Page 164 of Babies for the Big Shot

“This isn’t about me.”

Isla rolls her eyes. “She’s involved with you, Nick. That makes her a story.”

I step forward. “She’s not a public figure. She didn’t ask for this. She didn’t seek it. She’s carrying my children, and you exploited that for clicks.”

Isla shrugs, not even pretending to feel remorse. “You know how this works. If you don’t want attention, don’t act like a headline. I mean, this is a scandal and you know it.”

I don’t take the bait. “You had a choice. You ran it anyway.”

She walks around the desk with an air of amusement, as if she’s indulging me.

“Let’s not pretend you’re unfamiliar with consequence. You built a life on image, on exclusivity, on mystique. People don’tjust want the boardroom anymore. They want the bedroom. The baby carriage. The heartbreak. You handed them a storyline they couldn’t resist.”

That’s when the door opens, and Greg Turner, the editor in chief ofEdge Magazine, steps in, clearly overhearing the tail end of our argument. He’s not looking at me directly, his gaze flicking from Isla to me, and back again.

“Isla,” he says, his tone even but laced with tension. “What’s going on here?”

Isla’s face tightens, a flicker of unease passing over her expression before she masks it.

“Just a little misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about.” She turns to me, her smile shifting into something more performative. “Right, Nick?”

But I’m done playing games. I walk straight toward Greg and drop a folder on Isla’s desk, my voice firm.

“I’m not leaving until you know what’s really going on. This is what she did. Took money from me tonotrun a story… then ran it anyway.”

Greg takes the folder and flips through the papers quickly, his brow furrowing as he reads. Inside are the bank transfer details so he can see what happened.

“You’re telling me,” he says slowly, his voice rising with disbelief, “that she took the money and still published it?”

I nod, crossing my arms. “That’s exactly what happened.”

Isla’s face hardens, her eyes flashing with irritation, but she knows she’s caught.

Greg looks at her, then back at me, his anger rising. “Isla, you accepted a buyout, and you violated the agreement?”

Her lips tighten, but she stays silent, clearly weighing her options.

Greg takes a step back, his tone sharp. “I’m done with this. Youknowwe don’t run sketchy tactics here.”

Isla looks up at Greg, her expression turning defensive. “This isn’t what it looks like,” she starts, her voice rising with the tension in the room. “I had my reasons?—”

“No, you don’t,” Greg cuts her off, his voice sharp. “You made a choice, Isla. And it was the wrong one. You don’t take buyouts, and you certainly don’t take them and run the story anyway.”

Isla presses her lips together, clearly seething but trying to maintain composure. “I did what I thought was best for my career. I didn’t think Nick would?—”

“I don’t care what you thought,” Greg interrupts, his tone now cold, authoritative. “You broke a trust, and you went against everythingEdge Magazinestands for. We don’t use our platform to blackmail people, Isla. You’ve crossed a line.”

Her face reddens, frustration boiling over. “This is a smear campaign, Greg! You don’t know what?—”

“I know exactly what I’m dealing with,” Greg snaps, taking a step back, his tone even sharper. “You’ve been getting worse and worse over the last few years. Your methods have become more and more questionable. But this? This is unacceptable. You’re fired.” He pauses, his eyes narrowing. “Pack up your things.”

Isla stares at him, her mouth open, trying to formulate a response, but Greg doesn’t give her the chance.

“You’ll be reimbursing the money you took. And if you want to take legal action for your firing, fine. I have a good lawyer.”

Isla’s face goes pale, and for the first time, she looks like she’s truly been knocked off her pedestal.

“You can’t do this,” she hisses, but Greg’s expression is unmoving.