The CEO She Rejected

ood

despite that cough... it echoed in my ches

in front of the door like a soldier ready to bloc

cough wasn't just from a sick

ng more. Somet

lone," I said

her sides, fingers curling into fists a

I took a s

wasn't angry this time. It was de

alked out and let her keep

possible despite the sound of the coug

rt of me a

unch me in the chest so I co

child in the

le

l cough. This one

swallowed hard, and

melines unraveled in my mind, and every on

ld?" I

d her eye

" she w

art s

re

ht. That night in Paris. The night she lef

ke I was seeing a

move. Did

ence? It sai

y voice was sharp now, hurt

Because you would've

"What the hell are

n a world where people like me get crushed. I've seen it. I wasn'

whether to l

lly think I

h a low ton

become. All I knew was... the boy growing inside me wa

the bed, suddenly feeling like the floor wa

. Slower this ti

ice shaking. "And he's the best

ened. I ran a h

so

d a

my own blood had been coughing in a tiny room, wrappe

"I want t

"He's sleeping. He's not fe

not leaving unt

the back door like the weight

lovely voice, all

she stepp

I was stepping on. But I could make out the small bed tucked in the corner. A teddy bear sat by the pillo

ed... l

me messy dark ha

o

s am

ide the bed, my heart cau

tly. "This is... Mic

ie

r, but didn't

ned his eyes-blurry

spered, his

d, my throat raw. "

py nod, then t

t know w

just walked into hi

broke open. Watching him... b

d a hand on

to find out like

s never leaving Liam.

mmune system's weak. We've been in and out

ve," I f

no

ould've called me. You s

ould

y n

I loved you," she said quietly

fr

eets around me, and I realized... I was just another one-night ex

a

n Paris, I thought... I tho

er, it wa

jaw clenched. Regret bleedin

again. His little

everything els

things," I

ha

You're both c

nked. "

time doctors. Safety. Clean air. And

u don't get to just sw

'm stepping in. This is my responsibility. I lost

en Liam cried o

d, coug

ran to

rned to

to call, doctors to schedul

coming hom

r what s