Morning arrived quietly, but Daisy woke with a strange heaviness in her chest.
It wasn't physical discomfort. The doctor had reassured her repeatedly that the pregnancy was progressing smoothly. The baby was healthy, strong, growing exactly as expected.
Still, something felt unsettled.
She sat up slowly in bed, resting her hand over the gentle curve of her stomach. Outside the glass walls of the penthouse, the city stretched beneath a pale gray sky. Traffic was already beginning to crawl through the avenues like restless veins.
Kaiden had already left.
That wasn't unusual.
But today, the silence he left behind felt different.
More deliberate.
Downstairs in the kitchen, Daisy poured herself tea and checked her phone.
Two missed calls.
One message.
The sender's name made her pause.
Victor Hale.
She opened it.
You should probably see today's financial bulletin.
Daisy frowned slightly.
Victor wasn't the type to send vague warnings.
Her stomach tightened as she opened the attachment.
It was a short report from a major financial news outlet.
The headline sat boldly at the top of the screen.
VOSS INTERNATIONAL AND BROWN HOLDINGS RUMORED TO BE FINALIZING STRATEGIC ALLIANCE.
Daisy blinked.
Her heart began to beat faster as she read the article.
The report described ongoing negotiations between Kaiden's company and Selene Voss's corporate empire. According to unnamed sources, the partnership would involve a joint investment initiative worth several billion dollars.
But that wasn't the part that made Daisy's chest tighten.
Near the bottom of the article was a single line.
Sources close to the negotiations suggest the partnership was privately discussed several weeks ago.
Several weeks.
Daisy lowered the phone slowly.
Several weeks ago.
That meant before the rumors.
Before the luncheon.
Before any of the tension surrounding Selene had become public.
Kaiden had been negotiating with her all along.
And he hadn't said a word.
By noon, the story had spread across multiple financial platforms.
Investors were speculating.
Analysts were debating.
The potential alliance between two massive corporate empires was enough to excite markets and terrify competitors.
But Daisy wasn't thinking about markets.
She was thinking about silence.
About the quiet dinners where Kaiden had sat across from her, discussing ordinary business matters.
About the moments when Selene's name had appeared in conversation only briefly, almost casually.
He had never mentioned negotiations.
Never hinted at partnership.
Nothing.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
Not even once.
The penthouse door opened a little after six that evening.
Daisy was standing by the window when Kaiden walked in.
He stopped when he saw her expression.
"You've seen it."
It wasn't a question.
Daisy turned slowly.
"Yes."
Kaiden set his briefcase down and loosened his tie.
The calmness of the gesture made something inside her snap slightly.
"You're negotiating with Selene," she said.
"Yes."
"For how long?"
"A few weeks."
The answer landed harder than she expected.
"And you didn't think that was something I should know?"
Kaiden studied her carefully.
"It wasn't relevant to you."
Daisy laughed once, softly.
"Not relevant?"
"It's a corporate decision."
"Involving the woman who's currently trying to destroy my reputation."
"That's an exaggeration."
"Is it?"
Her voice rose slightly before she forced herself to calm down.
"You knew she was pushing those rumors. You knew the press was circling. And you still chose to work with her."
Kaiden walked toward the bar, pouring himself a glass of water before answering.
"Personal conflicts don't override strategic opportunities."
Daisy stared at him.
"Strategic opportunities."
"Yes."
The casual tone of his voice stung more than anger would have.
"You made a deal behind my back," she said quietly.
Kaiden looked up.
"It wasn't behind your back."
"You just didn't bother telling me."
"Because it doesn't affect our agreement."
Daisy felt something twist painfully in her chest.
"Our agreement," she repeated.
"Yes."
The word contract hung silently between them, even though neither of them said it out loud.
For a moment, Daisy didn't trust herself to speak.
She walked slowly across the room and sat down on the couch.
"You've spent weeks warning me about Selene," she said finally.
