Page 23 of CEO's Baby Scandal

“So tell me what happened,” Charlotte said.

“I mean, it was nothing major, and I guess the situation is actually more connected to whether Daniel and I will make it or not than I realized. Char, I don’t think we are similar enough. Dan likes the city. I want to move away from here eventually. He is so bold and outgoing, and I’m really shy. He’s got all this power, his entire career built. I’m just starting out. I have nothing. He’s rich. I’m living off ramen and using a laundromat.” My eyes burned with unshed tears.

“Gosh, is that all?”

“No, I mean… Well, he doesn’t see himself being a father. I want kids, a lot of them. You know how much that means to me.” Hearing it all out loud, it was finally sinking in. We weren’t even compatible. We came from different worlds. “Why am I even dating him? Evelyn was right. This is a disaster.” I let the tears fall freely.

“No, stop that. Em, you’re the Yin to his Yang, the peanut butter to his jelly. You don’t eat a ketchup sandwich and put ketchup on it. You need the meat!” Charlotte chuckled. “You’re seeing it all wrong. Opposites attract for a reason. You even himout. What makes you think his power won’t leave room for you to have your own? Or that his money has to override anything you do? You can be a little bit of country to tone down his city-boy attitude.”

I appreciated her humorous attempt to make me feel better, but I’d already decided my fate. I was too different from him, mostly because I was pregnant and I knew he didn’t want kids. Or at least that’s what he’d said. He didn’t see himself as a father. That difference was one that would definitely divide us. I couldn’t see us coming back from this when I told him I was pregnant.

“Hey, Char, I really appreciate your talking with me, but I’m just not feeling good anymore. I think I’m going to nap the rest of the ride home.”

“Yeah, okay. Well, I’ll be here all night. I have no plans.” She sounded defeated, and I hated making her feel like that. She usually had a knack for helping me, but today was just not that sort of day.

“I’ll call you later, maybe.”

“Alright, bye.” Char hung up, and I put my phone away. I had to figure out how to tell Daniel I was pregnant with his kid. I just knew he was going to be upset about it, and for that reason, I decided to wait. I cried about everything already. When I told him, I wanted to feel level-headed, not emotional.

I just didn’t know how long it would be before my emotions settled down.

16

DANIEL

The mood was tense when I walked back into the office. Michael glared at me as I strolled back to my spot at the head of the table. I could tell they had been talking about me while I was out, and I was certain the kiss I gave Emily hadn’t helped. Olivia stared at the paper in front of her. As a junior partner, she had zero say in higher level decisions, and honestly, none of them had a right to tell me how to live my personal life.

“What?” I snapped, sitting down. I tucked my tie into my jacket and rolled the chair closer to the table. Grace wasn’t shy about the nasty look she was giving me, and Benjamin seemed amused by the way Michael and Grace were acting.

“What? You really have to ask that question?” Michael’s nostrils flared as he leaned forward and pushed the papers away from himself. “Dan, we talked about this. You are treading on thin ice. You understand how very different you and Emily are? How just one wrong comment could send her running toward litigation?”

“What are you talking about? We’re in a relationship we both want.” I tried to fight my outrage, but it was growing by the second. “I told you to stay out of my personal life.”

“Sir, with all due respect, your personal life will affect your job.” Grace cleared her throat nervously. At least she had the decency to be anxious about the way she spoke to me, unlike Michael. He’d been with me so long, he didn’t even hesitate to say what was on his mind, which is why when Emily and I did something in my office, I had started having her lock the door, afraid he’d walk right in at any moment.

“My personal life is entirely separate from my ability to perform as a lawyer. If I were dating someone outside this office, it would be the same.”

“Sir, if Emily?—”

“If Emily does what, Grace? If she decides she wants my money? I’ll give it to her. If she decides she wants my power? Hers. You can’t put a price on love.” Once the word was out of my mouth, there was no taking it back. Michael’s eyebrows rose and so did he, leaning over the table menacingly.

“You can’t think you love her. This is just some passing fancy. She’s a baby, Daniel. A child. You are a grown man.” He snorted out a laugh and shook his head. “You were in love with Keri too, and look how that turned out.”

Just the mention of her name enraged me. I was on my feet ready to deck him instantly, and Ben had to hold me back. “Whoa, Dan… Take it easy.” Ben pressed his hand in my chest, and I gritted my jaw.

“You know damn well that Keri was just using me. She ruined me. She could have bankrupted me.” I pointed my finger at him as I shouted, knowing the outer office could both hear and see me.

“Exactly! I warned you about her. And I’m warning you about Emily too. You don’t even see it. She’s using you, manipulating you and twisting everything around here. One day, you’re going to get slapped with a lawsuit for sexual harassment, and your name will be plastered on every single television screen inAmerica. You’ll be no better than Cosby or Clinton.” Michael collected his papers and tapped them on the desk.

Olivia looked up at me, lip trembling, and I stared right at her. “What do you think, Olivia? You think that’s what Emily is like? Is she just weaseling her way into my heart to sue me and take me for all I’m worth?” It was a rhetorical question, but she responded.

“No, sir, I don’t think so, but none of us really believed Keri was capable of what she did, either.” She shook as she spoke, still quite intimidated by being with the partners. I started toward Michael again, but Ben spoke softly in my ear.

“Let him go, Boss. He’s got to blow steam.” His hand pressed into my chest more firmly, and I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

“When it happens, don’t expect the firm to bail you out this time.” Michael stormed off, letting the door slam behind him as he left.

“I’m afraid I agree with Mike, Daniel. If you continue down this path, you’re going to regret it. While I can’t condone Michael’s behavior here today, I also can’t stand behind your relationship with an employee. In today’s climate with the “me too” movement, you’re asking for trouble. He’s right. The tabloids and news media would eat this up, a sexual harassment nightmare. We’d lose reputation and some very conservative clients.” Grace pushed her chair away from the table, picked up her papers, and stood. “I’m sorry, sir.” She walked out a bit more calmly than Michael had, and Ben let go of me.