It’s only when I lift my head that I catch my reflection in the mirror. I’m pale and my eyes are bloodshot. The woman staring back at me isn’t someone I recognize. Somewhere along the way, I became someone who runs and hides, who ducks and weaves, hoping the worst will pass her by.
That wasn’t always me.
I used to be a woman who held her head high. The one who faced adversity instead of flinching from it. I don’t know exactly when that changed, but standing here now, it’s impossible to ignore.
I draw in a shaky breath, wipe my face, and straighten my shoulders.
There’s no way to avoid this conversation.
Or the fallout.
And pretending there is will only make it worse.
After a short pep talk, I force myself to leave the safety of the bedroom. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Once in the hall, I pause, listening for signs of life, but there are none. Cartoons aren’t playing in the background, and Elody’s giggles aren’t echoing off the walls. There’s no trace of Laiken’s calm, steady baritone carrying from the kitchen.
The penthouse is eerily silent. A cold knot of dread forms in my stomach as I move toward the kitchen.
“Laiken?” I call out before peering into the bright, sunlit space. My gaze drifts to the marble island, where a folded note sits in plain sight with my name scrawled across the front in his bold handwriting.
My heart skips a beat before slamming hard against my ribs as I reach for the paper, already bracing for what it might say. For the words I’ve been half-expecting since last night.
That hiring me was a mistake and I’m being fired. That I should pack my bags and be out before he returns with his daughter.
I swallow hard, unfolding the note and forcing myself to scan the words.
I’ll be home after I drop Elody off at school and then we’ll talk. – Laiken
My stomach bottoms out.
We’ll talk.
Not are you okay?
Not we’ll figure it out.
Just… we’ll talk.
Yup, this is it. He’s going to fire me. And then I’ll have to tell Oliver and the rest of my family. I can already imagine the look on my brother’s face along with the uncomfortable silence that follows when someone’s caught off guard and at a loss for words.
I force myself to the living room and sit, hands twisting in my lap. I’ve never been more terrified. Not even when I told Collin that I was pregnant. It’s tempting to save us both this awkward conversation and leave before he returns.
To run while I still can.
But I get the feeling that Laiken won’t allow me to disappear so easily. At the very least, I owe him an honest conversation. No matter how difficult that might be.
With no other recourse, I wait with my heart lodged in the middle of my throat as the silence stretches, thickening until it turns oppressive. And when the elevator finally dings twenty minutes later, there’s an excellent chance I might throw up again.
22
Laiken
When the doors slide open, I find the penthouse shrouded in silence. For a second or two, I worry that Kia packed her bags and took off, unwilling to wait around for a conversation. The thought is enough to send a chill down my spine.
The last thing I need is her wandering the city alone and upset. I want her here with me, safe and protected.
I hurry down the hall and check the kitchen first. Empty. The absence only sharpens my fear as my mind races straight to worst-case scenarios. When I round the corner into the living room, I find her sitting ramrod straight on the edge of the couch, hands folded tightly in her lap.
The relief that crashes over me is nearly enough to take me out.
