Chapter 6 : Chloe's Pov

As the days went by, my anxiety grew. I couldn't bring myself to face Mr. Williams or anyone else at the office. The weight of my secret pregnancy was becoming unbearable, and I didn't know how to handle it.

One evening, while I was sitting alone in my room, my phone rang. It was an unknown number, but I decided to answer it anyway.

"Hello?" I said hesitantly.

"Chloe, it's me, Mr. Williams," came the familiar voice on the other end.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. "Mr. Williams? What... what do you want?" I managed to stammer out.

"I need to talk to you. Can we meet somewhere?" he asked, his voice sounding urgent.

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. But curiosity got the better of me. "Okay, where do you want to meet?"

"There's a café downtown. Can you meet me there in an hour?" he suggested.

I agreed reluctantly, my mind racing with questions and fears. What could Mr. Williams possibly want to talk to me about? And why did he sound so urgent?

When I arrived at the café, I saw Mr. Williams sitting at a table near the window. He looked tense, his brow furrowed with worry.

"Chloe, thank you for coming," he said as I approached.

"What did you want to talk to me about, sir?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Mr. Williams sighed heavily. "Chloe, I... I need to apologize to you."

I was taken aback. "Apologize? For what?"

"For what happened between us," he said, his eyes filled with regret. "I shouldn't have let things go as far as they did. I was out of line, and I'm truly sorry."

I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me - anger, confusion, and a strange sense of relief. "It's okay, sir," I said, trying to sound composed. "I understand."

Mr. Williams looked relieved at my response. "Thank you, Chloe. But there's something else I need to tell you."

I braced myself, unsure of what was coming next.

"I... I found out that my wife Layla is pregnant," he said quietly.

I felt like the ground had dropped out from beneath me. Pregnant? Layla was pregnant? But what about me? What about our baby?

"I... I don't know what to do," Mr. Williams continued, his voice trembling. "I've made a mess of everything, and now I don't know how to fix it."

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising panic inside me. "I'm... I'm sorry, sir. I don't know what to say."

Mr. Williams reached across the table and took my hand in his. "Chloe, I know I have no right to ask this of you, but... I need your help. I need you to keep what happened between us a secret. I can't let Layla find out about it."

I looked into his eyes, seeing the desperation and fear reflected there. Despite everything that had happened, I couldn't bring myself to turn him away.

"I understand, sir," I said softly. "I'll keep your secret."

Mr. Williams squeezed my hand gratefully. "Thank you, Chloe. You don't know how much this means to me."

As we sat there in the café, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that hung over me. The weight of our shared secret pressed down on me like a leaden weight, and I wondered how long we could keep it hidden.

But for now, all I could do was nod and smile, pretending that everything was okay. But deep down, I knew that our lives would never be the same again.

The news of my pregnancy hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't believe it. How could I be pregnant? And with my boss's child, of all people. My mind was spinning with questions and fears. What would Layla do if she found out? What about my grandmother? How would I face my colleagues at work? The weight of the situation pressed down on me, suffocating me with its implications.

I sat on the edge of my bed, clutching the pregnancy test in my hand, tears streaming down my face. I didn't know who to turn to or what to do.

After what felt like an eternity, I managed to pull myself together enough to call my best friend, Sarah. I needed someone to confide in, someone who could offer me support and guidance in this dark time.

"Sarah, it's me, Chloe," I said, my voice trembling with emotion.

"Chloe? Is everything okay? You sound upset," Sarah replied, concern evident in her tone.

"I…I don't know how to say this, but…I'm pregnant," I blurted out, the words catching in my throat.

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line before Sarah spoke again. "Oh my God, Chloe. Are you serious? Who…who's the father?"

I hesitated, unsure of how to break the news. "It's…it's Mr. Williams," I finally admitted, my voice barely a whisper.

"Mr. Williams? Your boss?" Sarah exclaimed, disbelief coloring her tone. "Chloe, how did this happen?"

"I don't know. It…it just did," I said, tears welling up in my eyes again. "I'm so scared, Sarah. I don't know what to do."

"Okay, okay, take a deep breath," Sarah said, her voice soothing. "We'll figure this out together. First things first, have you seen a doctor?"

I shook my head even though she couldn't see me. "No, not yet. I only just found out."

"Alright, that's the first step. You need to see a doctor and get checked out. And then we'll take it from there," Sarah said, her voice firm with determination.

"Okay, okay," I murmured, feeling a glimmer of hope flicker to life in my chest. Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have to face this alone.

"Chloe, I'm here for you, no matter what," Sarah said, her voice filled with unwavering support.

"Thank you, Sarah. I…I don't know what I'd do without you," I said, gratitude swelling within me.

"We'll get through this together, I promise," Sarah replied her words a lifeline in the darkness.