Back in the hotel room, the quiet was suffocating. Mimi sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the small suitcase she hadn't unpacked. Every object, every corner of the room, seemed to mirror the chaos inside her. She could feel it—something was changing. Something she couldn't ignore.
The nausea had returned, stronger this time, accompanied by a strange fatigue. Mimi pressed her hand to her stomach, the tiny flutter of panic returning. She tried to rationalize it, tried to tell herself it was just stress, exhaustion, the aftermath of too many drinks. But deep down, she knew the truth was more complicated—and terrifying.
She didn't want to think about it. Not yet. Not when the consequences could unravel everything. Her mind wandered to the contract—the clause that forbade intimacy, the threat of divorce, the erasure of memories. And yet… that night with Rian felt real. Too real to deny.
Outside the window, the laughter of colleagues drifted in. They were enjoying the trip, oblivious to the storm brewing inside her. Mimi envied them. How simple it must be to live without fear of forbidden desire, without carrying a secret that could destroy everything.
Rian appeared at the door, leaning casually against the frame. "You okay?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying that subtle edge of concern that always made her heart skip a beat.
"I'm fine," Mimi said again, forcing a smile that felt brittle even to her own ears.
He stepped inside, cautious, as if he could sense the invisible line she was tiptoeing along. "You've been quiet all morning. Did I do something?"
"No," she whispered. But the word felt hollow, even to her. She wanted to scream, to tell him everything—but the fear of losing him, of losing herself, was stronger than the truth.
They walked to the conference hall together, side by side but not touching. Every step was a reminder of what had happened, what could happen, what must never happen. Mimi felt the flutter in her stomach again. Her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted her bag.
During the sessions, she tried to focus, but her mind was elsewhere. Every glance at Rian, every casual brush of his hand against hers, made her heart race. She couldn't tell if it was desire, fear, or the growing secret she was only beginning to understand.
By nightfall, Mimi found herself alone on the balcony again, staring at the city lights. The weight of her secret pressed down like a physical force. She didn't know how long she could keep it hidden, how long she could navigate this dangerous tightrope without falling.
And yet, one thought burned brighter than all the fear: she couldn't imagine facing this alone. Not when Rian was so close, not when the heart he'd unknowingly stolen from her still ached in silence.
The truth was coming. Slowly. But when it did, nothing would ever be the same.