Vivian deflated completely. That superior elite posture was torn to shreds by Ella in that moment.
"You're pregnant..." She slowly sank to the floor. "You went to Rochester for the pregnancy?"
I didn't look at her again. I pressed the intercom and called the HR director.
"Immediately revoke all of Vivian's access to the building. She's fired, effective immediately. Reason: unprofessional conduct and malicious invasion of executive privacy. Settle her salary at minimum contract standards. I don't want to see her in this building in ten minutes. Also, get Legal up here. I'm suing her for illegal intrusion and defamation."
"Lucas! You can't be this cruel!" Vivian shrieked, trying to grab my collar, but I dodged with disgust. "I did so much for you! And you're firing me for that woman!"
"Last time I sent that company-wide email, I said not to test my limits." I looked at her coldly. "You obviously didn't take it seriously. You brought this on yourself."
Two security guards in black suits burst through the door. As they dragged Vivian out, she finally lost it completely. She struggled, sharp nails scraping the wooden floor with a piercing sound.
"Why! What's so special about Ella? She hasn't done anything. Why does she get everything I want so easily!" Her screams echoed in the hallway until the elevator doors closed.
The office fell silent.
I picked up my phone again, looking at Ella on the screen. My heart still raced with aftershock fear. Looking at her, that feeling of getting back what I'd lost made my eyes sting.
"Ella," my voice shook slightly, "it's my fault for treating you badly before, otherwise Vivian wouldn't have had an opening..."
"Let the past stay in the past." Ella nodded gently on the screen. She looked at me, exhaustion finally showing in her eyes. "Lucas, I shouldn't have doubted you either. If I'd trusted you more, we wouldn't have had such a huge conflict."
My heart finally settled back where it belonged. In that moment, I finally understood that everything I'd given up—the career, the power—meant nothing compared to the trust Ella was giving me.
We looked at each other across the screen. Her hand rested on her slightly swollen belly, where our child grew.
"One more day," I said. "After tomorrow, I'm coming home."
"I'll be waiting." She answered gently.
After hanging up, I leaned back in my chair and let out a long breath.
Outside the window, Manhattan still blazed with traffic and neon. But I didn't belong here anymore. I belonged with Ella. Wherever she was—that was home.
This time, I wouldn't leave her again.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ella
Morning light poured through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the Rochester penthouse, scattering flecks of gold across the carpet. I stood at the kitchen counter, watching Maya carefully spread a thick layer of avocado on her toast. She'd turned down my offer to add more furniture to the place.
"Ella, I'm not here to live large," Maya said, slicing a soft-boiled egg without looking up. "This place is already fancier than anywhere I've ever lived. The guest room's simple, but I didn't bring much anyway. I'm not throwing money at things we don't need."
Maya carried breakfast to the table. She was still painfully thin, her cheekbones sharp, but her eyes burned with determination—the look of someone who'd come back from the brink.
"But Maya, we'll be here a while. Furniture isn't a waste."
"Will we?"
Maya bent down, arranging the plate in front of me. I tried to help, but she pressed my hands down.
"I'm staying here to take care of you."
I looked at her, startled.
Maya nodded. "I can't do heavy work, but I can manage the basics. Cooking, cleaning, prenatal activities for the baby—I can handle all that. Don't treat me like an invalid, Ella. I'm better now."
