The next week was intense.
Lila and Ray had grown closer in ways neither of them wanted to admit. Every glance, every
touch, every shared moment carried a tension that was almost unbearable.
Ray had noticed it first.
He had never met anyone like Lila Morgan before. Intelligent, sharp, unafraid to challenge
him… and yet, somehow, she made him feel alive in a way no business or deal ever had.
"You really are remarkable," he said one morning, his voice low as they walked through the
mansion gardens. "I don't think I've ever met anyone who handles pressure the way you do."
Lila's cheeks warmed. She looked down, pretending to adjust her shoe. "… thank you."
Ray smirked faintly, eyes darkening. "No, really. Most people crumble under the weight of
what you deal with daily. I… admire that about you."
Her chest tightened. For the first time, she felt more than respect or attraction, something
like… genuine connection.
But that connection was about to be tested.
Later that night, she was working in her private room—her second phone open, business
quietly in motion—when a sudden click outside her door made her freeze.
Before she could react, the door burst open.
Men. Three of them. Shadows in the hallway, rough hands reaching toward her.
"Hey! Step back!" she screamed.
But before they could get closer, a shadow moved faster than she could comprehend. Ray
appeared, striking with precision.
One man went down with a punch. Another barely avoided a chair thrown at him. Ray's eyes
blazed with something she had never seen before, fury.
"Don't you dare touch her," he growled, voice low and dangerous.
The last man lunged. Ray blocked him, twisting, and the man crumpled to the floor groaning.
Breathless, Lila stared at him, heart pounding. "I… I'm okay," she whispered.
Ray's hand cupped her cheek, rough with adrenaline but soft in that touch. "I will never let
anyone hurt you," he said, almost feral.
Something in her chest broke. He cares. More than she ever imagined.
After the men were taken by security, she realized something terrifying.
"You… you knew who I really was," she murmured, voice trembling. "You… you saw my
second identity?"
Ray's eyes narrowed. "You own the company behind the moves I've been countering?"
Lila swallowed hard. "Yes. But I… I didn't—
"
"You didn't what?" he asked, voice tight. "Try to ruin my company?"
She bit her lip. "I—
"
Before she could explain, her vision blurred. The adrenaline, the shock, the guilt—it all hit
her at once. She felt herself slipping.
"Lila!" Ray shouted, catching her before she collapsed.
Her head spun, and she fainted in his arms.
Ray didn't hesitate. He scooped her up and rushed to his car. His mind was a storm of anger,
fear, and… something else. He drove faster than safety allowed, adrenaline fueling every
turn.
At the hospital, he refused to let anyone near her. Nurses, doctors, all kept at bay while he
held her hand, sobbing quietly.
"You scared me," he whispered. "You… you scared me more than anything."
Ethan, standing at the foot of the bed, watched her chest rise and fall. The boy's scowl
softened. Her vulnerability… her genuine fragility… it was a side of Lila he had never seen.
Maybe she isn't just his dad's wife, Ethan thought quietly. Maybe she's… kind.
Hours later, after she regained consciousness, Ray's anger had not subsided—but something
had changed.
"I… forgive you," he said quietly, almost to himself. "I shouldn't… I won't hold this against
you. We… we'll collaborate instead."
Lila blinked, weak but amazed. "You… you forgive me?"
He nodded. "Because despite everything… I can't hate you. Not when I've seen what you're
capable of. And not when I… care about you."
She swallowed, heart full, mind reeling. "I… I didn't mean to—
"
"I know," he said softly. "We move forward. Together."
And as she rested, Ethan quietly came closer, peering at her with a newfound curiosity.
She offered a small, tired smile. "Hi, Ethan," she whispered.
He hesitated… then nodded, almost shyly. "Hi," he said.
Ray watched them. His heart ached in ways he couldn't name. Lila was no longer just a wife
in name or a rival in disguise, she was everything he hadn't known he needed.
And in that quiet hospital room, the game had changed completely.
Ray's hands gripped the sides of the bed. His mind raced, and for the first time in weeks, he
felt completely unarmed.
The doctor walked in and looked Lila with a smile. "Mrs. Eliot… you're pregnant."
Immediately, all three voices erupted at the same time:
"PREGNANT??!"
The sound echoed through the quiet hospital room.
Lila's hand flew to her stomach, eyes wide. She turned to Ray, still in disbelief.
Ray's jaw dropped, and his arms instinctively wrapped around her. "We… we're…?" he
stammered, overwhelmed.
Ethan, wide-eyed, whispered softly, almost to himself, "Pregnant…?"
Then, after a pause, he blinked and said with surprising certainty:
"Mummy…?"
Lila froze. "Did he just call me Mummy?"
Her lips trembled, then curved into a small, incredulous smile. "Yes… Ethan. I'm your
Mummy."
Ray, watching them, couldn't help but grin faintly, the tension breaking slightly from his
chest.
Ethan's eyes widened even more. "Dad… am I having a sister?"
Lila reached out, touching his arm gently. "Yes, sweetheart… a little sister."
The room fell into a quiet mix of awe, laughter, and disbelief. Lila's hand still rested on her
stomach, her heart swelling with warmth. Ray's hand covered hers, holding it protectively,
his eyes soft for the first time in weeks.
The doctor cleared his throat. "Rest is important. Everything else looks fine. With proper
care, nothing should affect the baby."
Lila leaned back slightly, taking a deep breath, smiling at her new little family. Ray's thumb
brushed the back of her hand. Ethan's small hand reached for hers.
For the first time, the mansion felt truly like home.