Bound By Vows, Sealed In Love

Caiden's reminder sent Iris straight back to that bitter argument from the year before—a fight that had stripped away any sense of pride and left both of them exposed.

"You'll get your divorce after you give me a child. Until then, the score isn't settled." Caiden paused to push his glasses up, a half-smile curling on his lips as if he was teasing her. "Iris, if you think you can walk away from this, you're just fooling yourself."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked out.

Iris leaned against her chair, feeling her chest tighten with anxiety.

She thought back to the woman's words last night—Caiden had exploded after hearing that joke about how the woman had been secretly pregnant and lost it.

That old wound hadn't healed at all. If anything, the grudge had festered.

Almost unconsciously, her hand drifted to her stomach.

A child—he still believed she owed him that.

The irony wasn't lost on her. Caiden was so good at casting himself as the victim when, in truth, he was obviously the culprit.

...

Today, Iris had an outpatient rotation.

At Unity Hospital, she was a chief physician at the cardiothoracic surgery department.

People didn't usually expect someone as young as her to hold such a prestigious title, but her skill left no room for doubt.

After graduating from a world-renowned medical school, she had been sought out by the hospital's director, who offered her an impressive salary to bring her back home.

Her years at Unity Hospital had only solidified her reputation. Staff and patients alike called her the finest cardiothoracic surgeon in the field.

Every doctor was assigned a private consultation room. Settling into her own space, Iris pressed the call button, signaling the start of her appointments.

She pulled up the next patient's information on her screen, preparing herself for the day ahead. The door opened, and a young woman stepped inside.

Looking up, Iris felt as though she'd seen this woman somewhere before.

"I don't see any previous records for you. Is this your first time here? What brings you in today?" she asked.

The woman couldn't have been more than twenty. She wore a deep V-neck dress that looked far too mature for her age, carrying herself with a confidence that bordered on arrogance as she sat down across from Iris.

Iris asked again, "What brings you here today?"

For a moment, the young woman simply studied her. Then she let out a sly grin. "I'm pregnant."

The answer caught Iris off guard.

A heartbeat later, the woman continued, "The baby's Caiden's."

Suddenly, everything fell into place for Iris.

No wonder she found the young woman's face so familiar.

She finally placed her—this was the same woman from the bar's security footage, the one practically glued to Caiden's side that night.

The girl wore a heavy makeup last night. Without it, Iris failed to recognize her.

Refusing to let her expression falter, Iris kept her voice even. "You'll need to head over to OB-GYN if you're pregnant. This is the cardiology wing. You've just wasted an appointment slot for someone who actually needs it."

The woman let out a mocking laugh. "Drop the act. I'm carrying Caiden's child. Shouldn't you be getting ready to step aside?"

Step aside? That was a new one.

Iris absentmindedly twirled her pen. The woman Caiden kept on the Autumn Avenue for years had never dared to speak to her like this. This newcomer had nerves of steel.

Clearly, Caiden had filled her with enough arrogance to feel untouchable.

Rather than argue, Iris picked up the office phone. "Dr. Fletcher, can you book a new slot for me? Schedule a painless abortion for a patient named Ariana Watson."

Ariana shot out of her chair, her face going pale. "Are you insane? You can't just get rid of my baby! If you try anything, Caiden will come after you!"

"I need two nurses here—this patient is resisting care."

As she hung up, two sturdy nurses entered the office. "Dr. Wells, you called?"

Realizing Iris meant business, Ariana's bravado turned to panic. She stamped her foot in outrage. "You're unbelievable! Everyone knows you schemed your way into marrying Caiden. You're nothing but a heartless manipulator!"

Iris pointed to her white coat, the emblem of her profession. "Explain to me how I'm the villain here."

Ariana's anger boiled over. "You only landed Caiden because your mother was close to his. The whole thing makes me sick. If it hadn't been for his mother pushing for it, Caiden would never have looked twice at you. You're just bad luck—you even caused your parents' deaths. You've kept Caiden away from everyone else long enough. It's time you let go!"

Iris took a sip of water, completely unbothered, as though she were listening to a story about strangers. She set her glass down and nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds like you've done your homework. Did Caiden tell you all this?"

Ariana's eyes flashed. "I'm not about to let you keep hurting him!"

Letting her gaze drift to Ariana's stomach, Iris suddenly had an idea. "You care about him that much? Then let me help you out."

Ariana narrowed her eyes, suspicion clear in her voice. "What are you talking about?"

Iris turned to the nurses. "Please escort her through the back to OB-GYN. Dr. Fletcher will be waiting. She knows exactly what needs to be done."

Ignoring the outburst of protests and insults from Ariana, Iris reached for her phone and called Caiden.

He declined the first call.

Undeterred, she dialed again.

This time, he picked up, his voice flat and brisk. "I'm in the middle of something. You've got three minutes."

"I'd appreciate it if you could come collect your latest girlfriend. She's made a scene at the hospital and gotten in the way of my work. If you leave her here, I won't be responsible for what happens next," Iris remarked, ending the call before a full minute had passed.

Caiden showed up not long after his meeting wrapped up. By then, Iris had finished seeing her last morning patient.

His suit was the same crisp black from that morning, but he had loosened his tie and left the top two buttons undone.

The way he carried himself—part elegant, part careless—stood out more than ever.

She instinctively leaned back, creating a buffer between them before speaking up. "Your girlfriend says she's carrying your child."

Caiden's expression stayed unreadable behind the thin frames of his glasses. Not a flicker of emotion gave him away, so Iris couldn't guess if this was news to him.

"I have her in my custody," she added.

That finally elicited a reaction from him. "You locked her up? You have quite the audacity."

If this was what he called audacity, Iris thought he was overreacting.

"I want to strike a bargain," she said, her tone steady.

Caiden let out a short laugh. "Do you have any idea how much the deal I just closed is worth?"

Iris met his gaze, voice flat. "This is just as valuable. I can keep Ariana's child. If you want, I'll say it's mine—no illegitimate child for the family to fuss over. With the right story, your parents will accept it. This way, I won't owe you a child anymore. And we can finally divorce."

Caiden arched a brow, the light in his eyes shifting behind those gold-rimmed glasses. "I have to admit, you've got quite a talent for negotiation."

Iris wasn't interested in deciphering whether he meant it as a compliment or a jab. She tapped the face of her watch. "Take your time, but not too much. Ariana is in pre-op right now. The baby's fate is in your hands."