The elevator ride to the top floor of Matthew Group felt like a slow ascent to the gallows.
Eunice clutched the file folder to her chest, her knuckles turning white. She had spent the last hour in the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face, trying to wash away the shock of the doctor's words.
Twins.
She wasn't just pregnant; she was carrying two heirs to the biggest business empire in the city. And the father was sitting just a few meters away, completely oblivious.
The elevator doors chimed, sliding open to reveal the pristine, intimidating lobby of the executive suite. The air up here was thinner, colder. It smelled of expensive cologne and fear.
"Mr. Matthew is expecting you, Eunice," his secretary said without looking up from her computer. "Go right in."
Eunice took a deep breath, steeling herself. Just act normal. It's just a report. Drop it off and leave.
She knocked once and pushed the heavy mahogany door open.
Hart Matthew was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to her. He was on a call, his voice a low, commanding rumble that made the hairs on Eunice's arms stand up. He wore a charcoal suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly, tailored to intimidate.
He ended the call and turned around. His eyes—dark, piercing, and unreadable—locked onto hers instantly.
"You're late," he said. No greeting. No warmth. Just the cold efficiency of a CEO addressing a subordinate.
"I apologize, sir," Eunice managed to say, her voice trembling slightly. She walked forward and placed the file on his desk. "Here is the market analysis for the merger."
Hart didn't look at the file. He kept his gaze fixed on her face. Eunice felt like a butterfly pinned under a microscope.
"You look pale," he observed, stepping closer.
Eunice's heart hammered against her ribs. "I… I think I just ate something bad at lunch."
"Or maybe you're not taking your work seriously enough to sleep at night," he countered, his tone sharp. He picked up the file and flipped it open, scanning the pages with ruthless speed. "This merger is the most important deal of the decade. I need my team to be at one hundred percent."
"I am at one hundred percent," she lied.
Hart snapped the folder shut. "Good. Because the schedule has changed."
He walked around the desk, leaning against the edge of it, crossing his arms. The movement brought him dangerously close to her. She could smell his scent—sandalwood and fresh rain—and it brought a flash of that night back to her memory. The heat of his skin, the way he had whispered her name…
She shook the memory away. "Changed how?"
"The investors in Dubai want a face-to-face meeting," Hart said. "We leave tomorrow morning. Three days. I need you there to present this data."
Eunice's blood ran cold. Dubai? Tomorrow?
She couldn't go. She had morning sickness that hit her violently at 6:00 AM. She had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Liam in two days to check the heartbeat. If she went on a plane with Hart, stuck in hotels and meetings, he would find out. He would see her throwing up. He would notice she wasn't drinking wine.
"I can't go," she blurted out.
The silence that followed was deafening. Hart's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Excuse me?"
"I… I can't travel right now, sir," Eunice stammered, backing away slightly. "Personal reasons."
Hart stood up to his full height, towering over her. The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.
"Let me make something clear to you, Eunice," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I don't pay you for 'personal reasons.' I pay you to work. You are the lead analyst on this file. If you are not on that plane tomorrow morning, don't bother coming back to this office on Monday."
It was an ultimatum. Go to Dubai and risk exposing her secret, or lose her job and the means to support her unborn babies.
Eunice bit her lip, tasting copper. She looked up at him, fighting back tears.
"Is that an order?"
"It's a choice," Hart said coldly, turning back to the window. "Make the right one."