"You said she manipulates people."
"She does."
"You said she's dangerous."
"She can be."
"And now you're partnering with her."
Kaiden remained standing across from her.
"Business requires alliances."
"With enemies?"
"With whoever strengthens the company."
Daisy shook her head slightly.
"You're unbelievable."
"And you're emotional," he replied calmly.
Her eyes flashed.
"Of course I'm emotional."
Kaiden's voice remained steady.
"You're letting personal feelings cloud your judgment."
"My judgment?" Daisy repeated.
"Yes."
She stood again.
"Let me explain something to you, Kaiden."
Her voice was no longer angry.
It was sharper than that.
"You brought Selene back into our lives. Not the press. Not the board. You."
"That's not accurate."
"It's completely accurate."
He watched her silently.
"She's using this partnership to stay close to you," Daisy continued. "To stay visible. To keep the rumors alive."
Kaiden crossed his arms.
"And you think I'm unaware of that?"
Daisy hesitated.
"Then why allow it?"
"Because I'm controlling the situation."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"You think you can control Selene Voss?"
"Yes."
The confidence in his voice made Daisy's frustration spike again.
"You're underestimating her."
"No," he said quietly. "You are."
Silence filled the room.
The tension between them felt heavier than anything they had faced before.
Finally Daisy spoke again.
"There's another reason you didn't tell me."
Kaiden's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What reason?"
"You knew I would object."
"That's possible."
"So you removed the option."
"I removed unnecessary interference."
Daisy laughed again, but there was no humor in it.
"Unnecessary interference," she repeated.
"That's what I am now?"
Kaiden's expression hardened slightly.
"That's not what I said."
"It's exactly what you meant."
She turned away from him, pressing her palms lightly against the glass window.
The city lights were beginning to flicker on below.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Daisy said quietly, "I thought we were at least honest with each other."
"We are."
"No," she said.
She turned back to face him.
"You're honest when it's convenient."
Kaiden's jaw tightened.
"You're overreacting."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
Daisy studied his face carefully.
"You warned me not to mistake your instincts for love," she said softly.
"That hasn't changed."
"No," she agreed.
"But I made a different mistake."
Kaiden's gaze sharpened.
"What mistake?"
"I thought respect was part of the deal."
The words landed heavily.
For the first time since the conversation began, Kaiden didn't respond immediately.
The silence stretched for several seconds.
Then he spoke quietly.
"This partnership will benefit the company."
"I'm sure it will."
"And by extension, it will benefit our child."
Daisy's expression softened slightly at that.
But the tension didn't disappear.
"That doesn't mean you should have hidden it from me."
"I didn't hide it."
"You avoided it."
Kaiden exhaled slowly.
"Perhaps."
The admission surprised her.
But it didn't fix the problem.
"Selene will see this as a victory," Daisy said.
"She's mistaken."
"Maybe."
She sat back down on the couch, suddenly feeling tired.
"But she's already succeeded in one thing."
"What?"
Daisy looked up at him.
"She's standing between us."
Kaiden didn't answer.
Because the truth was obvious.
She already was.
Later that night, Daisy lay awake in bed staring at the ceiling.
Kaiden was still in his study, working late again.
But her thoughts weren't on him.
They were on Selene.
Selene had always been patient.
Careful.
Strategic.
And now she had exactly what she wanted.
Access.
Visibility.
Influence.
Not just through gossip or rumors.
Through business.
Through partnership.
Through power.
Daisy rested her hand over her stomach again, feeling the quiet rhythm of her breathing.
Selene wasn't finished.
Not even close.
And if Kaiden believed he could control the situation completely…
Then he was making a dangerous mistake.
Because sometimes the most effective move in a war wasn't a direct attack.
Sometimes it was simply getting close enough to strike when the moment was right.
And now Selene Voss had done exactly that.
She was inside the game.
Closer than ever.
And Daisy had a feeling the real conflict was only just beginning.