Her laughter fills me. "Of course you do."
I sit up, leaning against the headboard. "I'm restructuring my role at Titan."
Emma'sexpression shifts to surprise. "What?"
"I've been talking to the board. To Thane and Logan. We're promoting Christine—our COO—to handle day-to-day operations. I'll still be CEO, still be involved in major decisions, but I won't be working eighty-hour weeks anymore."
“Wait, are you sure—“
"I built this company," I continue. "I spent twenty years proving I could create something from nothing. And I'm proud of that. But now?" I reach for her hand. "Now I want to build a life. With you. With our baby. And I can't do that if I'm living at the office."
Emma's eyes are bright. "You'd really do that?"
"I already did. The board approved it yesterday." I squeeze her hand. "I want to be at doctor's appointments. I want to help with midnight feedings. I want to be the father who shows up, not the father who sends apologies from business trips."
"That's... that'sdifferent for you.”
"It's necessary." I pull her closer. "You and this baby are my priority now. Not Titan. Not the IPO. You."
She's crying now, which seems to be her default state lately, but these are good tears.
"Okay," she says. "Okay, if you're restructuring your entire career, then I need to figure out my job situation."
"About that—"
"I'm no longer quitting."
"I wasn't going to suggest you quit. I was going to suggest we create a role that works for you." I brush tears from her cheeks. "What do you actually want, Emma? Not what you think you should want. What do you want?"
She's quiet for a moment, thinking.
"I want to work," she says finally. "I love strategy. I love solving problems. I don't want to be just a mom—I want to be both."
"Thenbe both."
"But people are going to talk. They're going to say I only have the job because I'm sleeping with the CEO—"
"Let them talk." My voice is firm. "You deserve your position. And anyone who suggests otherwise can deal with me."
"That's very CEO-threatening of you."
"I'm serious. We'll be transparent. We'll tell HR about our relationship. We'll make sure there's no conflict of interest. But Emma?" I cradle her face. "You don't have to choose between your career and our family. You can have both. We'll figure it out."
"What if I want to work from home sometimes? Or need flexible hours after the baby comes?"
"Then we make it work. We hire a nanny. We adjust schedules. We do whatever you need." I kiss her forehead. "This isn't you against me. It's us against the problem. Together."
She's crying again, harder this time.
"Stop making me cry," she says. "I'm going to look like a mess at the ultrasound."
"You're beautiful when you cry."
"You're full of shit."
"I'm full of love and shit. It's possible to be both."
She laughs through her tears, and I pull her back against me, holding her while she collects herself.
