Page 98 of Heart of The Night

She nodded sympathetically. ‘Anything I can do to help?’

I shook my head, grateful for her offer. ‘Thanks, but I think I’ve got it. Besides, you’ve definitely got enough on your plate already.’

‘Morning, ladies,’ William’s voice suddenly called from behind us. I stiffened at the sound, my stomach churning with a blend of warmth and unease. Turning my head, I saw him striding toward us, a cup of coffee in each hand. His eyes met mine, a shadow of wariness flickering within the light-blue hue.

My throat tightened as I watched him approach, each step amplifying the magnetic pull he had over me. In his impeccably tailored beige suit, he looked like a vision of perfection, and it made my heart ache. It felt as if the universe had bestowed upon me this incredible gift – this extraordinary man – only to test my worthiness with the trial of Francesca and her baby.

‘Morning, Will,’ Ellie replied, giving him a bright grin.

He stopped by my desk, setting down one of the coffees on it. ‘This is for you,’ he murmured, his eyes darting around, avoiding mine.

I tried to catch his gaze, my heart twisting. I hated seeing him behave like this – hated how anxious I made him.

‘Thanks.’

He shrugged, a faint smile touching his lips.

‘For the biryani as well,’ I added.

He froze momentarily, his eyes finally meeting mine. ‘Have you tasted it?’ he asked, a hopeful note in his voice that tore at my chest.

I shook my head. ‘No, but I’ll be having it for dinner later.’

He nodded, tucking his free hand in his pocket. ‘Well, I hope you’ll like it.’

‘I’m sure I will.’

His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before he turned toward his office. ‘I’d better get to work,’ he said. ‘I’ll see you for lunch.’

I watched him walk away, feeling Ellie’s gaze on my profile. When I turned to look at her, she quickly averted her eyes, focusing on her laptop with feigned concentration. Her pursed lips suggested she wanted to pry, but thankfully, she held back.

With a sigh, I reached for the cup of coffee, noticing the words scribbled on the side.

The Godwin to your Wollstonecraft

My breath caught, an intense surge of tender affection threading through my veins, making my heart clench painfully. My thoughts drifted to William’s penthouse, to the moment he declared he would rise to my defence and champion my cause, even if it meant risking everything he had. It dawned on me then, with a clarity that stung, that if the roles were reversed – if I were the one potentially bringing another man’s child into our relationship – William would have stayed, just as Godwin stayed devoted to Wollstonecraft despite her child from another man.

Spontaneous tears pricked at my eyes, and my hand began to tremble. I set the cup back down, worried Ellie would notice, and leaned over to pull my laptop out of my bag. I powered it up with a shaky breath, trying to focus on the compliance frameworks. But I couldn’t. The depth of my inner conflict seemed to expand with each passing moment, the warmth of William’s message remaining at the forefront of my mind, accompanied by that never-ending sense of guilt over my hesitation.

I thought back to the countless conversations I’d had with Olivia last week, dissecting the situation with Francesca from every angle. Each discussion always led to the same conclusion: William was perfect for me, and I’d regret not giving things a chance. I’d met many men, but none ignited the passion and love William did. Giving up on him because he didn’t fit an ideal seemed absurd when our connection was this strong. I couldn’t imagine loving anyone more than him. So yes, he might become a father, but was it really a deal-breaker? There were plenty of single fathers out there. Didn’t they deserve an equal chance at love? Didn’t William?

I shook my head, reminding myself this wasn’t about that. It was about me – what I wanted for myself. And I wanted William. That I knew without a doubt. But the thought of Francesca always being part of our lives was daunting. And a newborn – even if primarily William’s responsibility – would affect me too. Not to mention that becoming a stepmother might interfere with my burgeoning career – my lifelong pursuit – and I wasn’t sure I was ready to compromise it. There were just so many things that could go wrong. Cutting my losses now, before I was more invested, seemed easier.

Yet, I couldn’t ignore how strong my feelings for William were. Every time I considered walking away, the mere thought of losing him left a gaping void in my chest. He had become such an integral part of my life, and the idea of a future without him felt not just painful but utterly desolate. Olivia and I had poured over this dilemma several times, and we both agreed there was more to be gained from trying than giving up; he was worth the effort, worth the fight.

But it felt too soon to tell William this. I wanted to wait until we had the result. Right now, the situation with Francesca didn’t feel entirely real. It felt distant, not fully comprehended. The moment William had the result, everything would crystallise for me, and I’d know for sure if I could take a leap of faith. But if I told him I was leaning toward staying before we had the result, I risked reinforcing his sense of hope, only to crush it if I changed my mind.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair as if I could untangle the thoughts knotted in my mind. With a groan, I leaned forward and stared stubbornly at the glowing screen before me, willing myself to concentrate on the task at hand. There was no use in agonising over my situation with William right now – it wasn’t contributing anything constructive.

The rest of the workday passed in a blur of meetings and document reviews. The office hummed with the usual buzz of activity, colleagues moving in and out, phones ringing, and the steady tap of keyboards. When lunchtime arrived, William appeared at my desk, a tentative smile on his lips. We headed to the canteen downstairs, our conversation light, both of us carefully sidestepping the elephant in the room, just as we had all of last week.

The afternoon unfolded much the same, work providing a temporary reprieve from the emotional weight that hung over us. By the time the workday drew to a close, I felt a bit more grounded, though the underlying tension remained. As I packed up my things, I glanced over at William, who was engaged in a discussion with Nadia from the tax law department. Our eyes met briefly, and he gave a subtle nod – a silent goodbye.

§ § §

Returning home, I was greeted by the familiar sound of laughter and the unmistakable music of Mario Kart drifting from the living room. Olivia and Jason were huddled on the sofa, their faces lit up with big grins as they raced through the colourful tracks on the TV screen.

‘Hey, Cara,’ Olivia called out, looking quickly in my direction. ‘How was work?’

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