Chapter 388: Announcement
KAEL
The moment the ballroom swallowed her, I swear something in me forgot how to breathe.
She was light breaking through marble... emerald and gold and the kind of beauty that could unmake a man just by looking his way. And I loved that she had that power. Loved how it felt holy and sinful all at once.
Every step she took toward me, the noise around us blurred into something distant, unimportant. I’d already been through every version of falling for her... the soft kind, the violent kind, the kind that made the world taste sweeter... and somehow, it still wasn’t enough. Every time I saw her, I fell all over again, deeper, darker, harder.
I wanted her close. Always close. Close enough that no one could even think of reaching for her.
By the time I reached her, I was already half undone. She smiled up at me, shy, glowing, and I knew I was done pretending to be civil. I took her hand, pressed my palm to the small of her back, and led her toward the group waiting near the stage.
"Gentlemen," I said, my voice steadier than I felt, "you’ve met Aria, my girlfriend."
There were congratulations, teasing laughter, the usual noise that came with these events. She stammered through her polite responses, cheeks tinted the color of soft wine, and I had to bite down the urge to smile too widely. She was trying to be composed, professional... and failing beautifully.
When the host announced the first dance, I didn’t even give her a chance to refuse. My hand found hers, and before she could say a word, I pulled her onto the floor.
The lights dimmed. The band softened to a slow rhythm.
She looked up at me beneath the glow of chandeliers, and something in my chest twisted tight. I rested one hand at her waist, the other holding her fingers, guiding her into the gentle sway of the music. Her dress brushed against my leg with every step, whispering against the floor like a secret.
"You’re beautiful," I murmured. The words came out lower than I meant, almost a growl. "You know that, don’t you?"
She laughed softly, the sound trembling against my collarbone. "You’ve already told me twice."
"Not enough times," I said. I bent to kiss her arm, slow, deliberate, tasting her perfume at the curve of her shoulder. Her breath caught, and I felt her fingers tighten around mine.
"Kael," she warned, though it came out barely above a whisper. "Don’t. I sat still for hours to get this done, and you’re going to ruin it."
I smiled against her skin. "Then I’ll fix it myself," I murmured. "You won’t even notice."
She shook her head, trying to suppress her smile. "You’re unreal."
"I’m patient," I corrected, though the word was a lie. Because patience was the last thing I felt when it came to her.
And then the air shifted. A ripple of silence. The doors opened.
Andrew.
His entrance was like a drop of poison in a glass of champagne... Some noticed it even if they pretended not to. My grip on Aria’s waist tightened before I could stop it. The urge to confront him rose, raw and familiar, but I forced it back down. Not tonight. Not here.
The song was nearing its end anyway. I caught Aria’s gaze again, soft and uncertain beneath the light, and decided I’d had enough of being polite.
Leaning close to her ear, I murmured, "Come with me."
She looked up, startled. "Kael—?"
"Your dress," I said smoothly, just loud enough for those nearby to hear. "Seems like there’s a bit of an emergency."
A small murmur of understanding passed around us as I guided her off the floor. My hand never left her back. No one questioned it. No one dared.
Because the truth was, I wasn’t taking her anywhere for a dress emergency.
I just needed her away. From the noise, the crowd, the eyes... from him.
I needed to breathe again. And the only way I ever could was with her alone.
The air outside was a shock of cool against my skin, crisp and tinged with the scent of pine from the garlands looped along the marble railing. The noise of the ballroom fell away until it was only the hum of strings and laughter muffled behind glass. I closed the door behind us, and the quiet felt almost sacred, like the world had been turned down just for us.
She leaned back against the railing, the city lights spilling below in ribbons of gold. "So," she said, trying to steady her breath, "has my dress become your new strategy for dragging me away from crowds you don’t like?"
I arched a brow, that faint smile playing at the corner of my mouth. "It worked, didn’t it?"
She laughed under her breath. "You could’ve just asked for air."
"I needed an excuse," I murmured, stepping closer, sliding my hands into my pockets to keep from touching her too soon.
But I failed instantly.
My hands slipped out of my pockets, found her waist, pulled her against me like I’d been starving for it, because I had been. She gasped softly, her fingers curling into the fabric of my suit, tugging me closer even as I pressed her back against the stone. My other hand was already tracing the exposed skin of her thigh through the slit of her dress, fingertips trailing higher as I lifted her leg slightly, angling her body into mine.
