“So was I sick?”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“You’re pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“Pregnancy isn’t an illness.”
“Interesting.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means this morning you used my pregnancy to tell Peter I might not be fit to lead tomorrow.”
Silence.
Then.
“Peter called you?”
“Yes.”
Ethan cursed quietly.
“I was trying to help.”
“Stop using that word.”
“What word?”
“Help.”
“You keep doing things that benefit you and calling them help.”
“That is unfair.”
“Is it?”
He lowered his voice.
“Claire.”
“You’re tired.”
“You’re hormonal.”
“This has been a hard first trimester.”
“Do not make permanent decisions because of one bad morning.”
I stared out the window.
“You mean canceling the wedding?”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t one bad morning.”
“It was five years.”
Silence.
Then Ethan said.
“We are having a child.”
“I know.”
“You can’t just walk away.”
“I can walk away from a marriage.”
“I’m not walking away from parenthood.”
He went quiet.
That answer frightened him more than anger would have.
Because I meant it.
PART 5
The next morning, I arrived at Halcyon’s offices at 7:45.
I wore navy.
Low heels.
No engagement ring.
That last detail was noticed immediately.
Peter saw it.
Then Ethan.
Then Maya.
Nobody said anything.
Maya looked exhausted.
Ethan looked furious.
We entered the conference room.
Halcyon’s CEO, Margaret Ellison, stood to greet me.
“Claire.”
She hugged me.
“Good to see you.”
“You too.”
Then she looked at Ethan.
“Ethan.”
He smiled.
“Margaret.”
She shook his hand.
Then she turned back to me.
“I assume we’re still working from your revised integration model.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“We liked it.”
Ethan’s smile faded slightly.
We sat.
For seven hours, we negotiated.
I led.
Ethan tried to interrupt twice.
Both times, Margaret redirected questions to me.
At lunch, Peter pulled me aside.
“You were right.”
“About what?”
“You’re fine.”
I looked at him.
“I told you that.”
He nodded.
Then glanced toward Ethan.
“I should have called you before entertaining any leadership change.”
“Yes.”
He sighed.
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.”
Then I said.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“I need Ethan removed from direct supervision of Maya.”
Peter frowned.
“Why?”
“Because he is engaged to me.”
“Or was.”
“And he is giving a twenty-three-year-old intern preferential treatment.”
“That is a serious allegation.”
“I know.”
“Do you have evidence?”
“I have enough to request review.”
Peter nodded slowly.
“I’ll involve HR.”
“Good.”
I did not mention the wedding.
I did not mention jealousy.
I kept it professional.
That mattered.
PART 6
The deal closed at 4:18 p.m.
Halcyon agreed to the final structure.
The team applauded.
Peter shook my hand.
Margaret hugged me again.
“You saved us at least twelve million in integration costs.”
“That was the goal.”
She smiled.
Then looked toward Ethan.
“I’m glad you made it after all.”
Ethan’s face tightened.
He had spent the entire day trying to appear supportive.
It had not worked.
Outside the conference room, he caught my arm.
“Can we talk now?”
I pulled away.
“Not here.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Where?”
“Lobby bar.”
“Eight.”
He stared at my bare hand.
“You actually took it off.”
“Yes.”
“Claire.”
“Eight.”
Then I walked away.
At 7:58, Ethan was already seated.
