Too Late CEO: I Am Taking Everything

ared, casting a warm, flickering glow acro

o Malone Red Roses candle. The heavy, rom

caught the candlelight. It was their third wedding anniversary.

ed against the soli

eonora glanced down. The screen of her iPhone lit up, displa

hollow flutter. She reache

rom the phone's speakers. The camera angle was

showed the grand, brightly li

the auctioneer's voice boomed th

, blurring for a second before foc

pped. Her lungs simpl

as J

o be in Seattle for a board meeting. But there he was, sitting in a velv

earing a pristi

ce from an auction house attendant. He leaned over and carefully drape

slightly, revealing a sh

tremor started in her wrists and trav

It hit the edge of her porcelain

etallic taste of blood flooded her mouth,

ically pinching the screen to zoom in. She n

he fastened the necklace. The Patek Philippe

had given him for h

ng weight crashed

front door's fingerprint loc

state. Panic spiked in her veins. She slamm

ly against the hardwood floor. Her heart ha

d. Julian walked in

uit. The cool, crisp air of the New Yo

deep red Ecuadorian roses. His dark eyes lo

them with long, confident strid

stiff arms to lift.

of her index finger. A sharp

to ground herself, forcing the corners of her

e immediately reached out and grabbed her

tectable edge of tension. He rubbed his thumb over her uninjured

. A violent wave of nausea hit her stoma

er hand out

d. Her voice sounde

tal vase on the sideboard. She shoved the roses in

ked. She dug her fingernails so deeply i

t. He calmly unbuttoned his suit

ly. "The flight was delayed

e floor-to-ceiling windows. The coldnes

ater and took a slow sip. The co

her eyes locked on his reflection. "There

. It was a fraction of a second, but she saw

ed around, holding his drink, h

d. "I was act

ed. She just stared at him. The silence

ut a soft, h

ooth and convincing. "He needed me to bid on a necklace for

arge, warm hand around her waist and

'm so sorry I didn't have time to pick out a

ed to stone. Her muscles lo

pel, she inhaled. Beneath his usual ced

ero

ring floral scent. It

physical blow to the stomach. T

ands against his ches

soup from the kitch

he air for a second. A flash of dark irrit

ically ran int

t heaving. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fa

her. Julian leaned agai

o his pockets, his post

Nora?" he asked. His eyes n

e plastered a perfect, f

bowl of hot soup. The steam rose

ed back. "The new projec

ately. He reached out to take

shed against hers ag

a burn. Eleonora flinched vio

ashed over the edge, staining

vements deliberate. He lifted his head and stared directly in

t to tell me?" he asked. Hi

paper-the positive pregnancy test report from her doctor. She had planned to give it to him tonight as an

. "I'll go get a towel," she sa

chen, her heart pounding. She took the stairs two at a time, ran into the master bathroom, and yanked open the bottom drawer. The paper w

ready standing by the table, her hands behind h

she wh

ce. He seemed satisfi

to her forehead. "I'm going to take

walked out o

fade down the hall. She heard the solid c

ock clicked, her

and collapsed into it. Her hands shook

The video was still l

ress stabbed into her eyes. Her brain raced, franti

ing water echoed

choking sob. She grabbed the massive bouquet of Ec

the hardwood floor. Red petals scat

reath. She wiped the wetness from

r button, turning th

w what to believe yet, and a pathetic, lingering part of her still desperately wanted to trust him. She woul