Monica’s POV


    The next morning dawned with an uneasy calm. I woke up early, unable to shake off the events of the previous night. Nichs’s harsh words still echoed in my mind. I had to be stronger, not just for myself but for my unborn child.


    As I dressed for the day, my thoughts kept drifting back to Ethan. His sudden reappearance had thrown me off bnce. The memories of our past together were unforgettable, and the sight of him yesterday had brought all those emotions rushing back. But I couldn’t afford to let my feelings get in the way. I had to focus on the present and the future I was trying to build.


    I made my way downstairs, determined to start the day on a positive note. I found Nichs in the dining room, already dressed and reading the morning paper. He nced up as I entered, his expression unreadable.


    “Good morning,” I said, forcing a smile.


    “Morning,” he replied, his tone neutral. “We need to talk about the board meeting today. We must present a united front.”


    “I understand,” I said, nodding. “I’ll be ready.”


    As we sat opposite each other in silence, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. I had to prove to everyone, including Nichs, that I was capable of handling this.


    “Monica” I heard Nichs calling out and that jolted me out of my thoughts. “I’m sorry about my actions yesterday. I am just trying to be careful with the n so our cover won’t be blown and I need you to be focused. I need thepany to be permanently mine and I can’t do that on my own. I shouldn’t have yelled at you and I’m sorry about that”


    I froze as I stared at Nichs without blinking. I couldn’t believe that this cold and arrogant handsome man could apologize for this sincerely.


    “Aren’t you going to say anything?” He uttered, waiting for my response


    “Apology epted” I replied, saying the only thing that came to my mind with my gaze still on him.


    Patricia brought the food for us and I couldn’t help but have the huge to throw up. The food looked good but the smell was something else. “Excuse me” I uttered as I rose to my feet and left the dining room.     Nichs and I drove to the office together. The awkwardness between us was solid, but I tried to focus on the task at hand. We entered the boardroom, where the directors were already gathered. Mr. Benjamin was there, along with the other members, all waiting expectantly.


    “We just called you here son to ask about when you’re going to start your wedding preparations,” Mr. Karl began, his tone jovial yet firm.


    “Wedding preparations?” I was stunned by Mr. Karl’s statement. I didn’t expect to get married.


    “Of course, marriage. For Nichs to fully have ess to thispany, you two have to get married,” Mr. Paul said with a knowing smile.


    “And I look forward to seeing the child soon. I wonder what gender the child is,” Mr. Karl added, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.


    “Ok. We will discuss it at home ande up with a date,” Nichs said, trying to end the conversation as smoothly as possible.


    “Come up with a date? We’ve decided on the date already,” Mr. John uttered excitedly, his enthusiasm palpable. “And I look forward to your wedding.”Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    “What?” Nichs’s exmation echoed in the room, his shock evident.


    Mr. John pulled out a piece of paper from his briefcase, handing it over to Nichs. “We thought it would be best to set a date, considering the importance of this union for thepany’s future.”


    Nichs took the paper, his eyes scanning the text. “Two months from now?” He looked up, his face pale. “That’s too soon.”


    “Not at all,” Mr. Benjamin said, leaning back in his chair. “It’s perfect timing. It gives enough time for preparations and aligns with thepany’s strategic goals.”


    I nced at Nichs, sensing his frustration and the weight of the situation. “We’ll make it work,” I said, stepping in to diffuse the tension. “We appreciate the board’s support and enthusiasm.”


    Nichs shot me a look, his eyes questioning me “Yes, we’ll make it work,” he echoed, though his voicecked conviction.     After we left the meeting, Nichs and I returned to his office. He closed the door behind us, his expression hard. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice low.


    “I know,” I replied, sinking into one of the chairs. “This changes everything. You didn’t tell me we were going to get married”


    Nichs paced the room, his frustration was evident. ” I didn’t know about that. I thought if they knew I had a child then they would be off my back for good. They’re forcing our hand. Two months is hardly any time to n a wedding”


    “We don’t have a choice,” I said, trying to stay calm. “If we refuse, they’ll question ourmitment and say we were just not serious from the beginning ”


    He stopped pacing, looking at me with a mix of determination and desperation. “We have to make this work, Monica. We have to convince everyone that this is real.”


    I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. “We will. But we need to be prepared for the wedding ”


    “I’ll handle the details,” he said, determined to make this work. “But we need to discuss the guest list. We can’t afford to invite many people. The board of directors, some friends and families and that’s it ”


    I nodded. “We’ll keep it small and selective. Just a few people”


    As we continued nning, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. This wedding wasn’t supposed to happen but for us, it was a calcted move in a dangerous game. One misstep and everything coulde crashing down.


    I suddenly felt like I was losing strength and I began to breathe in and out slowly. “What’s the problem?” Nichs asked, noticing my actions. “Are you all right?”


    “I don’t know. I just feel-” I couldn’tplete my words as darkness consumed me and thest thing I saw was Nichs running towards me with fear and confusion evident on his face.