Daddy Issues and a CEO

To keep the family business afloat, I needed a kid with my last name.

Instead of finding some dude to marry and bring into the family, I decided to go straight for the baby-daddy route.

During my semester abroad, I hooked up with this struggling artist. I strategically got pregnant and then bounced back to the States.

I figured it was just a fling, but turns out, my "starving artist" was actually a freaking CEO of an international corporation.

Fast forward a few years, and his jerk of a stepson is about to slap my daughter.

Then Mr. CEO himself shows up, eyes like ice. "Try that again," he growls, "I dare you."

Crap. So, not only do I have a kid, but I also seem to be stuck with the father.

…

THUD!

The impact jolted my head, and the fender-bender frustration made me sigh. Just an hour ago, I was in a meeting, going head-to-head with the new CEO of Sterling Corp, when I got a call that my daughter was sick. I had to ditch the meeting, and then I go and rear-end this guy at an intersection. Great. After getting out of my car, I see that it’s a freaking Rolls-Royce.

This is not gonna be a simple "exchange insurance info" situation.

“I’m so sorry, I have an emergency right now, let me give you my number, and my secretary can handle the… oh my god, it’s you?”

My voice trailed off as I stared, stunned, at the man who stepped out of the driver's seat.

He looked completely different from the disheveled artist I remembered. This guy had perfectly styled hair, designer glasses, and looked like he stepped out of the pages of Forbes. But yeah, it was him. The man who briefly shared my life a few years back – Jackson Reed.

“Uh, hi. Long time no see,” I said awkwardly, my fingers curling into my palm, wishing I could just vanish.

But I was stuck there, stuck because of the accident.

Jackson looked down at me, those once-tender eyes now cold.

“Ms. Evans, this isn't Europe, you should be more careful on the road.”

“I’m really sorry, I just… I have an emergency,” I stammered.

My phone vibrated again. It was the doctor.

“Ms. Evans, your daughter’s fever is worse. She keeps calling for her mom. If you could get here as soon as you can, that’d be best.”

“I’m on my way!” I hung up and looked at Jackson.

“I’m so sorry about this, but I really can't deal with this right now. I'll pay double the damages, whatever they are.”

Jackson was staring at me, a strange mixture of hurt and something else I couldn't place in his eyes. He must have heard my phone call.

“You’re… married? You have a kid?” he asked, his voice rough.

I bit my lip and forced a nod.

“Yeah.”

“Ha.” Jackson turned away, his voice flat. “Don't worry about the damages, Ms. Evans. Consider it a belated wedding gift.”

He slammed the door of his car, cutting me off from him, just like I had years ago.

As his car sped away, leaving me in the dust, I felt numb. I just had to get to the hospital.

My little girl, Lily, was delirious with fever, whimpering for her mommy.

I hugged her cl...