Chapter 19
TESSA
The July heat outside Cross Capital's windows was stifling, but the atmosphere inside felt even more suffocating.
Three weeks had passed since Viktoria's threatening phone call, and the aftermath had transformed Lucian into someone I barely recognized.
Gone was the man who'd shown up at my apartment desperate and vulnerable. In his place was a CEO operating in crisis management mode.
We'd cut back to zero personal interactions whenever we may be spotted together, and he made a new rule that we couldn’t even be seen at each other’s apartment.
The restrictions made logical sense, but they felt like emotional punishment for a crime I hadn't committed.
I understood his position intellectually. Photos of him leaving my apartment building could destroy both our careers if they surfaced publicly.
But emotionally, the enforced distance felt like confirmation that I was making a bad choice by agreeing to have his child.
The secret nights at hotels all over the city, however, were as hot as ever and sort of exciting.
Plus, it was all good fodder for my mother's nagging calls.
I made Lucian sound like a dream boat and Mom ate it up.
Too bad for me, the mentorship part of the agreement had all but been forgotten. Even Daniel had stopped feeding me breadcrumbs.
The morning staff meeting dragged on with discussions of quarterly targets and client acquisition strategies.
I'd prepared an analysis on the Henderson Industries proposal, but I never got to present it. My job was notetaking and refilling coffee mugs. But when Robert called for input on the deal structure, I raised my hand.
I was shocked when he called on me, and for once, Lucian didn't cut me off. Even Daniel listened carefully when I spoke.
"The manufacturing division shows untapped potential if we restructure the partnership to include licensing agreements," I said, referencing the data I'd compiled over the weekend. "The intellectual property alone could generate returns that exceed the initial investment by thirty percent."
Murmurs of agreement rippled around the conference table, but James from Acquisitions leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "Interesting perspective. Some people certainly get opportunities to shine in these meetings."
The comment made my cheeks burn. I kept my plastic smile, but his nasty perspective drew a few stares from other staff members around me.
I wanted to comment something witty and maybe a little snarky, but I didn't want to look defensive or embarrass myself.
"The analysis is solid," Daniel said, chiming in before I could respond. "We should definitely explore the licensing angle."
Lucian nodded approvingly at Daniel's support, but his eyes didn't meet mine.
The days of open praise and recognition were over, and I was earning my place the way any other staff member would. Except, I hated it. I didn't mind climbing to the top all by myself.
It just hurt that my biggest supporter could only support me when we were locked behind closed doors.
After the meeting, I overheard two junior analysts in the hallway discussing the Henderson presentation, and they weren't talking about business.
The hushed whispers stopped short of my hearing as I passed, but the glowering expressions remained. Neither of them thought I deserved to be in that meeting, let alone offer my opinion.
The gossip followed me back to my desk, where I tried to focus on updating Lucian's schedule despite the humiliation burning in my chest.
I'd worked too hard to let office whispers define my professional worth, but without Lucian's visible support—support he could no longer give—I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle with one hand tied behind my back.
The isolation was suffocating. Colleagues who'd once included me in casual conversations now watched me with suspicion.
Friends like Jamie had grown distant, as if my professional advancement made them uncomfortable.
Even the other assistants treated me differently, alternating between cold disrespect and fake friendliness that felt worse than outright hostility.
I had thought of finding a different job a number of times, simply to eliminate the tension at work, but I needed this salary.
I had a nest egg, and Lucian promised if I did end up pregnant, he would pay every penny.
But it wouldn’t help me when I had to take eight to twelve weeks off for maternity leave. And I was saving money on the IVF, but babies just weren’t cheap no matter which way you had them.
The thought of being pregnant with Lucian's child while navigating office politics felt surreal, but I was determined to make it work. Whatever happened between us personally, I needed to protect my professional future for both me and the baby we were planning.
Around two o'clock, I was reviewing expense reports when Daniel appeared at my desk.
He looked uncomfortable, as if he'd rather be anywhere else. I looked up at him as he approached and he loosened his tie before speaking.
"Tessa, do you have a minute? I need to give you a heads up about something."
The serious tone in his voice made my pulse quicken. "Of course. What's going on?"
He glanced around the office, then leaned closer to speak quietly. "The board has requested detailed records of all executive travel expenses for the past six months. They want supporting documentation for any staff members who accompanied executives on business trips."
His words were like a bucket of ice poured over my head. "All travel expenses?"
"Yes, ma'am. I thought you should know." Daniel's expression was grim. "They're calling it a routine audit…"
My mouth went dry as I processed the information.
The Miami trip, the client dinners, the hotels Lucian and I had shared—every detail would be scrutinized by people looking for evidence of impropriety.
And it didn’t escape me that Daniel was being kind enough to give me this heads up. Whether or not he supported Lucian's right to make his own choices, he was being a good friend to him and me.
"When do they need the documentation?" I asked, suddenly feeling like I may throw up.
"End of the week. I'll handle compiling most of it, but you'll need to provide supporting materials for any expenses you submitted." He paused, studying my face. "Tessa, Lucian can't afford a scandal right now." His lips pursed as his brow furrowed.
The warning was clear—someone was building evidence against Lucian, and I was about to be at the center of it. "Do you know who requested the audit?"
"It came from the board level, but I'd bet money Viktoria's fingerprints are all over this.
She has friends on the board who'd be happy to do her favors.
" Daniel's voice carried disgust. "She's been making calls to board members' wives—including mine—spreading gossip about Lucian's personal life. It's disgusting."
I gawked at him as my chest tightened. "Thank you, Mr. Mercer. You didn't have to tell me any of this."
Something in me felt at ease around him, like Lucian and I had an ally on the inside.
But something else told me he was only being kind now because the other board members weren't around. If they thought for a second that he supported Lucian in this, they'd turn on him just as quickly.
"I did, actually, because it’s my job as CFO.
But as a friend, I'm telling you, Cross has a target on his back.
If you want to keep your job here, stay out of the blast radius.
Viktoria is toxic, and she will stop at nothing to destroy anyone and anything in her path.
" He frowned and sighed. "I believe Lucian when he says he was just mentoring you, but other board members feed off Viktoria's venom. Just watch your back."
My tight nod was all I could manage as he walked away, and I glanced at Lucian through the windows to his office. He was on a call, looked up, and met my gaze as he spoke.
For a split second, I saw recognition like he realized I was upset about something, but it vanished as quickly as it came.
It didn't matter how careful we were or where we secreted away to. Lucian's ex-wife was going to use me to destroy him, and I didn't know how I felt about that.
Because I wanted him bad enough to keep sneaking around, even if I got caught.
I just hated that it could come back to bite him.
I prayed that wouldn’t happen.