“There is nothing to overlook,” Lena said firmly. “This isn’t a flaw. It’s my life.”
“Exactly,” Lana said. “And he seems willing to meet you where you are. What’s the harm in having one meal?”
Lena stood abruptly, the movement sharp. “The harm is everything that comes after.”
She paced now, agitation vibrating through her. “We work together. People already talk. One dinner turns into assumptions, rumors, expectations. If it goes wrong, I’m stuck seeing him every day. I don’t want awkwardness. I don’t want favoritism accusations. I don’t want my pregnancy turned into office gossip even more than it already is.”
She stopped in front of her sister, eyes pleading now rather than angry.
“Please,” she said quietly. “Let it be. I’ve said no. I’ll keep saying no.”
Lana softened, stepping for
