The doctor smiled warmly at Elara, voice gentle yet clear. "Don't worry, Miss. The baby is healthy and developing perfectly."
Her expression froze. The color drained from her face in an instant. Elara's hands shot out to grab the doctor's wrist, eyes wide with disbelief. Her voice trembled. "Wait—what did you say? Baby? Are you saying... I'm pregnant?"
The room seemed to spin. A child? Her mind couldn't comprehend it. Yes, she had once dreamed of becoming a mother—but only with Archer. Only with someone she loved and trusted. Not like this. Never like this.
She had hoped the nightmare would end when she woke up. But now, it wrapped around her like a second skin, dragging her back into a reality she wasn't ready to face.
Meanwhile, outside the room, the storm was just as fierce.
"No! I'm not marrying her!" Damien's voice was thunder, low and ferocious. "I refuse to marry someone I don't love!"
His grandmother stood opposite him, her expression stern as ice. "You better think carefully, Damien. The company is on the verge of finalizing the partnership with Country C company. Very soon, their president and his wife will arrive in China. And do you know what they care about most? Family."
Her voice grew sharper. "What do you think they'll say if they find out you impregnated a woman and discarded her like she meant nothing? How do you think that will reflect on the Rourke family?"
Damien's clenched fists slowly relaxed. Her words struck deeper than he cared to admit.
He reached for a cigarette, lit it with steady fingers. Each breath helped ground him, cool the fury bubbling inside. By the time he exhaled the last trail of smoke, his face had returned to its usual calm—stern, unreadable.
Mrs. Rourke watched him closely, noting the subtle shift. "You must marry her. We will not allow her to give birth in secret, nor abandon her while keeping the child." she leveled her voice, "you will not jeopardize a ten-year contract."
She didn't stop there. "Don't forget, your uncles have never accepted you. They've been circling your position since the beginning, waiting for a crack in your armor. If you don't have an heir, if even the smallest scandal erupts now, they'll come for you. Hard."
Her calm tone hit harder than yelling.
Damien's jaw tightened.
It was true. He was only here because his grandmother backed him against everyone else's objections. He had proven himself by doubling the company's worth, silencing the skeptics—but that silence could be broken.
He remembered the scandal from last month. Photos of him and Elara Wynn had leaked, sparking controversy. Back then, it had been manageable. But another misstep now... and the Country C's company might withdraw altogether.
What if they already thought Elara was his wife?
His gaze dropped, weariness settling into his bones. "Fine," he said quietly. "I'll marry her. I'll acknowledge the child."
Mrs. Rourke's face softened with pride. "That's my grandson. You've always known how to make the right choice."
She patted his shoulder once and turned to leave. "Now go and speak to her. Do what must be done."
As her footsteps faded down the corridor, Damien stood motionless for a moment. His eyes narrowed slightly, betraying something darker beneath his calm.
Marriage? Fine. But he would never open his heart to that woman. This was a business decision, not a union of affection.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Elara had pulled her knees to her chest. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks as confusion and sorrow tangled inside her. Around her, the medical team exchanged baffled glances. Shouldn't she be happy? She was carrying the heir to the Rourke empire.
But her grief told a different story.
They couldn't understand it.
Moments later, the air changed. A figure approached from the hallway with long, purposeful strides. His tall frame filled the doorway, presence overwhelming.
The man's sculpted face was cool, unreadable. His deep-set eyes, sharp and narrow, glimmered with something dangerous—something unknowable.
"Sir..." One of the doctors started to speak, uncertain. "She... Miss Wynn is awake..."
"I heard," Damien said coldly. "You may leave."
His command was absolute. The room cleared within seconds.
Elara heard the voice and lifted her head.
When her eyes met his, her tears fell faster.
She didn't need anyone to tell her. She knew now. Knew who he was.
The man who had taken everything from her—and now stood calmly, emotionlessly, as if none of it mattered.