My ex rushed into my ER carrying his injured daughter, only to find me, the doctor he abandoned, seven months pregnant with his baby. I didn't cry. I stayed completely professional. "I'm Dr. Adelaide," I said, ignoring his eyes staring at my belly. But when his daughter whispered one simple sentence, his face went completely pale...

Two weeks later.

The mountain air outside the penthouse turned crisp and cold as an early autumn rainstorm swept across Asheville. Thunder rumbled in the distance, sending sheets of water cascading down the high glass windows of the apartment.

Inside, the atmosphere was warm and peaceful.

Elias was sitting on the living room rug, helping Sophie assemble a giant wooden castle set, while I rested on the plush sofa, reading a medical journal. Over the past fortnight, the tension between us had melted away, replaced by a deep, mature intimacy that was far stronger than what we had shared before.

Elias had officially taken over as interim CEO of Vance Global Holdings after Eleanor's arrest. His first act had been to donate two million dollars of his personal shares to Memorial Hospital’s pediatric trauma wing, naming the wing after me. The forged ethics file had been completely expunged from the medical board system, and my fellowship standing was entirely restored.

Everything was finally in place.

Suddenly, a strange, warm sensation pooled between my thighs.

I paused, setting my medical journal down.

Then came the pressure. A deep, relentless ache flared across my lower back, tightening hard across my ribs.

"Adelaide?" Elias’s voice cut through the quiet room instantly. He had been watching me—he was always watching me. He stood up from the rug in a second, his sharp eyes narrowing as he noticed my pale face. "What is it? Are you in pain?"

"Elias..." I breathed out, reaching down to touch the wet linen of my pants. "My water just broke."

Elias froze for half a second before his emergency instincts kicked into overdrive.

"Sophie, get your shoes and coat on right now!" Elias said calmly but swiftly, grabbing my hospital bag from the hall closet. He ran to the sofa, scooping me up into his arms with absolute care.

"I'm only thirty-two weeks, Elias," I whispered frantically, panic rising in my chest as another sharp contraction slammed into my uterus. "She’s too early! It’s too soon!"

"Listen to me," Elias said, looking directly into my eyes as he carried me toward the private elevator. "You are the best doctor in this city. Sarah is waiting for us at the hospital right now. Our baby girl is strong, Adelaide. She has your strength. We are going to be fine."

The drive to the hospital through the torrential downpour was a blur of flashing emergency lights, wipers slapping against the windshield, and Elias holding my hand tight every time a contraction hit.

When we arrived at the L&D entrance, Sarah Miller was already waiting with an emergency transport team.

"Get her to Delivery Suite 4!" Sarah ordered as I was transferred to the gurney. "She’s three centimeters dilated! Contractions are two minutes apart!"

"Is the NICU team ready?!" I gasped out through the pain.

"Dr. Chen and the entire pediatric team are standing by in the room!" Sarah assured me, pushing the gurney down the hall.

Elias stayed right beside me, holding my hand, his voice a steady anchor through the blinding pain. "I'm right here, Adelaide. I'm not leaving your side. Not for a single second."

Inside Delivery Suite 4, the room was buzzing with high-intensity energy. The storm raged outside against the reinforced windows, thunder booming over the building, but inside, all focus was on the monitor.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.

"She’s coming fast, Adelaide!" Sarah announced after checking my progression. "You’re fully dilated! I need you to push on the next contraction!"

"I'm scared..." I wept, the overwhelming vulnerability of being the patient instead of the doctor finally crashing over me. "She’s so tiny..."

Elias leaned down, framing my face with both of his warm, trembling hands. He kissed my forehead, his tears falling onto my cheek.

"She is going to be perfect, my love," Elias whispered, his voice full of absolute faith. "Look at me. Push for our daughter. I’m right here with you."