Page 42 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

She cut me off, pointing to the results at the bottom of the paper. “Look, this is real. Let's sit down and talk about it, and figure things out.”

This time, I looked at the slight bulge of her stomach again and thought about the tiny human growing inside. I couldn’t ignore the sudden tightness in my throat at the possibility of this reality.

A baby—an actual tiny human that could be mine.

My mind raced, and my ears rang.

If what Reeva said was true, not only would I have a son or daughter depending on me, but my ex-girlfriend would also become entangled in my life again as the mother of my child. I despised the very thought of being linked to Reeva. She, on the other hand, looked the exact opposite.

Her eyes gleamed with a mixture of triumph and doubt, not the turmoil I felt.

“Anton, I know you’ll do the right thing.”

Her words echoed in my brain like a ricocheting bullet—the right thing.

“My family is conservative, and I can’t have a baby if I’m not married,” she continued, her voice pleading.

A sharp mirthless laugh suddenly escaped me. Of course, this was her plan all along. How could I not see the big picture? Date, move in, have a baby. But the biggest prize of all was marriage to me.

“Our relationship has been over for months, Reeva. If the baby is truly mine, I will take care of him or her, but we’re not getting back together.”

Her face fell. “But—”

“Goodbye.” I backed into my apartment and shut the door.

I was surprised she didn’t immediately start ringing my doorbell again. I leaned my forehead against the door, suddenly drained of all energy.

A baby?

I had just started getting back to feeling normal after the scare with my father. I was even contemplating a future with someone for the first time. Oh, heck…what would this mean for my growing relationship with Celia if Reeva was actually telling the truth?

How could Reeva have gotten a hold of my DNA to have a lab run any tests?

I staggered to the living room and sank onto the couch, silently praying that this was all an elaborate scheme plotted by Reeva, one that would soon unravel and reveal her lies. I had never been very religious, but now, I needed God to hear me. I wasn't ready for a child, especially not a child with Reeva.

I took a deep, calming breath. It didn’t help. I doubted I would be able to go back to sleep with this untenable situation plaguing my mind. This was the last thing I could ever wish for anyone, especially when they were finally getting to know someone they were interested in.

Chapter fifteen

Celia

Since Anton and I had started dating, I found myself making excuses to visit his office as often as I could. My heart soared like a helium-filled balloon whenever we were together. Whether it was a question about the Aiko Osaka case or something trivial, I would go to his office to ask in person, even though I could’ve called or emailed.

He didn’t mind my frequent visits. On the contrary, his eyes lit up, and a grin spread across his face whenever I walked in, arms full of documents for a “quick question” that hardly required a face-to-face meeting.

We often ended up chatting far longer than necessary, stifling our laughter to keep from disturbing Olivia, whose desk was outside Anton’s office. When I left, I left with a lighter heart and an extra bounce in my step.

If Olivia suspected anything beyond work, she didn’t show it. Each time I arrived, she would subtly nod toward Anton’s door,letting me know he was inside, and I was free to enter. She was discreet like that.

Today, her smile broadened as she looked up from her desk. “Wow, Celia, did you do something new with your hair?”

I touched the curls framing my face, a nervous smile playing on my lips. “Just curled it.”

“Well, it suits you,” she said, her eyes twinkling. She then nodded toward the door. “He’s in.”

My hairstyle had been constant, a simple bun at the nape of my neck. But since arriving in New York, Maddison had suggested I change it several times. So, today, I let her style it. I couldn’t deny, I secretly wanted to see Anton’s reaction. Would he like it? I was about to find out.

The door was slightly ajar, and I could hear Anton’s agitated voice as he spoke on the phone. I hesitated, unsure if I should enter during such a tense conversation. He usually didn’t mind me coming in without knocking, but now it didn't seem right, given the tension in his voice. Olivia caught my hesitant stance.

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