FOUR

SLYVIA'S POV

I flew back to Houston in a bid to get away from Gray, the event of last time was still playing over and over again in my head and I don't even know how to approach it, that very morning, my phone buzzed with a call from my assistant, Lisa. "Good morning, Ma'am," she said, her voice bright and chipper.

"Morning, Lisa," I replied, still feeling the weight of yesterday's encounter with Gray. "What's up?"

"Great news! We’ve secured a potential partner for our expansion project. They’re very interested in your proposal and want to meet you in the office at 10 AM."

I frowned, confused. "I didn’t get a chance to speak to anyone last night. Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, absolutely. They reached out to us. It’s all set," Lisa confirmed.

"Alright, I’ll be there," I said, ending the call. My mind was racing. Who could it be? And how did they find out about my proposal?

I spent the rest of the morning trying to keep my mind off the upcoming meeting. The girls were my usual distraction, but today, even their laughter couldn't pull me entirely away from my thoughts. As 10 AM approached, my anxiety grew.

I made my way to the office, my thoughts swirling with possibilities. When I walked in, I froze. Sitting at the table was Gray. He stood up, looking both nervous and determined.

"Sylvia," he said, his voice steady. "Thank you for coming."

"Gray? What are you doing here in my office?" I asked, my voice sharp with surprise and a hint of anger.

"I asked around at the party last night and found out you were looking for a partnership," he began. "I read your proposal, and it's a great idea. I want to help. And... I’m proud of the woman you've become."

I crossed my arms, my heart pounding. "I don’t care about your compliments, Gray. Why are you really here?"

"Sylvia," he began, leaning forward slightly. "I know you have reservations about working with me. But hear me out—this partnership is a good idea for several reasons."

I folded my arms in frustration, raising an eyebrow. "Oh for heaven's sake."

"Wait, firstly," he said, taking a deep breath, "your vision for affordable housing is brilliant. You’ve already done so much, but to make a real impact, you need resources and connections that only a major partnership can provide. I have those connections."

I sighed, the logic of his argument seeping through my defenses but then again I remembered all that transpired between us. "Listen here Gray, how dare you come in here think after what happened between us I would just sign you in as a partner, after all that happened, you must be more delusional than I thought you were, now get out of my office" I gestured for him to leave.

Gray's face fell, but he nodded. "I respect that, Sylvia. But if you ever change your mind, the offer stands. I believe in what you're doing."

I stood up, signaling the end of the conversation. "Thank you, Gray. But your input is not needed." I flared.

He stood up as well, trying to saying something again "uh....." But I caught him off as i shook his hand, feeling a mixture of relief and regret. "Thank you, Gray. Goodbye."

He gave up protesting as he nods then left the office, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of uncertainty. Had I made the right choice? Only time would tell.

Days after hastily turning down Gray’s offer and telling him I wanted nothing to do with him, I couldn’t shake his words from my mind. I spent the night tossing and turning, replaying our conversation over and over.

“Mommy, are you okay?” Zenith asked at breakfast, her big eyes full of concern.

“I’m fine, sweetie,” I replied, forcing a smile. “Just thinking about some business stuff.”

At the office, I found myself staring out the window, Gray’s advice echoing in my thoughts. “You need to expand strategically,” he had said. “Your idea is brilliant, Sylvia, but you need the right partners to make it happen.”

My assistant, Jessica, poked her head into my office. “Morning, Sylvia. We have a few new potential partners interested in our affordable housing initiative.”

I nodded, still lost in thought. “Jessica, about yesterday... What do you think about Gray’s advice?”

Jessica looked at me, clearly surprised. “Honestly, he made some good points. Our current partners are great, but to scale up, we need more influence and resources.”

I sighed, tapping my fingers on the desk. “I can’t believe I’m even considering this, but... maybe he’s right. Maybe I need to put my personal feelings aside for the sake of the business.”

Jessica smiled. “It’s not just about the business, Sylvia. It’s about your vision and helping more people. If Gray can help make that happen, it’s worth considering.”

