"I'm… Mr. Leo, I'm pregnant." I placed the test pack with two pink lines on his desk.
Leonardo went rigid, his stare locked on the plastic stick. Not a blink. Not a word.
"I—I'm sorry. I couldn't just hide this from you. If you want me to termina—"
He cut me off, raising a hand. "How many tests did you take? No, wait—" His voice faltered. He stood abruptly, fumbling for a cigarette.
The lighter clicked. Flame touched the tip—then he froze again. His eyes darted to me. With a sharp motion, he crushed the cigarette out before taking a single drag.
"So… what do you want to do?" His voice steadied, though his fingers drummed restlessly against the desk. "Do you… want to keep it?"
My pulse slammed in my ears. Fake baby, fake test, yet his tone made it sound real. Was he… actually trying to be considerate?
He exhaled through his nose. "Look, I don't mean to push you. Whatever you decide, I'll handle the rest. If you don't want this, I'll find someone who can… fix it. But if you do—" He stopped, jaw tight, sweat forming at his temple.
I clenched my hands together under the table. Getting rid of the "baby" wouldn't get me closer to my father's case.
"I'd like to keep it," I said, forcing steel into my voice.
Leonardo's expression darkened, unreadable. Then, finally: "Alright. We'll keep it. But I can't just father a child with someone who isn't my partner." His throat bobbed. "So… we'll get married. For the baby."
My chest constricted. "Yes," I whispered, nails biting into my palm. "That's the best choice."
But in my head, only one thought screamed. How long can I fake this pregnancy?
~~~~~
"Married?!" Eleanor Rhys's voice cracked like glass, slicing through the dining hall.
Jonathan slammed the table, cutlery rattling. "Who the hell are you marrying? Out of nowhere like this?"
"None of your—"
"Leo." Jason's sharp tone cut him off.
"Answer your brother," Jason pressed. "Do you even have a girlfriend?"
Leo's sigh was heavy. "I already said, the ceremony will be small. Family and close friends. And I'll be marrying Emily Hart. My secretary."
Jonathan shot to his feet. "What the fuck did you just—" His gaze sharpened. "No. No way. She's pregnant, isn't she?"
A smirk spread on Nathan's face.
Eleanor's lips trembled. "Pregnant? Son, you don't need to chain yourself to this. You could still—"
"No, Mom." Leo's tone cut through the air like a blade, his stare pinning Nathan in place. "I love her. And I'll protect her. From everything."
Nathan chuckled. "You love her? You've known her less than two months. Leo, who are you kidding?"
Leo shoved back his chair, rising to his full height. "I'm not asking permission. I'm informing you. That's all." He turned and walked out, leaving the family in chaos.
~~~~~
"Oh, come on! Did he hit his head or something? How the hell could he end up marrying you? Ugh, my ten bucks…" Juno groaned, flopping on the couch.
Max was practically glowing, grinning like a lunatic.
"Max, stop looking at me like that," I snapped, hurling a pillow at her.
Max burst into laughter. "Oh my god, isn't this amazing?" She rushed toward me, grabbing my hands. "Val, this is insane. What if Leo's not the killer? What if he's actually decent? Would you marry him for real? You should! He's Velmira's biggest catch."
"Max, stop romanticizing this! What if he finds out I lied about being pregnant?" My nails scratched across my jeans, itching to tear through the fabric.
Max waved it off. "Simple. One or three months after the wedding, you 'miscarry.' I'll even find you a fake fetus for the funeral." She hugged me tight. "You're seriously going to marry Leonardo Rhys. My god."
I bit back a growl. None of this was part of the plan. I was supposed to be his secretary. Dig through his files. Find Orion-78. Unmask Thomas Kessler's killer. And end it.
Not marry Leonardo fucking Rhys.
~~~~~
THE NIGHT THOMAS KESSLER DIED
I could only stare blankly at my father's lifeless body, riddled with stab wounds. Not even a single tear would fall. As if I wasn't allowed to mourn him.
"Valerie Kessler?" A police officer stood in front of me, blocking my view of the body already zipped inside a bag.
"Yes," I croaked.
He sighed. "Bryan Carpenter. Friend of your father's. He wouldn't back off Orion-78, no matter the warnings. He was stubborn… a good man." His hand brushed my shoulder before he walked off.
I tried to process his words, but they barely registered.
"Valerie, I'm truly sorry. Your father was a good man. We'll be packing up his belongings tonight. You can come to the station tomorrow to collect them." Bryan gave my shoulder a pat before walking away.
The next day, I stood outside the station, staring blankly.
I knew my father better than anyone. He was strict, but kind. Disciplined, and despised crime in every form. Even petty pickpocketing was enough to make him lecture someone for hours.
"Are you Valerie Kessler?" a voice snapped me from my thoughts.
I turned to find a middle-aged man I didn't recognize.
"You're here for your father's belongings, right? Come inside." He gestured, walking ahead of me.
Boxes. Stacks of them. My father's "belongings." But they didn't feel like his. Not the man I knew.
One box brimmed with newspaper clippings: Project Orion-78. A Rhys Tech disaster buried so deep it barely existed.
And then I saw it. A scrap of newsprint, wedged inside his notes. A young man in a black suit, gaze sharp, smile immaculate.
A headline screamed: Young CEO Leonardo Rhys Among the World's Top 5 Richest.
My blood ran cold.
Leonardo Rhys.