? Chapter 1: Two Stripes, One Mistake

                                        

                                              
The fluorescent light above the gas station bathroom buzzed like it hated her.
Aria stared at the test in her shaking hands, its result screaming louder than her pounding heart.
Two pink lines.
Positive.
"No," she whispered, as if saying it out loud might change the truth.
But it didn't.
She was pregnant. Alone. And officially screwed.
The father if he deserved to be called that had stopped replying the second she mentioned she was late. One text. That's all it took for him to disappear. Now he was just another ghost in her contact list.
She tossed the test into the trash and leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on her face. Her reflection looked pale, hollow, and terrified.
This wasn't how her life was supposed to go. She had dreams. College. Freedom. A future.
Now she had a baby inside her and no one to turn to.
Three Days Later
New York City
Her stomach growled louder than the cab's engine as they passed skyscraper after skyscraper. Aria clutched her nearly empty purse and whispered thanks to the driver before stepping out in front of Voss Tower the tallest, most intimidating building in the city.
She didn't belong here. Not in her thrift store jeans. Not with tear stains on her jacket. But she'd seen the ad on a bulletin board in the shelter lobby.
Live in assistant needed. Private residence. Immediate hire. High pay.
Desperate didn't begin to describe her anymore.
She walked through the revolving glass doors, head down, heart racing. The security guard barely looked at her before pointing to the front desk.
"I'm here for the assistant position," she said quietly, her voice almost swallowed by the marble-and-gold lobby.
The woman at the desk raised an eyebrow. "You have an appointment with Mr. Voss?"
"N-No. But"
"Then you'll have to submit a résumé through his HR team."
Aria nodded, trying to smile politely. Her body swayed.
And then
Darkness.
When she opened her eyes, she was in an office too luxurious to be real. Leather, glass, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the skyline.
And then she saw him.
Tall. Dark. Ridiculously handsome. Standing by the window like a king in a throne room.
Dominic Voss.
Black suit, no tie, sleeves rolled just enough to show tattoos on his forearms. Cold eyes that held secrets and danger.
"You fainted," he said simply, turning toward her. His voice was low, controlled. "Low blood sugar, according to my staff doctor."
Aria sat up too quickly. "I'm sorry, I—I shouldn't be here."
"No," he said. "You shouldn't."
Her stomach dropped.
"But you are." He walked slowly toward her, each step calculated. "And I don't believe in coincidence."
"I just wanted to apply for the job. I wasn't trying to"
"You're pregnant."
She froze. "What?"
"I can see it. The way you hold your stomach. The pallor. The trembling." His eyes narrowed. "Who did that to you?"
She blinked. "It's... it's none of your business."
Dominic's jaw clenched. Then, shockingly, he exhaled and turned away.
"I need an assistant," he said. "Someone who can live in my penthouse. Discreet. Quiet. Smart. You're desperate, but you're not stupid."
Aria's heart thudded. "Are you offering me the job?"
"I'm offering you a lifeline. You want it or not?"
She didn't know anything about him only that something dangerous lingered behind his calm voice and perfect suit.
But she had no one. And she was carrying everything.
"Yes," she said quietly.
His eyes met hers, and something flickered there.
"Good," he said. "But remember one thing, Miss Carter"
"I don't fall in love. Ever."
 
And she wasn't planning to