That evening, I sat down with the girls for dinner. They chatted about their day, blissfully unaware of the turmoil in my mind. As I tucked them into bed, Zenith looked up at me with her big, trusting eyes.

“Mommy, are you still thinking about your business stuff?” she asked.

I kissed her forehead. “Yes, sweetie. But I think I’ve made a decision.”

The next morning, I called Gray. “I’ve reconsidered,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll accept your offer, but this is strictly business. No personal stuff.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “I understand, Sylvia. Let’s meet to discuss the details.”

We met at a quiet café, neutral territory. As we went over the proposal, I found myself nodding along. He was thorough, professional, and undeniably knowledgeable.

“This plan,” Gray said, pointing to a chart, “will allow you to expand your projects to more cities within the next year.”

I listened intently, taking notes. “You really think this will work?”

He looked at me, his eyes sincere. “I know it will. Your idea is solid, Sylvia. It just needs the right support.”

We finalized the partnership, and as we shook hands, I felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension. “Remember, Gray, this is just business.”

“Of course,” he replied, though his eyes lingered on mine a moment longer than necessary.

Over the next few weeks, we worked closely together, and I had to admit, his advice was invaluable. The expansion plans were progressing smoothly, and our team was more motivated than ever.

One afternoon, as we wrapped up a meeting, Gray leaned back in his chair. “You’ve built something amazing here, Sylvia. I’m proud of you.”

I glanced up, caught off guard by his compliment. “Thank you. But remember, this is strictly business.”

He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Understood.”

Despite my resolve, I couldn’t deny the ease with which we worked together. His insights were sharp, his strategies effective. And slowly, I found myself appreciating his presence in a way I hadn’t expected.

GRAY' POV

It had been weeks since Sylvia and I started working on the project together. Despite our agreement to keep things strictly professional, I couldn’t help but steal glances at her, admiring her determination and beauty as she meticulously went over every detail. Yet, one question still gnawed at me—the paternity of her daughters. Zenith was a spitting image of me, and it kept me up at night. I decided I couldn’t wait any longer to ask.

"Lisa, can you give us a minute? I need to speak to Sylvia alone," I said, my voice steady but my heart racing. Lisa nodded, gathered her things, and left Sylvia's office.

Sylvia looked at me with a mix of worry and confusion. "What is it, Gray?" she asked, her tone cautious.

"Please don’t be mad," I began, trying to choose my words carefully. "But this question has been eating me up for weeks now."

Her expression shifted to one of anger. "Oh God, not this again," she said, her voice rising.

"Please, I just need to know. Are the girls mine?" I dared to ask, my voice betraying the desperation I felt.

"The nerve you have to ask me this again after I told you never to ask..." she started, but was cut short by a call from her babysitter.

"Yes?" she answered, and I saw her face change from anger to shock and fear. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "Alright, I'm coming," she said, her voice breaking.

She hung up and turned to her assistant, Lisa, who had reentered the room. "Zenith has been admitted to the hospital, and it's serious. Cancel all my plans for today," she instructed, her voice trembling.

Sylvia ran out of the office, and I chased after her to the parking lot. "Give me the keys, let me drive. You’re in no shape to drive right now. You’re freaking out," I said, trying to sound calm and assertive.

She didn’t protest and handed me the keys. We drove to the hospital in silence, her anxiety palpable in the confined space of the car.

When we arrived, we rushed to where Zenith and the babysitter were. The doctor came out to meet us, holding a clipboard and wearing a grave expression. "Her blood work shows that her PCV level is really low. She needs a blood transfusion, but unfortunately, she is O- and we’ve run out of that blood type," he explained.

"I'm O-. I could donate, right?" I said quickly, drawing the attention of both Sylvia and the doctor.

The doctor nodded. "We’ll need to run some tests first. Follow me," he said, leading me away.

Before I left, I turned to Sylvia. "She’ll be alright," I said, trying to reassure her. Her eyes, filled with fear and hope, met mine as I followed the doctor.

The testing process felt like an eternity. I could only think about Zenith and the possibility that she was my daughter.