The office buzzed with excitement and speculation. Something big was happening—Lila could feel it the moment she stepped through the glass doors. The air was thick with hushed whispers, quickened footsteps, and the kind of charged energy that only came with major corporate shifts.
She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, her mind still reeling from the events of the previous day. The doctor. The ultrasound. The heartbeat.
She had been ready. She had steeled herself, told herself it was the best choice. But the moment she had heard that steady, rhythmic pulse, something inside her had cracked. It wasn't just a bundle of cells. It wasn't just an inconvenient mistake. It was real.
Her stomach churned as she stepped toward her desk. She needed to focus, to keep her mind occupied. If she let herself spiral, she would drown in the weight of it all.
Then she heard his name.
"Mr. Ravencroft is taking over."
Lila's entire body went cold.