CHAPTER 6 – THE HEARTBEAT
CHAPTER 6 – THE HEARTBEAT
The clinic occupied the entire top floor of a luxury medical center.
Private entrance.
Private elevators.
No reporters.
No curious employees.
Andrew had thought of everything.
Except...
how awkward this would be.
We barely spoke while waiting.
He answered emails.
I stared at the floor.
Finally, the nurse smiled.
"Miss Smith?"
"Mr. Leprince?"
"You can come in."
The ultrasound room was dimly lit.
The doctor reviewed my paperwork.
"So..."
"Positive home pregnancy tests."
"I'd like to confirm the pregnancy and estimate gestational age."
I nodded.
Andrew remained standing near the wall.
Almost as if he wasn't sure he belonged there.
The examination began.
Cold gel touched my skin.
The monitor flickered.
Static.
Gray shadows.
The doctor adjusted the probe.
Then—
"There."
A tiny shape appeared.
Almost impossible to recognize.
The doctor smiled.
"Congratulations."
"You are approximately six weeks pregnant."
My breath caught.
Six weeks.
Exactly consistent with that night.
Andrew hadn't spoken for nearly ten minutes.
Then the doctor pressed another button.
A rapid sound filled the room.
Fast.
Tiny.
Steady.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
"That's your baby's heartbeat."
Everything inside me shattered.
I covered my mouth.
Tears spilled before I even realized I was crying.
Across the room...
Andrew slowly lowered himself into a chair.
He never looked away from the screen.
"That's..."
His voice failed.
The doctor smiled warmly.
"About one hundred and fifteen beats per minute."
"Very healthy."
Andrew whispered something so quietly I almost didn't hear it.
"...My God."
For the first time in his life...
the billionaire who negotiated billion-dollar mergers...
looked completely defenseless.
Outside the clinic, neither of us spoke.
The city moved around us.
Cars.
People.
Normal life.
Finally he broke the silence.
"I'm taking responsibility."
I turned toward him.
"What?"
"For the baby."
"I don't need your money."
"I know."
"I'm not asking for charity."
"I know."
"I can raise this child."
"I know you can."
His answer surprised me.
He looked directly into my eyes.
"This isn't about what you're capable of."
"It's about what I'm responsible for."
I searched his face.
There was no pity.
No obligation.
Only certainty.
"I won't disappear."
For a brief second...
I believed him.
Then his phone rang.
He answered immediately.
"What happened?"
The color drained from his face.
"When?"
A long silence.
"I'll be there."
He ended the call.
"What is it?"
He looked toward the skyline.
"The board knows."
My heart stopped.
"They're calling an emergency meeting."
"And they already know..."
He met my terrified gaze.
May you like
"...that the pregnant intern was seen leaving my private clinic with me."
The war had officially begun.
