relationship?”
Sophia felt sick.
“This can’t be happening.”
She immediately hurried toward the executive floor.
At the same moment, Noah walked out of the elevator.
His expression was just as serious.
“I’ve seen the pictures,” he said quietly.
“So have I.”
“They’re everywhere.”
She rubbed her forehead.
“Liam didn’t ask for this.”
“I know.”
Richard suddenly stepped out of the conference room.
“Both of you. Inside.”
His voice left no room for argument.
The door closed behind them.
Richard placed a tablet on the table.
News websites filled the screen.
Investors were already asking questions.
“Our phones haven’t stopped ringing,” Richard said.
“The media believes Noah has been hiding a family.”
Sophia swallowed hard.
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“Unfortunately, the public doesn’t care.”
Noah remained calm.
“What do you suggest?”
Richard looked between them.
“The Horizon City project depends on public trust.”
Sophia already knew she wasn’t going to like his answer.
“For now, neither of you will comment.”
She nodded.
“Fine.”
Richard continued.
“You’ll continue working together exactly as planned.”
After the meeting ended, Sophia hurried back to her office.
She closed the door and leaned against it.
Her hands were shaking.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
“Come in.”
Ethan walked inside carrying two cups of coffee.
“I figured you needed this.”
She accepted one with a weak smile.
“Thank you.”
He sat across from her.
“I saw the news.”
“So did everyone else.”
“You okay?”
She laughed bitterly.
“Not really.”
Ethan studied her carefully.
“Do you think Noah knows?”
“No.”
“And Liam?”
“He doesn’t understand any of this.”
Ethan reached across the desk and gently squeezed her hand.
“You don’t have to face this alone.”
Before Sophia could answer, someone knocked again.
Vanessa Hale entered without waiting.
She smiled politely.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Sophia immediately pulled her hand away from Ethan’s.
“What do you need?”
Vanessa looked around the office.
“I just wanted to introduce myself properly.”
Sophia didn’t believe that for a second.
Vanessa’s eyes briefly landed on Ethan before returning to Sophia.
“The internet certainly has interesting ideas.”
Sophia crossed her arms.
“If you came here to gossip, you’re wasting your time.”
Vanessa laughed softly.
“Oh, I never believe rumors.”
She paused.
“I prefer facts.”
Something about the way she said those words made Sophia uneasy.
After Vanessa left, Ethan frowned.
“I don’t trust her.”
“Neither do I.”
Across the building, Vanessa stepped into the parking garage.
She pulled out her phone.
“I need everything you can find on Sophia Carter.”
She listened for a moment.
“Especially the little boy.”
She ended the call with a satisfied smile.
“If she’s hiding a secret,” she whispered, “I’ll be the one to expose it.”
Meanwhile, Noah stood alone inside his office.
The photographs remained open on his computer screen.
He zoomed in on the picture of Liam.
The little boy looked so familiar.
His smile. His eyes.
Even the way he tilted his head.
Noah couldn’t explain why it bothered him so much.
A knock sounded.
Mason entered carrying another folder.
“You’ve been staring at those pictures for twenty minutes.”
Noah looked away.
“I know.”
“The media will calm down.”
“I’m not worried about the media.”
Mason raised an eyebrow.
“Then what?”
Noah leaned back in his chair.
“I keep thinking about that little boy.”
“Liam?”
“Yes.”
“What about him?”
Noah hesitated.
“I feel like I’ve met him before.”
“You only saw him yesterday.”
“I know.”
“But every time I look at him…”
He stopped speaking.
Mason waited.
“…it feels like I’m looking at someone I’m supposed to know.”
Mason didn’t answer.
Instead, he quietly placed a file on the desk.
“I asked around like you wanted.”
Noah opened it.
Inside were basic details about Sophia’s career.
Awards, projects, professional achievements.
Nothing about her personal life. Nothing about Liam.
Almost as if someone had carefully erased every trace.
Noah slowly closed the folder.
“This isn’t enough.”
“What are you going to do?”
He looked through the office window toward Carter Holdings.
“I’m going to ask Sophia myself.”
That evening, Sophia arrived at the daycare to pick up Liam.
The little boy ran into her arms.
She held him tighter than usual.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you sad?”
She kissed his forehead.
“I’m just tired.”
He smiled and wrapped his tiny arms around her neck.
“I’ll always make you happy.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“You already do.”
As she carried him toward the car, she had no idea that a man with a camera was watching from across the street.
He snapped several photographs of her and Liam before making a phone call.
“I found them,” he said.
“The little boy is definitely the key.”
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