The plastic indicator sat on the edge of the stainless steel lab bench.

Two pink lines stared back at me under the bright fluorescent lights.

My hand shook as I reached for a glass beaker, nearly knocking it over.

The hum of the ventilation system seemed louder than usual today.

Outside, rain smeared the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Leprince Corp tower.

Three weeks ago, I was just a quiet food chemistry intern in the product development wing.

Then came the late-night launch party, the shared cab, and the quiet intensity of Andrew Leprince’s penthouse.

Now, my stomach felt hollow, cold despite the warm air blowing from the ceiling vent.

I hid the plastic stick in my white lab coat pocket as heavy footsteps echoed outside the door.

The electronic card reader beeped, and the heavy glass door clicked open.

Andrew walked in, his dark gray suit immaculate, his expression unreadable.

He smelled of cedarwood and rain.

“Elila,” he said, closing the door behind him.

“Mr. Leprince,” I replied, keeping my hands deep inside my pockets.

“We are alone, Elila. You don’t have to call me that.”

He stepped closer, his leather boots clicking against the polished gray floor.

“You’ve been avoiding my emails,” he said, his voice quiet. “And you missed the morning formulation briefing.”

“I had some urgent testing to run on the new synthetic sweetener,” I lied, looking down at his polished leather shoes.

He stopped a foot away from me.

I could see the slight shadow of stubble on his jaw and the tension in his shoulders.

“Is that really what this is about?” he asked.

His hand reached out, his warm fingers brushing against my cold wrist.

I flinched back, my pocket rustling.

The sudden motion caused the white plastic stick to slip from my pocket.

It clattered onto the tile floor.

It rolled, stopping right against the toe of his designer shoe.

Andrew looked down.

He frowned, then bent down slowly to pick it up.

I stopped breathing.

He turned the test over in his palm, his thumb brushing the small window showing the two distinct lines.

His eyes widened slightly as he looked from the plastic stick back to my face.