Page 85 of Secret Baby for my Off-Limits Fiancé

"Of course. Just a business deal, right?"

For a moment, he doesn’t respond.

I feel his stare, heavy and unreadable.

Something flickers in his expression, something unspoken, lingering between us.

Our gazes lock, and for a second, I feel the weight of everything we’re not saying.

Then, finally, he lets out a quiet chuckle. "Right. Yeah. Of course."

And just like that, the invisible wall between us gets even higher.

“You don’t have to tell Vincent, I know how confusing this could be for him.”

His concern for Vincent almost makes me smile.

Almost.

But deep down, guilt claws at me.

When do I tell Valentino the truth?

Every time I plan to do it, something stops me.

And now, with this fake engagement, I’m sinking deeper into a lie I don’t know how to escape.

I force myself to nod. “Sure. We can do this at the dinner.”

Valentino studies me carefully, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Layla… you’re okay with this, right?”

"Of course."

A lie.

***

That night, the guilt is unbearable.

After putting Vincent to sleep, I stand in the doorway of his room, watching him breathe.

His tiny chest rises and falls, his little fingers curled around his stuffed elephant. He is still warm at times, and gets tired easily, but there is nothing too serious that I should rush to a doctor.

This is just me being an overprotective mother. Especially now with Valentino back in our lives.

As my eyes stay on the most important person in my life, I ache.

When do I tell him?

I’ve been telling myself all the clichés.Soon. When the timing is right. When things settle down. When I can find the words.

But when will that be? What if I’m too late? What if the moment never comes?

What if I keep pretending, just like I did today?

Valentino says we’re good actors. I don’t feel like one. I feel like a coward.

I close my eyes, gripping the doorframe.

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