As the weeks bled into months, the corporate merger negotiations intensified. The entire atmosphere at Brightwood Holdings became a pressure cooker.
Arthur, usually focused but approachable, transformed into a man consumed. He was constantly in meetings, flying out to meet partners, working late into the night. His office light was often the last one on.
The strain of my double life grew almost unbearable. With Arthur so absorbed, I had to bring Lily to the estate’s separate annex more often.
Mrs. Chen, the trusted nanny, became a familiar, comforting presence for Lily. But every time I dropped Lily off, I felt a knot in my stomach. What if someone saw? What if someone guessed?
The annex was discreet, a self-contained wing with its own entrance, rarely used by anyone other than the most senior staff for private meetings. But still, the risk gnawed at me.
Cassandra’s threats of “restructuring” loomed, a ninety-day countdown ticking in my head. My job was on the line, my access to the company archives was limited, and my daughter’s future hung precariously in the balance.
The merger was supposed to be Arthur’s crowning achievement, his legacy. For me, it was becoming a ticking time bomb.
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