My child.
No, our child.
A smile blooms on my face, and when Ethan walks in, he studies me. “Why’re you smiling?”
“I was just thinking of the furniture we’ll have to get. A crib, a stroller, toys. We’ll have to get so many toys. And clothes.”
He sits down beside me. “This is the first time I’ve seen you excited over the baby. I’m glad. I was starting to wonder if you regretted it?—”
“I don’t,” I say abruptly. “Not our baby. I won’t ever regret this child. No matter what. This baby is mine, my family.”
When he doesn’t respond, I look at him, and I suck in a breath. Ethan’s smiling at me, a soft smile that I’ve never seen him wear.
“Neither do I,” he says quietly. “I don’t regret our baby, Natalie. If anything, this child is one of the most precious gifts I could ever receive.”
His hand wraps around mine, playing with my fingers. “If you’re not happy with this apartment, we can move somewhere else. I only got this place because it was convenient. There was no other reason, so I have no attachment. If you want to get a house in the suburbs with a yard, I can arrange it.”
“There’s nothing wrong with this apartment, Ethan,” I hurry to reassure him. “I’m perfectly happy here.”
“Are you?” He searches my gaze. “Are you happy here?”
Behind the intent look in his eyes, I see something else, an emotion that makes me tighten my hands around his. “I’m happy. This is my choice, remember? A new start.”
I recall what Sarah said to me, and given how he seems so ready to put everything at my feet, I feel humbled and overwhelmed at the same time. “I’m happy, Ethan. The past has no place between us. I mean it.”
Letting go of past grievances is difficult, but I’m beginning to learn if I don’t let go of them, I might let my happiness slip right past me.
“Let’s stay here.” I smile at him. “I’m fine with how things are at the moment.”
His expression flickers. “If you say so.”
As he walks away from me to go shower, I wonder if I imagined the hesitance in his eyes.
Returning to work feels strange,but walking down the familiar halls makes me breathe easier.
I don’t know who is more relieved to see me: Layla or Vanessa.
“Miss Thorne!” As soon as my assistant sees me, she throws herself out of her chair, leaping at me. “You’re finally back!”
Layla is known to be very professional, so when she hugs me, I stand in frozen shock. “What’s happening?”
“Sorry.” She squeezes me once more before letting me go. When she steps back, I see the sheen of tears in her eyes. “Please, never leave again.”
“What happened?” I ask, startled.
“Nothing.” She shakes her head, wiping her eyes. “I forgot how easy it is to work under you.”
“Vanessa is good at her job. I personally recommended her.” I frown, puzzled. Ethan never told me that there were any problems in the HR Department.
“I am.” Vanessa Taylor steps out of her office. “But I cannot work with a CEO who can’t stand me. Sorry, Natalie. Mr. Wilder is an incredibly hard man to please. And I’ve worked with difficult bosses. This one’s a tyrant.”
“Ethan?” I gape at her.
I’ve seen first hand how Ethan looks after his employees. “Sure, he’s a little strict, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a tyrant.”
Vanessa just sighs. “I’m just happy you’re back. When you called me last week, I reached out to another prospective employer. I start next week. I’ve handed everything over to your assistant. I was just waiting for you to arrive so I could hand over the keys to you before I left.”
“You’re not going to stay today?” I ask.
