Page 90 of Silver Fox's Christmas Scandal

The clinical way she reduced everything between us to physical attraction felt cruel, but I could see the pain behind her composure. She was protecting herself the only way she knew how.

"If that's all this is," she continued, tears finally spilling over, "then the price we're both paying is too high."

I wanted to tell her she was wrong.

That this wasn't about sex or convenience or any of the superficial motivations she'd listed.

That I loved her with a desperation that terrified me, that she'd become the center of my world without my realizing it was happening.

But the words wouldn't come. I was incapable of speaking the truth when it mattered most. I felt paralyzed.

She waited, giving me one last chance to say something that might change her mind.

When I remained silent, she nodded as if I'd confirmed her worst fears.

Still, I sat silently helpless on the bed. I was going to tell her I loved her, and she came telling me we had to end things.

And worse yet, her entire demeanor during sex had only backed that up. She let me use her, that's how much she respected me, and I didn't notice or pay attention to it.

"Goodbye, Lucian."

The door closed behind Tessa as she walked out, and I sat alone in the bed, staring at the space where she'd been standing. My heart might as well be a brick. I felt that hollow.

This wasn't how it was supposed to end.

27

TESSA

The boardroom felt sterile under the harsh fluorescent lights as I sat across from Daniel, transcripts spread between us on the mahogany table.

Three weeks had passed since I'd walked out of that hotel room, three weeks of working directly for the CFO instead of Lucian.

The arrangement had been Daniel's suggestion the morning after our confrontation—a way to distance me from the scandal while proving my value to the company.

Through the windows, I could see the first holiday decorations appearing in the office building across the street, a reminder that Thanksgiving was only two weeks away.

"These notes from the Henderson acquisition are excellent," Daniel said, scanning the pages I'd compiled. "Your analysis of their debt structure caught issues our entire team missed."

I managed a weak smile, fighting another wave of nausea that had been plaguing me for days. The peppermints I'd been sucking constantly helped, but barely. "Thank you. I'm glad I could help."

Daniel's sharp eyes studied my face with concern. "You've seemed distracted lately. Are you feeling alright?"

"I've been a bit under the weather, but I'm fine." I reached for another peppermint from the roll in my jacket pocket, hoping the mint would settle my churning stomach.

He leaned back in his chair, and I watched his expression shift. "Tessa, I know this whole situation has been trying for you. But I think you are doing a fantastic job."

"Of course, Mr. Mercer. I just want to do well." I forced a weak smile but didn't understand where he was going with this.

"I was never on board with Viktoria's campaign against Lucian." His voice dropped to a more personal tone. The crevices in his forehead deepened. "But Robert Vaughn and two other board members are listening to her poison. Having you work with me instead of Lucian… it's not just about protecting your career. It's about saving his."

Simply hearing his name was wrecking me. This was the hardest thing I'd ever done.

I wanted to be with him so badly, but I had to push him away to save him and myself.

And the scary part was it wasn't over yet. I still had to tell him about the baby.

"Here." Daniel pushed a box of tissues across the table, his expression gentling. "I know this is difficult."