My lips found hers, hungry and unrestrained, and her hands wrapped around my neck, pulling me deeper into her. She trembled slightly, from the cold, from the tension, from *me*, and I felt it everywhere.
I broke away just enough to whisper against her ear, my voice rough and low. "Let me take you out of here. We can leave this boring party behind and have fun elsewhere."
She chuckled softly against my mouth, breathless and teasing. "You should let me enjoy the party and my dress for the night at least."
I obeyed, barely. But not without leaning back just enough to catch her gaze. "Did you bring your lipstick?"
Her brow arched, confused. "Yes, why, "
I didn’t let her finish. I kissed her hard, swallowing whatever words she had left. My mouth moved against hers with purpose, licking, biting, sucking her lips, her tongue, tasting every inch of her like I was trying to memorize the shape of her. She whimpered into me, nails digging into my shoulders, and I only pulled away when I knew I’d thoroughly ruined that perfect shade she’d worn.
When I finally let her go, she was breathless, eyes half-lidded and dazed. I reached into her clutch without asking, pulled out the lipstick, and held it up between us.
She blinked at me, then grabbed a makeup wipe from her bag and pressed it to my lips, wiping away the evidence with a mock glare. "You have a problem, Kael. A constant, unrelenting need to kiss me."
I smiled against the wipe, unrepentant. "You’re right. But I’m not looking for a cure."
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the flush creeping up her neck. I steadied her chin with one hand, carefully reapplying the lipstick with the other, slow, precise, like I was painting something sacred. She watched me the entire time, and when I finished the base, she took it from my hand to add the finishing touches herself.
I stepped back slightly, admiring my work, the perfect curve of her lips, the way her cheeks were still flushed, the slight mess of her hair that no one else would notice but me.
Yeah. I was proud of that.
We walked back into the ballroom together, her hand tucked into the crook of my arm, and for a moment, everything felt right. The warmth of the room wrapped around us, the low murmur of conversation blending with the clink of glasses and soft laughter. I could still taste her on my lips.
A member of the executive board, Marcus, the COO, was already at the podium, his voice booming with that practiced enthusiasm reserved for these kinds of events. "...and as we close out another incredible year, I want to thank each and every one of you for your dedication, your hard work, and your unwavering commitment to this company. Here’s to an even brighter future ahead!"
Applause erupted around us. I clapped politely, though my focus was still on Aria beside me, the way she smiled softly as she joined in.
Marcus continued, his tone shifting to something warmer, more casual. "Now, as is tradition, we’re opening up the floor for anyone who’d like to share a toast, an announcement, or just a few words. Don’t be shy, this is your night too."
A few people stepped forward over the next several minutes, someone from marketing celebrating a successful campaign, an intern thanking the team for their mentorship, the usual fare. The crowd clapped after each one, the energy light and celebratory.
Then I heard it.
A ripple of whispers. A shift in the air. My stomach dropped before I even turned my head.
Sarah.
She was walking toward the podium, her movements deliberate, confident. The kind of confidence that came from knowing you were about to detonate a bomb in a crowded room. Someone handed her the microphone, and she smiled, sweet, demure, like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
I felt Aria stiffen beside me.
"Hi, everyone," Sarah began, her voice warm and familiar. "I know most of you know me from the marketing department..."
A few people nodded, smiled. She had that effect, disarming, approachable. Dangerous.
"But some of you know I’m also very close with people in this room." Her eyes flicked toward Aria first, then slid to me. Lingered. "Very close."
My jaw tightened. I felt Aria’s hand slip from my arm.
Sarah’s smile widened, and she placed a hand on her stomach, a small, almost protective gesture that made my blood run cold.
"I wanted to share some personal news with all of you tonight," she continued, her voice trembling just enough to sound vulnerable. "Since you’re all like family to me."..
A pause and then...
"I’m pregnant."
My whole world detonated.
The room erupted in polite congratulations, a few gasps of surprise, some scattered applause. Confusion flickered across faces, why was she announcing this here? Now?
She let the moment breathe. Let them settle into it.
Then she smiled again, softer this time. Almost apologetic.
"And Kael Roman, CEO of our lovely corporation... is the father."
The room went silent.
Not the comfortable kind of silence. The kind that swallowed sound whole and left only the ringing in your ears and the thud of your own heartbeat.
I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Every eye in the room turned toward me, some shocked, some pitying, some hungry for drama.
And beside me, Aria went completely still.