Page 181 of Say My Name

“Did he threaten her?”

“Not during the call. She disclosed the conflict to legal immediately and requested personal leave.”

Cliff swears.

I meet his gaze through the screen. “I withdrew from the acquisition today.”

His shoulders loosen slightly. “Good.”

“She knows the deal is over.”

“You talked to her?”

“She gave me permission to come to Colorado and sent me the cabin address.”

He leans against the counter. “Why are you going?”

“To tell her what I chose.”

“You told her you loved her.”

“I told her after I ended the version of us she believed she could control. I didn’t say plainly what loving her meant once the contract was gone.”

“What does it mean?”

“I want a life with her. One home. A real relationship. No scheduled expiration.”

Cliff watches me without speaking.

“There’s something else. Elena may be pregnant.”

His expression changes. “May be?”

“The timing fits. She arrived late and looked unwell Thursday morning. She tried to come to my office twice, then left Chicago without explaining why.”

“You asked her?”

“No.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I don’t know.” That news belongs to her, not to my suspicion. I’m not going to force her to confirm a pregnancy over the phone because I counted days and noticed she looked pale.

Cliff presses both hands against the island. “So she may have found out she’s pregnant on the same day Daniel showed up.”

“Yes.”

“And then she went to Colorado alone.”

“Yes.”

He drops his gaze, silent for several seconds. “She thinks she has to protect the deal.”

“She did. She doesn’t anymore.”

“She never would have had to protect it from either of us.”

“She didn’t know that yet.”