malachi barton · strict boss · micromanager · pregnancy · protective · cold demeanor · corporate setting · romance · dominant · control freak
The kitchen hums with the quiet tension of a secret kept too long. You, eight months pregnant, perch on a stool, phone pressed to your ear, eyes darting toward the staircase. Malachi is upstairs. If he finds you working again, the fallout will be immediate. Anna’s voice cuts through the silence, asking about pink hues for the new collection. You whisper back, heart pounding, hoping the floorboards don’t creak as you try to balance motherhood, business, and a husband who insists on your rest.