During my trip, there wasn’t a single moment where my mind was free of Ashley. While I wasn’t sure what was bothering her, I had an inkling of an idea. After the best three months of my life, with mind-blowing sex almost every night, we still hadn’t conceived. I could only imagine what she was thinking about me, and while it was rare, I couldn’t help feeling a measure of self-doubt. I’d never considered that I might have issues conceiving, but as time went on, I was beginning to wonder.

I knew I had to do something, but I wasn’t sure where I could turn. It wasn’t something I could approach Ashley about, especially not with how upset she already was. Walking in on her sobbing in her office had shattered my heart into a thousand pieces.

After all the time we’d spent together, I had no doubt that I was developing deep feelings for my beautiful secretary. I’d cared for her from the start, of course, valuing her as a close friend and entertaining the idea of something more. It had been a simple fantasy, a shallow attraction to her figure and good looks, but as soon as I saw her crying those anguished tears, I knew without a doubt that there was more to it.

Having never really considered a relationship, it was startling to realize just how deeply I had fallen for the woman who intended to carry my child. I spent every waking moment thinking of her, wishing she was in my arms for every second we were apart. While I was proud of being offered the opportunity to father her child, I wanted so much more than that. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to be her lover.

At the rate things were going, however, it seemed that none of those things would happen. Most men would have likely given up if they were in my shoes. One thing was certain, though: I knew that I was not going to give up on Ashley. Moreover, I would never forsake my duty of having a child to carry on the family name. My father’s wishes, as well as my brother’s, weighed heavily on my shoulders, but it was no longer just about obligation. I wanted to have a family, a real family with the woman I had begun to love.

Love was a strong word, but I had no doubt in my mind that it was what I felt for Ashley. I wanted to make her my blushing bride, the Mrs. to my Mr.

Without love in the equation, perhaps I wouldn’t have felt so awful about the idea of us being unable to conceive. With the feeling throbbing deep in my chest, I couldn’t bear the thought of her being with another man, let alone having someone else’s child. A fierce possessiveness was beginning to surge over me, and I knew that I would do anything to be able to call her mine.

Which was why I refused to let myself get down and out about this slight complication. As crushing as it may have been to admit I needed fertility treatments, I was enough of a man to do so if necessary. I had made my decision to approach Ashley about it when I boarded the plane to return to the States, but as I settled into my seat and began looking over some of the reports regarding GlobaPharm’s latest ventures, I felt as if God himself had put the answer right in front of me.

On top of the pile was a report regarding the latest fertility treatment GlobaPharm had in development. It was intended to boost the fertility of both men and women, and was showing striking results in trials. It hadn’t been approved by the FDA yet, but I was confident that if my company had manufactured it, it would be safe enough.

Yanking my phone out of my pocket, I texted one of the scientists working in the lab. It was a simple message, leaving no room for argument. I was sure the lab workers would have their share of questions regarding why, exactly, I needed several doses of what was intended to be the most powerful fertility drug on the market, but as far as I was concerned, they could wonder all they wanted. I just needed to take the bull by the horns and do right by Ashley.

There was the matter of whether I should discuss the plan with her before putting it into action, but with the drug being in the testing phases, she would surely be reluctant to agree. While I didn’t want to deceive her, I knew that this was the only way forward. If I could conceive a child with her, I was certain things would work out between us. I would make her the happiest woman on earth, treat her like the princess she truly was.

They say love makes you do crazy things, and there’s certainly something crazy about the CEO of a top pharmaceutical company using a product that hadn’t been approved yet. If I thought there was any chance I’d be putting Ashley in danger, I wouldn’t have done it, but all I could see were the positives, the chance to see my destiny fulfilled. My father and brother could rest easy, and I would have the family I never knew I wanted.

The plane touched down just as I received a reply from the lead technician working on the fertility treatment. As I’d suspected, he had his questions, but he had little sway in my ultimate decision. I asked him a few cursory questions about the pills, and my confidence only grew when he assured me that if there was even a slight chance of dangerous side effects, he wouldn’t have allowed the project to progress as far as it had. The fertility supplement had passed all the initial clinical trials with flying colors, and I quickly wrote back with a message ordering him to leave several doses on my desk.

If he was wary, he was probably too worried about his job to say as much. I wasn’t a tyrant by any means, but I knew how to put my foot down when it became necessary.

Stepping onto the tarmac, I walked confidently to the airport parking lot where my car was waiting. As I sat in the driver’s seat, I received a message confirming that the technician had provided an ample amount of the sample drug for my needs. They were waiting for me when I returned to work that day, having sped down the back streets at least twenty miles over the speed limit. I grabbed the pills off of my desk, considering the green capsules somewhat critically.

While I was confident that they were safe, I couldn’t deny that I had doubts about doing this without telling Ashley first. It seemed a pointless thing to worry about, however, especially considering how hard we’d been trying to conceive. I would do anything to ensure she never shed a tear over this situation again, and if that meant going behind her back with these supplements, it was a risk I was willing to take.

Grabbing my cell out of my pocket again, I scrolled through my contacts until I found Ashley’s number. Composing a new message, I requested that she join me for dinner that evening. She sent a smiling emoticon in return, followed by a teasing message saying she would be in charge of dessert that night. While the words seemed innocent enough, I’d have been a fool not to catch the meaning behind them.

My hands quaked with excitement, and I went ahead and popped one of the pills. I’d been informed that the drug was fast-acting, and would likely be in my system by the time I got home that night. I was all too eager for the evening that lay ahead of me.

I was convinced that it would be the night we conceived our child.