Chapter 6 - BEYOND THE STORMS
Five weeks after the courtroom victory, the storm clouds had finally cleared over Manhattan.
Grace sat in her new corner office on the top floor of Calloway Logistics—now officially rebranded as Pierce-Calloway Global. The office had been completely redone. Ethan’s ostentatious gold accessories and leather furniture had been replaced with sleek, warm Scandinavian wood, soft natural lighting, and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
At eight and a half months pregnant, Grace was glowing. Her strength had returned in full force, and under her brilliant executive leadership, the company’s stock value had bounced back, surging thirty percent past its previous all-time high. Investors who had panicked during Ethan’s scandal were now racing to purchase shares, captivated by Grace’s sharp operational turnarounds and Declan’s powerful financial backing.
The door to her office opened gently. Declan walked in, carrying two hot cups of decaf spiced tea. He was wearing a dark grey tailored suit with his top shirt button undone, looking relaxed and deeply handsome.
“You’re working late, CEO,” Declan said with a warm smile, setting a cup down on her desk.
Grace leaned back in her plush chair, stretching her arms above her head. “Just reviewing the final quarterly reports for the European supply chain expansion. The efficiency numbers are up twenty-two percent.”
“I know,” Declan chuckled, pulling up a chair beside her desk. “My financial analysts are still trying to figure out how you restructured the Rotterdam port routing in three days. They think you’re a wizard.”
“Not a wizard,” Grace smiled softly, looking into his warm eyes. “Just someone who actually pays attention to detail.”
Declan’s gaze softened. He looked at her with a depth of admiration that made Grace’s skin tingle. Over the past month, they had spent almost every evening together—working late, sharing dinners at his estate, or simply walking through Central Park while Declan’s discreet security team kept the world at bay.
Declan had never once pressed her for romantic promises. He had been a rock of patience, protecting her, supporting her, and respecting her healing process as she prepared to bring a new life into the world.
“Declan,” Grace said softly, setting her tea cup down. “I never properly thanked you.”
“For what?”
“For everything,” Grace said, reaching across the desk to place her hand over his. Her fingers felt warm and small against his large, calloused palm. “You didn't just save my company, Declan. You reminded me who I was. Before you showed up at that hotel, I felt broken. I felt like I had spent my whole life making mistakes.”
Declan gently turned his hand over, intertwining his fingers with hers. “You never made mistakes, Grace. You were just loyal to someone who didn't deserve you. There’s a massive difference.”
He stood up, walking around the desk to stand beside her chair. He looked down at her with intense tenderness.
“I spent ten years waiting for the right moment to come back into your life, Grace,” Declan murmured softly, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand. “I’m not going anywhere. Whatever you need—a business partner, a friend... or something more—I will be right here.”
Grace looked up at him, her chest swelling with a warmth she hadn't felt in years. For the first time in her life, she felt entirely safe.
Suddenly, a sharp, gasping breath escaped Grace’s lips. She clutched her stomach as a sudden, intense contraction tightened across her abdomen.
Declan’s posture snapped straight instantly. “Grace? What is it?”
Grace closed her eyes, breathing through the wave of pressure. A warm sensation flooded beneath her dress.
She opened her eyes, looking up at Declan with a mixture of shock and quiet excitement. “Declan... my water just broke.”
Declan froze for a half-second, his sharp mind processing the situation. Then, without a single trace of panic, he acted.
May you like
He leaned down, carefully gathering Grace up into his powerful arms, lifting her off the executive chair as if she weighed nothing at all.
“Call the helicopter,” Declan barked toward his assistant outside the office door. “We’re going to Mount Sinai Hospital. Right now!”
