Page 100 of My Big, Fat, Secret Billionaire Baby

“Okay, showtime,” I murmur, shifting Mia slightly so I can grab the receiver. I meet Sabrina’s eyes. She gives me a small, almost imperceptiblenod.

We got this.

“Mark,” I say into the phone, injecting confidence I only half feel.

“Leo,” Balinski’s voice is cool, cautious. “Wanted to discuss the… situation. You understand why we pulled out, don’t you?”

Here we go. Time to sell the narrative. “Absolutely, Mark. The optics weren’t ideal.” I glance at Sabrina, who subtly gestures for me to keep going. “But let me be clear. My recovery is ahead of schedule. My focus on the firm has never been stronger. And as for my daughter…” I look down at Mia, who is now trying to eat my collar. “…she’s reinforced my commitment to building a stable, lasting legacy. If anything, this has sharpened my focus, not diluted it.” I echo the key messages Sabrina prepped me on.

Spin it positive. Frame it as enhanced responsibility.

Balinski is quiet for a moment. “Glad to hear that, Leo. We’ve always valued your… aggressive approach. But I’m sure you understand... unforeseen variables create uncertainty.”

“I totally understand,” I say smoothly. “Which is why we’re not just reacting, we’re being proactive. We’ve engagedadditional, specialized crisis management counselto augment our existing team and develop a comprehensive communications strategy focused on transparency and long-term stability.”

Standard corporate deflection.

Any other situation, I’d name the firm. Show we brought in heavy hitters.

But naming Sabrina Taylor? Right now? With the tabloids practically drawing arrows between us and Mia? It screams conflict of interest. Screams ‘billionaire hired his baby mama to clean up his mess’.

To quote Sabrina, this is bad optics. Fucking terrible optics.

She already asked to resign. Asked me to hire someone else to handle this.

But I couldn’t do it.

I don’t trust anyone else to handle this clusterfuck.

The last three agencies were useless clowns. She actually gets it. She’s sharp, strategic, and despite everything, fucking good at her job.

And maybe... maybe part of mewantshernavigating this,wantsher insight,wantsher close, even if it breaks every goddamn rule of professional detachment and crisis PR 101.

Fuck the plausible deniability.

I needherspecifically, even if I can’t tell Balinski that.

“The focus remains squarely on the firm’s performance and my unwavering commitment to our partners,” I continue. “My recovery is solid, Mark, and frankly, recent personal developments have only strengthened my resolve regarding the firm’s future legacy.”

Balinski is quiet for a moment. “Additional counsel? Who did you bring in?”

He’s testing me... seeing if I’ll name someone specific. Like Sabrina.

Sneaky fucker.

“A boutique firm with deep expertise in high-profile reputation repair, particularly navigating complex personal narratives impacting corporate stability,” I reply, keeping it general but authoritative.Across from me, Sabrina subtly nods her head in approval. “They come highly recommended, providing proven results in sensitive situations. We’re implementing their phase two strategy now,focusing on demonstrating resilience and reinforcing investor confidence through tangible metrics and proactive communication.”

There’s another pause on Balinski’s end. He’s likely weighing the response, assessing the level of control. Then, a chuckle. “All right, Leo. All right. Send over the high-level points of the strategy outline. And let’s schedule a follow-up call to discuss specifics. I can’t guarantee we’ll bring our money back, but we’ll listen to what you have to say.”

Holy shit.

It worked. Mostly.

Relief washes over me, potent and immediate. “Will do, Mark. Talk soon.”

I hang up the phone, letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I look over at Sabrina, a slow grin spreading across my face. “We haven’t won him backyet, but he’s willing to listen. Nicely done, Ms. Taylor. Maybe youareworth the hype.”

She flashes a small, genuine smile, the professional mask softening. The change is striking.

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