The ceo’s secretary

JASON STOKES

I couldn’t move from where I was when I saw the blood. I just sat there on the floor, staring between her legs, with one statement ringing in my head: “JASON, YOU DIDN’T PROTECT HER! JASON, YOU DIDN’T PROTECT HER!”

“Jason,” she cried, “do something.”

I tried to get up, but I couldn’t. The blood was too much. Thankfully, my phone was with me, so I called Tanner.

“Sir,” Tanner answered promptly.

“Get the car ready and come up instantly,” I instructed, my voice shaking.

Together, we helped her into the car. I sat in the backseat with her while Tanner drove as fast as he could. On our way to the hospital, I called my family doctor, who picked up instantly.

“Mr. Stokes,” he answered.

“Get your people ready,” I cried into the phone. “I think she is… losing the baby.”

“What happened?” he asked, alarmed.

“Long story. We’re almost at the hospital,” I said, my voice cracking with worry.

“Don’t panic and drive safely,” he advised.

I hung up the phone and turned my attention back to her. I held her hand tightly, trying to offer some comfort.

“it’s hurting me,” she cried, her voice filled with pain.

“I know, but everything is going to be okay soon,” I reassured her, though I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince her or myself. The sight of her in pain and the fear of losing our baby was overwhelming, but I had to stay strong for her.

The nurses were waiting for us at the entrance of the hospital. They quickly helped her onto a stretcher, moving with the urgency the situation demanded. I ran alongside Tanner, my heart pounding with fear and adrenaline. Just as I was about to follow her into the emergency room, a nurse stopped me..

“Please wait here, sir,” she said firmly. “We’ll take care of her. The doctor will update you as soon as possible.”

“But…” I started, my voice breaking.

“We’ll do everything we can,” she assured me, her tone softening as she saw the desperation in my eyes. “Please, trust us.”

I nodded, feeling utterly helpless. I watched them wheel her away. The doors closed behind her, leaving me in a cold, sterile hallway filled with uncertainty.

Thirty minutes later, Dr. Jocasta approached me, and I leapt out of my seat.

“How is she?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“She’s okay. She’s sleeping right now,” she replied calmly.

“And the baby?” I asked quietly, my heart pounding.

“He’s fine. She just had a panic attack.”

“Really? He’s really fine?” Relief washed over me.

“Yes, he is. I would advise you to let her rest for now, and you can take her home when she wakes up.”

“Thank you,” I said, overcome with gratitude as I hugged her.

“It’s okay, I was just doing my job,” she reassured me with a gentle smile.

LEXI TYLER

I opened my eyes slowly to see Jason staring at me, worry etched across his face.

“Hey, Lexi, are you okay?” he asked gently.

“Yes,” I replied, my voice still weak. “Where am I?”

“Hospital.”

Everything came rushing back, and I instinctively looked down at my stomach, my heart pounding with fear for our baby.

“The baby is okay,” Jason reassured me quickly.

“For real? I was scared something happened to him,” I said, my eyes searching his for any sign of doubt.

“He is fine. How are you feeling now?” he asked, his concern evident.

“I’m feeling okay,” I replied, starting to relax.

When we got back home, Jason wouldn’t let me lift a finger. He fed me, showered me, and tucked me into bed himself, his care and love wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.

———————————————————————————————————————-

“How is she feeling now?” I heard someone whisper in our room.

“She’s fine,” Jason whispered back.

I opened my eyes instantly to see what was going on and started helping myself into a sitting position when I saw who was in our room with Jason.

“Easy, easy,” Jason said gently while helping me.

“Good morning,” Jason’s mom said. I nodded in response. “I’m sorry for what happened yesterday. I know you don’t expect me here, but I’m here because I care for you.”

“Since when?” I thought.

“Jason,” she called.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Yes?”

“Can you excuse us?” she asked.

Jason looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded slightly. He squeezed my hand reassuringly before leaving the room.

She came to sit down next to me on the bed and held my left hand with her two hands.

“I’m sorry for everything I’ve done, said, or however I’ve acted towards you. At first, I thought you were one of those girls that were after our money, gold, and name, but you proved me wrong. Do you know this? Jason became a different person when you left, and I thought I was going to lose him. Then you showed up again with our money and my grandkid.”

I was taken aback by her words. It was the first time she’d ever acknowledged her behavior and admitted to being wrong.

“I understand why you thought that,” I said softly. “But I love Jason, and I’m not here for the money. I’m here because I love him, and now we have a baby on the way.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she squeezed my hand. “Thank you for loving my son. And thank you for giving us another chance. I’m here to support you, Lexi, and I hope we can start over.”

“I’m not saying you should forgive me now, but I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me one day, for the sake of our big family. I couldn’t sleep throughout the night when I heard what that lowlife did to you, and the only reason she isn’t in prison yet is because Jason doesn’t want her to be. I’m sorry for what she did to you,” she finished and squeezed my hand.

“It’s okay. I’ve forgiven you wholeheartedly because of the love between me and Jason and because of our baby.”

“You really did?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

“Yes, I did,” I confirmed, smiling gently.

She hugged me tightly, and for the first time, I felt a genuine connection with her. “Thank you, Lexi. Thank you so much. I wasn’t expecting that”

She joined us for breakfast, and we ate and chatted throughout the meal.

In the evening, I was watching my Adam Lee movie while Jason was in his office going through some files Jada had brought him since he was unable to go to the office. My phone started ringing. I checked the caller before pausing the movie.

“Sis,” I said.

“Lexi,” Judith cried.

I became alert instantly. “Judith, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“Mama is dead,” she sobbed.

“Dead? What happened? How come? I saw him about a week ago, and there was nothing wrong with him. When?”

“Today,” she managed to say through her tears.

“How did it happen?” I asked, feeling a lump form in my throat.

“I got back home and wanted to feed him but found a lot of blood instead. Somebody stabbed him. Mama was nice, he wouldn’t hurt anybody, but someone hurt him and I wasn’t home to protect him,” Judith sobbed.

I exhaled heavily, struggling to find the right words. “I’m short of words, sis. I don’t even know what to say right now.”

“That isn’t all,” she said, her voice trembling even more.

“What else?” I asked, dreading the answer.

“There was a message on his body,” she whispered.

“What was written on it?” I asked, my heart pounding.

“It says, ‘I told you I’m not going to be this nice the next time we meet.'”

The phone unconsciously fell from my hand when I heard this because I knew who had told me that exact statement before and where. The memory of the threat in the club bathroom flooded back.

I could barely speak, my mind racing.

“Lexi! Lexi!” Judith’s voice called out urgently.

I picked up the phone again. “Yeah, sis, I’m fine,” I assured her, trying to steady my voice.

“What was that all about?” she asked.

“I ran into a wall,” I lied, trying to keep my voice even.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I repeated.

“What do you think that message is about?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know, sis, but I will look into it.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, very,” I said, trying to sound confident.

I hung up the phone and headed straight to Jason’s office, my mind racing with the implications of Judith’s call. When I reached his office, I found him standing by his desk, his face etched with worry.

“Jason, we need to talk,” I said, closing the door behind me.