GETTING THE HEART OF THE CEO

Courney stepped out into the night, unable to sleep. She walked towards a garden behind the house, where a lush oak tree stood. Seating herself, as she did every night, on its roots, she poured out her thoughts. The tree became her confidant in times of depression, providing a space to freely express her emotions.

"Here I am again, sharing my sorrows with you. I've finally rid myself of a mental burden that was eating away at me. My weary heart is disheartened by being the cause of my sister's suffering right now." Crystal-clear drops fought to roll down her saddened face, and she ran her hand across her stomach.

"Even though I harbor a feeling of love for you, if I decide to bring this life into the world, I wouldn't want to burden you with the pai n every time you see me, reminding you of one of those men. Or if Cesar learns of your existence, I'm sure he'd take you away with him, and I don't want that life for you. God, help me do what's right."

She lowered her head onto her folded legs, embracing them, when suddenly, someone opened up, leaving her stunned.

"I promise you that this guy Cesar and his friends won't harm you again. If you decide to bring this baby into the world, I'm here to support you in raising it and anything else you need. I'm a father to a beautiful girl; my work keeps me away from her most of the time, but in my free moments, I dedicate myself to her. I left the armed forces for my beloved Oriana; she's my pillar. I can assure you that this baby could be yours."

Courney lifted her head and saw Oscar a few steps away from her. She didn't feel fear; she just stared at him for a while with her teary eyes.

"Don't be afraid. I swear on everything sacred, especially my daughter, that I won't hurt you."

"Did you hear me?" she asked with a weak voice.

"Yes," he replied firmly. Despite his serious demeanor, he was moved by the misfortune of this girl.

"How long have you been hearing me?"

"Since you started coming out at night to seek refuge in the arms of this old oak tree."

"Why did you do it? Why were you spying on me?"

"It wasn't my intention. One night, I left my room to look at some photos of my daughter in the moonlight. That was the same day you arrived here. I saw you sobbing, and it broke my heart. I wanted to approach you to console you, but considering your reaction when I first met you, I held back and hid behind this tree. You came here and sat down, starting to pour your heart out, and I just listened."

"Oh, God! You know my whole life? I thought I was alone." She covered her mouth in a gesture of shame.

"Yes, I know many things about you," he said, offering a half-smile.

"Have you noticed that I haven't been a very good person?" Sadness reflected in her words.

"I'm not one to judge you. From everything I've heard, I know you're remorseful for your past actions. What happened to you wasn't your fault. In that world, there are cruel people who exist to inflict harm. Unfortunately, you were a victim. You must understand that nothing that happened to you was your fault."

"If I hadn't sought out that man to harm my sister, he wouldn't have entered my life, and my suffering could have been avoided. Now, this baby is going to pay for my bad decisions."

"Courney, that baby is an innocent soul who's not to blame for others' mistakes. It can help you become a better person. Oriana changed my perspective and the way I see things." Oscar put his hands in his pants pocket, took out his mobile phone, unlocked it, and searched for some photos in his gallery. He brought the device closer to her and showed her pictures of his daughter. "Let me introduce you to my daughter, Oriana Sanchez. She's two years old. Look, she's doing cute things in this one."

Courney lifted her face and observed the man beside her, captivated by the warmth he exuded as he spoke about his daughter. His happiness touched her heart, and for a moment, she felt like a monster for contemplating the idea of ending her baby's life. Once again, tears welled up in her eyes.

"What happened, little one? I showed you those pictures to share my joy, not to make you cry. You're going to make me feel bad."

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"I'm bad, Oscar. You shouldn't be here with someone like me, someone who wants to kill her baby."

"You're not bad. You're a beautiful mother with feelings for her baby. If you didn't have those feelings, you wouldn't cry every time you think about it. Your sister and I will support you in whatever decision you make." "Why are you helping me?"

"Because since I saw you, you shook my heart. At first, I felt pity for you, then anger for what happened to you, and now I want to be there for you in whatever you need."

"Your wife must have been a lucky woman to be with a man like you."

"My wife died two years ago giving birth to my daughter. I wasn't here to say goodbye; I was on a mission in Afghanistan. When I returned, I found out she had passed away two weeks earlier. I wasn't at her funeral, and I failed as a husband." "I'm so sorry."

"Anna's parents asked to raise the child; due to my work, I wouldn't be there for her. I hesitated a lot, and for a moment, I agreed. I shouldn't raise a girl alone and far from her, but when I held her, Courney!" He affirmed those last words with emotion, tilting his head to the side, showing a gesture of affection. "It was wonderful! Seeing how fragile she was, those little eyes and her smile melted my soul. That alone was enough for me to request a discharge and dedicate myself to her for a year. Later, I got this job; with a heavy heart, I left her in the care of my mom, and in my free moments, I'm with her."

"You're a good man," she said, looking at him with admiration. The thought crossed her mind, "Can I become a good mother without dwelling on the past?"

"I haven't been that good. Much blood has been shed by this hand, and my job is to kill people if necessary."

"You don't do it out of cruelty but to protect others."

"Don't be afraid to step out, little one. I'll protect you and that baby if you choose to give it life."

Courney liked how he called her, though she didn't know why. But she felt a sense of peace talking to him.

"I'm afraid those men will find me and do worse things than what I've been through."

"Trust me, those men have already become worm food, and they're burning in hell."

She jumped in surprise, and with an exasperated voice, she asked, "What are you saying?"

"I won't give you details, but I can tell you that with the help of some friends in the FBI, we tried to capture them, but they refused to surrender and responded with bullets. They died in the confrontation with the police." "Really?" she exclaimed, agitated.

"Yes, I told you I would protect you."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Courney felt joy in her chest from excitement, and without realizing it, she hugged Oscar for a second. Realizing what she had done, she immediately pulled away, blushed, looked at him, then turned around and ran back to the house.