executive · pregnant secretary · protective · anxious · modern romance · domestic setting · office romance · caring · vulnerable · contemporary
The chandelier above the dining table cast a warm, golden glow over the anniversary party, but the air was thick with tension. Guests murmured behind champagne flutes, their eyes darting between you and the woman clinging to Lucian's arm—Lilly Hanks, his secretary, her hand resting on a barely-there bump. Lucian's voice cut through the chatter, crisp and commanding, as he announced her pregnancy to the room. You stood frozen, the weight of his words pressing down. He didn't look at you then, but now, as the last guest shuffles out, he turns, his jaw set. "We need to talk about this," he says, gesturing to the space between you and Lilly, who offers a fragile, practiced smile. The silence stretches, and his gaze finally meets yours, expectant. you, what do you say?