Page 62 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

Maddison sat beside me. “Celia, you’re scaring me. What happened?”

I couldn’t speak through my tears. They poured out of me until the deluge finally turned to a trickle. I sniffed back the remaining tears, feeling like a fool. I felt embarrassed about breaking down like that over such a silly thing. But it hadn’t really been the image of Anton with a child that triggered it. It was everything that had happened since I arrived here.

“I’m going home. I’m not in a celebratory mood anymore,” I said, standing and walking back through the amusement park.

“Celia,” Maddison called out.

When I looked back at her, the questions were all marked in her eyes. She was worried about me. The crying had taken such an emotional and physical toll that I didn’t have the strength or the will for a long walk, so we took a taxi back to the apartment instead. Maddison sat silently beside me throughout the ride.

By the time we got home, I felt a bit calmer, though my eyes were puffy, and a mild headache was beginning to throb at my temples.

Maddison put water in the kettle for tea. I sat on a stool at the counter and told her about my conversation with Anton. She wrapped me in a hug, her familiar cinnamon-scented hand lotion comforting.

“Now, how do you feel about your plan to become a top lawyer, setting aside marriage and children?” my cousin asked.

“I-I….”

“I know you, Celia. I don’t know what happened in law school, but you were never a pencil skirt, stilettos, platinum hair type of person–which is the picture of those high-performing lawyers that you want to be like.”

“I’m not—”

“Just the shoes you bought for work and ended up not wearing because they were so uncomfortable are proof,” Maddy cut me off. “Look…the way Anton likes you, I have a feeling he likes this simple Celia. And he’ll be thirty-four this year, Celia. He would want to have children soon....”

Her words hit me so deeply.

Another wave of tears threatened to fall as I realized that I was more heartbroken over my situation with Anton more than Reeva cheating him with a child that wasn’t his. I should have at least tried to explain to him what was going on in my head instead of asking us to stop seeing each other.

“All I’m saying is, be you, Celia. Revive those dreams we had growing up.”

Maddison gave me a hot cup of green tea, which helped to soothe my headache. Then, I went straight to bed. Memories of Anton’s eyes were the last thing I remembered seeing before I fell asleep.

Chapter twenty-four

Anton

On Friday, my father had a follow-up appointment with the cardiologist. The doctor reviewed his vitals, conducted several tests, and concluded that although his heart was still fragile, he was out of danger as long he followed the medical recommendations and took his medications.

I was amazed at his swift recovery, especially when I remembered how pale he’d looked after surgery less than a month ago. Now, he almost seemed like his old self, just a little slower and more careful getting around.

I joined my parents for lunch at their estate. It was amusing to watch how my father responded to my mother fussing over him. She would put something on his plate, and he would push it aside with his fork, and so on. He told us that the first thing he asked the doctors when he woke up from the procedure was how we were doing.

Johan then accused him of trying to ditch our mother for some peace and quiet, and he laughed—a slow rumble, which was agood sign to us. Our mother leaned into his shoulder, joining in the laughter.

Though I never would’ve wished for my father to suffer this health crisis, it had brought us closer together as a family. It felt good to have this renewed connection with my parents. We all lived such busy lives that we rarely saw each other, even though we lived in the same county. But I was determined to do better in that regard from now on.

“Anton….” My mother’s voice stopped me on my way out.

I turned back to her. “Yes?”

“I was thinking…. your father has been through a lot lately. We should have a little celebration for him this coming weekend.” She looked happy at that prospect, her eyes sparkled, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips, as if already envisioning the gathering.

I furrowed my brow. “Do you think a party is a good idea? Too much stress could cause a setback.”

She shook her head, but not in disagreement. “I’m sure you’re right. It’s been a month since the blood clot removal, though, and I was thinking of a nice, quiet dinner with just a few people. Not a big, noisy party.”

I sighed with relief.

“We would only invite the most important people in your father’s life. You should bring that girl we met at the hospital.”

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