Page 125 of Rival Hearts

“I can imagine. I’ve been getting good feedback about the campaign and your responses.”

I nodded again. The campaign had been going really well. These days, a lot of people were really serious about the “going green” movement, and there had been a lot less resistance than I’d expected. In the back of my mind, I’d had images of those protests that got out of hand, and even though I’d known that the world wasn’t such a crazy place where people attacked each other on a whim or did terrible things to make their point, I’d still been nervous.

It was silly now, looking at the bigger picture. But I guess that was the kind of thing that came with experience.

“How are you doing?” Victoria gestured for me to join her in her seating space rather than sitting at her desk like she was interviewing me.

Or dressing me down.

“I’m doing fine. With the campaign going so well, I feel positive about the future, although I haven’t planned the next steps yet. But that will come, right?”

“It will,” Victoria said. “I remember when I was just starting out. It seems like a lifetime ago now.”

I nodded.

“But I’m not just asking how you’re doing with work. I want to know howyouare doing. Personally.”

I blinked at Victoria… and promptly burst into tears.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Victoria put her hand on my shoulder, handing me a tissue with the other. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t,” I said through my tears. “It’s nothing.” For some reason, those words just made me cry harder.

Great. I couldn’t control myself or my emotions. I’d driven to see Victoria Morgan and give her feedback about the campaign with every intention of keeping my personal life out of it. I’d told myself I wouldn’t cry on her shoulder, she didn’t need to know about the mess I’d made of my life and how I felt completely lost and alone in the world.

And here I was, sobbing like a child.

Stupid pregnancy hormones, stupid feelings.

Stupid broken heart.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?” Victoria asked gently.

“It’s nothing you want to hear,” I said through my tears.

“Charlotte, I’ve told you before and I’m going to say it again—I’m not just your mentor and your sponsor. I’m also your friend. I care about you, and if you want to talk to me, you know you can. If you don’twantto, then that’s your choice and I won’t press you. But if you want to talk to me, you know I’m always here for you.”

Victoria had been like a mother to me from the moment I’d met her. I’d always looked up to her when it came to business, but just as a person, she was everything I’d never had. She’d become the mom who’d taken the place of the woman who’d walked out on me, giving me advice, teaching me life lessons.

But it had never been a part of her job description.

“I don’t want to be a burden on you,” I admitted, the words tumbling out of my mouth. I was already having a breakdown like an idiot. I could just as well tell her the truth, tell her what I was thinking, what I was scared of.

“You’ll never be a burden on me,” Victoria cried out. “You are a special person, Charlotte. You’re smart and funny and you’ve had to fight a lot of battles to get where you are now. I have so much respect for you, and I want to help you where I can. You’re going to achieve great things in your life, and I’m honored to be able to say I’m part of that journey.”

I stared at Victoria, turning over her words in my head. Victoria was such an upstanding member of the community, always putting money into good causes, and I looked up to her so much. To hear her telling me she respected me and making it sound likeshewas the one who had the privilege of being in this friendship we had when it was really the other way around… made me cry even harder.

Victoria rubbed my back carefully while I cried myself out, letting everything I’d held in for days come out in ugly-cry sobs. By the time I’d pulled myself together again, I had a pile of tissues next to me. My eyes felt puffy, and my cheeks were tired of being scrubbed so much to get rid of the tears.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, still sniveling. “I didn’t come here to lose it completely.”

“Never be sorry for being human,” Victoria said.

“I’m pregnant,” I admitted. “And the father isn’t in the picture because I don’t think he’s the right guy for me, and despiteknowing that he’s a villain, I’m heartbroken, and I hate it. I hate all of it.” More tears rolled over my cheeks. I didn’t know it was possible to cry so much.

“Oh, dear,” Victoria said, digesting the news I’d broken to her.

“Bigger than you thought, huh?”