Two Months Passed…
Alexis sat in the meeting room, reviewing the jewelry design sketches she would present. Yes, she had been accepted to work at a jewelry company, so she no longer had to rely solely on Greyson's money. Plus, this was her way of ensuring she didn't keep lying to her father.
"Alexis, you came early."
A female employee in a gray suit sat beside Alexis and placed a document on the table.
Alexis only smiled and continued reviewing her sketches.
"I don't have any great ideas this time. I'm sure you'll win this project," the girl said while glancing at Alexis' designs. "Your designs are better and more sophisticated."
Alexis turned to the girl. "Serena... I don't expect much. If I win this project, I'll be happy and gladly share the success with you. And if you win, I'll be happy for you too," she said with a smile.
Serena smiled. "From the start, I noticed you're not that obsessed with projects here. You just work… Like… as if you're not even interested in getting a bonus."
Alexis quickly averted her gaze.
'Because I don't know if I really need money or not... Greyson has given me everything,' she thought with a smile, recalling her intimate moments with Greyson—until something suddenly disturbed her sense of smell.
She covered her nose and saw a handsome man in a black suit entering the meeting room.
"Are you okay?" Serena asked.
"Um... I, uh..." Alexis stopped covering her nose. "I'm fine."
Serena sighed, glanced at the handsome man, then leaned closer to Alexis' ear.
"You know, he's William Robinson, Clara Everett's cousin—from the richest Everett family in this city," she whispered.
Alexis' heart pounded, her eyes widening. At the same time, she couldn't ignore the nausea stirring in her stomach due to the scent of the handsome man.
"I need to go to the restroom!" She immediately stood up and rushed out, leaving Serena and the man puzzled.
"What's wrong with her?" William asked.
Serena shrugged and shook her head.
Curious, William got up and walked toward the restroom. He hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door.
"Hey… um, are you okay?"
Inside, Alexis rinsed her mouth after vomiting.
"Ms. Reed, are you okay?"
"Uh, yes... I'm fine!"
Her heart pounded, and her body trembled as she stared at herself in the mirror, her mind filled with William's face.
"He's Clara's cousin. What if he chooses to work with me… Wouldn't that be weird? I… I'm the mistress of his cousin's husband!"
Panic set in, her body shaking and breaking into a cold sweat. The knocks from outside only made her more uncomfortable—especially with her stomach still feeling queasy. She turned around and leaned against the sink, her vision gradually blurring. Her body weakened until her legs could no longer support her.
She fainted.
"Ms. Reed? Are you okay?"
"Ms. Reed?"
Within seconds, William forced the door open and found Alexis collapsed on the floor. He quickly carried her out and, with Serena's help, took her to the infirmary.
William paced back and forth outside the room while Serena sat in the waiting area.
'Why does he seem so worried about Alexis? Do they already know each other?' she wondered. 'And why did Alexis suddenly feel nauseous? Is she… pregnant?'
"Mr. Robinson…"
A man in a gray suit approached, catching William and Serena's attention.
"Mr. John Kenneth," William greeted.
"I sincerely apologize for this incident, which has forced us to postpone the meeting. However, we can proceed now," John said, looking uncomfortable.
"The meeting won't happen without the employee who is a candidate for working with me," William replied. "In fact, I've already seen some of her designs before, and I know she has great potential. I'll choose her without needing to review the other employees' designs."
"Mr. Robinson… but—"
"I've made my decision!" William said firmly, raising his index finger.
John fell silent and nodded, while William's attention shifted to the doctor who had just exited the infirmary.
"How is she?" William asked.
"From the symptoms I observed, I believe she is pregnant," the blonde-haired female doctor in a white uniform replied.
William was stunned.
"How is that possible?" John panicked, his eyes widening as he turned to Serena. "Isn't she unmarried? How can she be pregnant without a husband?"
"Sir…" Serena hesitated. "This isn't unusual… I mean, she's an adult woman… Maybe she has a boyfriend, and then…"
"I know that!" John snapped, cutting her off. "But the issue is that she broke my rules!"
Serena looked down.
"No one is allowed to be pregnant while still employed here!" he emphasized, his face turning red. But William remained calm.
"I assume you're a married man with children… How can you be angry when a woman in your office gets pregnant?" William questioned.
"But she broke—"
"Maybe she didn't expect this, okay? You can't blame her!"
"But—"
"If you still want me to collaborate with this company, do not fire her!" William said firmly, pointing at John. "You should know… This major project wouldn't happen if I weren't interested in her work!"
John was taken aback.
"In fact, you owe her," William whispered near John's ear before walking into the room without waiting for a response.
William approached Alexis, who was trying to sit up, but he stopped when she immediately covered her nose.
"Please, don't come near me… I really can't stand the smell of your cologne," Alexis pleaded. "Sorry…"
William let out a sharp breath, took off his suit, and placed it on a chair, while Alexis watched him anxiously.
'Why does he care so much about me?'
"I hope my shirt's scent doesn't bother you too much," William said, stepping closer to Alexis.
She remained silent, slowly lowering her hand from her nose. She bowed her head in confusion, allowing William to stand beside her.
"I want to ask you something," William said.
Alexis said nothing.
"Do you really need to work? Are you sure you can stay focused while being pregnant?"
"Pregnant?" Alexis' eyes widened.
"Yes…" William nodded slightly, raising an eyebrow. "The doctor hasn't confirmed it yet, but she strongly believes you're pregnant. So… I think you should talk to your boyfriend about this so that—"
"That's impossible!" Alexis interrupted, her breath quickening in panic.
"What? What do you mean, impossible?" William asked. "Don't you have a boyfriend?"
"I… I do…" Alexis stammered, then quickly covered her nose again. "Can you just leave? Even your shirt's scent is making me nauseous!"
William frowned, sniffed his sleeve, then glanced at Alexis, who turned her face away. Without another word, he left, seemingly understanding that she didn't want him there.
She let out a deep breath, lying back down while staring at the monochrome ceiling.
"Alexis!"
A voice from the door startled her. She saw Serena approaching, carrying her bag, making her worry that Serena also knew about her pregnancy.
"Mr. Kenneth was furious with you!" Serena placed the bag beside Alexis. "He nearly fired you, but William Robinson threatened not to work with the company if you were fired!"
"Really?"
"Yeah…" Serena crossed her arms and took a step back. "I don't know why he's treating you so specially, but now you have to tell me—who got you pregnant? Aren't you single? You're always busy taking care of your sick father…"
"Serena…" Alexis interrupted, looking at her anxiously. "Can you leave me alone?"
Serena fell silent, observing Alexis' uneasy expression. With a sour look, she decided to give her space.
Once Serena was gone, Alexis took her phone from her bag and immediately searched for Greyson's contact number.
"I have to tell him… I can't handle this alone… Besides, with this, he won't delay leaving Clara anymore!" she muttered angrily. "I didn't plan this pregnancy, and it's all because of his recklessness! I won't let him keep me as his mistress… I deserve more than that—or nothing to do with him anymore.."