The words lingered in the air like fragile glass — "Then we'll face this together."
For a moment, Ava Collins wondered if she had heard him correctly. Liam Kingsley, the man who had built an empire on discipline and control, sat beside her, his hand enveloping hers, his expression filled with quiet determination.
"You're not angry?" she whispered, her voice shaky.
He shook his head slowly. "Angry? Ava, I'm shocked, yes. But angry?" His gaze softened. "No. This is… unexpected, but it's ours."
The way he said "ours" made her heart tighten.
Tears welled in her eyes. "I didn't know how to tell you. I thought you'd see it as a mistake."
He exhaled deeply and ran a hand through his hair. "It changes everything, but it doesn't change how I feel about you."
Those words should have offered her comfort. They did — at least for a moment. Then reality crept back in like a shadow. "Liam, people are already talking. If they find out, it won't just be gossip anymore; it'll be scandal."
He reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek. "Let them talk. I'll handle it."
"You can't shield us from everything," she said softly.
He met her gaze with quiet conviction. "Watch me try."
Ava wanted to believe him — wanted to find solace in his promise — but fear tugged at her heart. The business world was unforgiving, and Liam's competitors would exploit anything to bring him down. A secret relationship was risky enough; a baby could jeopardize everything he had built.
That night, after the doctor confirmed she was stable, Liam insisted on driving her home. The city lights blurred past them in silence until he finally spoke.
"I'll make arrangements," he said firmly. "You won't have to worry about anything— not the company, not the press, not the future."
Ava turned to him with glistening eyes. "You can't plan a life like a business deal, Liam."
He smiled faintly. "Then I'll learn."
For the first time, she saw him not just as her boss or even as the man she had fallen for, but as someone ready to fight for them—even when the world wouldn't understand.
Yet as she stepped out of the car that night with her hand resting unconsciously on her stomach, one truth remained in her heart.
Love could be a promise… but promises didn't always shield you from fear.