Chapter <b>560 </b>


    Mary is in herte forties and nothing like the stereotype of cold, snippy secretaries. All the executive assistants here are warm, thanks to a rule Uncle Rowan implemented after a former secretary went rogue and nearly killed Aunt Ava.


    I don’t remember how long Aunt Ava was in aa, but I remember Noah stoppeding to school during that period. Because of how extensive her injuries were, they had to cut Iris out of her at only six


    months. So while Aunt Ava was in aa, Iris was in NICU.


    Aunt Ava pulled through, but she woke up with amnesia. When she finally regained her memory, that same secretary tried to kill her again.


    “Is Noah in?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper–as though just saying his name is taboo.


    Mary’s eyes widen. “You want to see Noah?”


    I don’t me her for being shocked. After all, I don’t think there is a single person in this world who doesn’t know that Noah and I don’t get along


    <b>“</b>Yes.”


    “Umm… I can book you in,<i>” </i>she says, fumbling with herputer. “What’s this about?”


    “Just tell him I’m here to see him.”


    She nods slowly. “Okay… take a seat, then.”


    I offer her a tense smile and sit down. My legs bounce restlessly, and I tuck my hands under my thighs to


    keep from biting my nails. Everything inside me is vibrating as if about to burst and for the hundredth


    time I think of how easy it would be to just disappear with the baby and not tell him anything.


    Lilly had hyped me up so muchst night. She stayed over, talking with me, holding me while I cried, telling me everything was going to be okay. In that moment, with her beside me, I believed it. I believed I


    could handle this shitstorm.


    I didn’t sleep a wink. When she left at six, I was still wide awake, still panicking, still envisioning every possible way this could go wrong.


    She left me little notes, all full of encouragement. I’d felt strong this morning. Brave, even. But the


    moment I arrived here… all that strength crumbled.


    “He’s busy,” Mary says, snapping me from my thoughts. “Just give him a little time to finish up with some paperwork.”


    She’s lying.


    I can see it in her eyes, in the wince on her face. He’s not busy. He just doesn’t want to see me.


    Still, I nod, choosing to give him time, all the while anxiety is eating me from the inside out. It feels like I’m drowning. Like I’m fighting for my next breath.


    Time drags on. An hour passes.


    “Not yet?”


    She looks up and gives me a sympathetic stare.


    Mary pages him again. Momentster, her desk phone rings. I watch her expression tighten, her eyes sh with something like anger.


    “Okay, boss.” She hangs up and turns toward me, mouth opening to speak.


    But I don’t give her the chance. I just know that she’s about to lie to me again. So, with that, I make a split-


    second decision.


    I stand up, march past her desk, and push open Noah’s office door.


    “What the fuck?” he barks, rising from behind his desk.


    If I didn’t have suchplicated feelings for him, I’d admit he looks infuriatingly good. The suit clings to him perfectly, his sharp jaw and piercing grey eyes only adding to the image. God did really take his time creating him.


    Too bad he’s aplete asshole.


    I shut the door and lock it just as Mary’s heels click frantically behind me.


    “What the hell are you doing here?” His tone is venomous.


    “I need to talk to you.”


    “I don’t give a damn what you have to say. Didn’t I tell you I never want to see your face again?”


    Okay, that stings. Actually no, it fucking hurts.


    “It’s important,” I say, trying not to flinch under his fury.


    “And I said I don’t give a flying shit!”


    God, he has such a foul mouth.


    “Listen-”


    He steps forward, eyes zing. “If you don’t walk out of my office right now, I swear-


    <b>“</b>I’M PREGNANT!<b>” </b>I shout,


    Silence.