AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The paparazzi seem to be having a field day with my life.
My head spins.
As if the universe has a twisted sense of humor, my phone buzzes again, interrupting my train wreck of thoughts.
My mother's name flashes on the screen.
Nope. Not now. Not yet.
I press the side button to silence the call.
She's supposed to fly in soon for a visit, and I've been dreading having to break the news to her.
The baby, Hunter, everything.
I can already hear her voice, the shocked gasps, the disapproval, and the endless questions.
What if she already knows?
Kaitlyn figured it out on her own.
And my mom is as nosey as they get.
I stare blankly at the now cold mug of coffee in front of me.
One disaster at a time, Maya.
For now, I just need to survive this media storm.
I shut off my phone, the screen's glow dying away. I sit there in the dim light of the coffee shop, the weight of everything crashing down on me: the reality of the situation of the scandal brewing, of Kaitlyn's disappointment, of my unexpected pregnancy.
I rest my forehead in my hands, my thoughts a whirlwind. The truth was out there for everyone to judge. My relationship with Hunter was under a fucking magnifying glass. My entire life was too.
23
HUNTER
Work has been a goddamn battlefield. Projects piling up and deadlines missed, my days have become a blur of meetings, paperwork, and endless cups of coffee.
As I sift through a pile of proposals on my desk, my fingers brush against something cold – a picture frame. It's a candid shot of Maya and me from the company's charity event. She is beaming, her eyes gleaming with joy, and I have a genuine smile on my face.
That night we danced together until we both couldn't stop laughing. I remember the softness of her hand in mine, her hair against my cheek, the warmth of her body close to mine.
The memory hits me like a punch to the gut.
I miss her – her wit, her laughter.
I miss us. I place the picture back down.
"Good morning, Hunter," Sarah says as she enters my office.
"Morning, Sarah." I brace myself for whatever she's about to throw my way.
"I'm sure you're aware that the new employee onboarding protocol needs your approval." She places a thick file on my already cluttered desk. "It was due a week ago."
"I've been meaning to get to it." My eyes fling back to the photograph of Maya and me.
"Meaning to? Hunter, you are the CEO. These things need your attention. We have a new batch of employees starting next week. If we don't get this sorted, it's going to be a disaster."
