THE NEXT DAY
ISABELLA
The clinic's glass doors slid open with their usual whisper, the rush of cool, sterile air wrapping around me. My shoes clicked softly on the polished floor as I stepped inside, the smell of antiseptic sharp but familiar now. I pressed my purse closer to my side, trying to calm the flutter in my chest. I told myself it was just nerves. Just another test, another step toward the future I wanted. But if I was being honest with myself, it wasn't the only reason my thoughts were tangled today. I shook my head as I walked to the reception desk, as though that would dislodge the thought of his steady gaze, the low rumble of his voice, the way he'd said I deserved better. It wasn't fair that those words had echoed through my mind all night, warm and steady, replaying like a secret melody I didn't want to admit I liked. The nurse at the desk smiled faintly, pulling me back to the moment.
"Ms. Hart? You're here for your follow-up?"She asked.
"Yes." I said quickly, clearing my throat. "That's right."
"Good. Dr. Mercer will see you shortly. We'll need some vitals first, blood pressure, weight, and then a routine ultrasound check." She gestured toward the side hallway.
I nodded, following her, my heels tapping softly as I walked. My mind, however, refused to cooperate. I should have been thinking about hormone levels, ovulation cycles, test results anything clinical, safe, straightforward. But instead I caught myself remembering the way Xavier had leaned across the café table, his voice softer when he spoke to me, sharper when he was on that call. The duality of him unsettled me. Gentle one moment, commanding the next. And yet… I felt safe. Too safe.
"Please, have a seat." The nurse gestured toward the small exam chair, snapping on gloves.
I sat down, the paper beneath me crinkling loudly.
"Roll up your sleeve, please."She said.
I obeyed, watching absently as she wrapped the blood pressure cuff around my arm. The pressure built, squeezing tightly until I hissed softly at the sensation.
"You're a little tense today." She said, glancing at the monitor. "Nervous?"
I gave a small laugh.
"You could say that. Just… a lot on my mind."I said softly.
"Perfectly normal." She said kindly, making notes on her chart.
Normal. I wanted to laugh. Nothing about my life felt normal lately. Not my hasty divorce, not the decision to have a baby on my own, and certainly not this odd, unexpected companionship with a billionaire who always seemed to show up when I least expected him. The nurse finished her notes.
"Vitals look fine. Dr. Mercer will go over everything more in depth, but you're doing well. Shall we?"She suggested.
I followed her into another room, the hum of the machines louder here. I sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the gown around me, breathing slowly. But all I could think about was green eyes, the warmth of a smile meant just for me. Doctor always told me that I'll have it. The family you wanted. Why did it sound less like encouragement and more like a promise? And why, deep down, did I almost believe him?
The exam room felt colder than usual, or maybe it was just my nerves. The paper beneath me crinkled as I shifted, pulling the gown tighter across my chest. My thoughts were still half-stuck in yesterday's coffee shop his steady voice, his piercing eyes, the way he made promises he had no right to make. The door opened with a soft click.
"Ms. Hart." Dr. Mercer greeted, stepping inside with his clipboard.
His tone was professional, but his eyes, sharp and assessing, seemed to weigh more than just my chart. I straightened instinctively.
"Good morning, Doctor."I said.
"Let's take a look." He scanned the paper in front of him, pen tapping lightly. "Your vitals are stable. Hormonal levels responding just as we'd like. Uterine lining is thickening appropriately. No complications, no irregularities."
Relief loosened something tight in my chest.
"So… everything's good?"I asked.
"Better than good." He said, the corner of his mouth twitching like it might form a smile. "Your body is preparing itself beautifully. The foundation is there. Now… it's only a matter of timing."
I nodded, trying not to squirm under his gaze.
"And… the donor part? How does that work?"I asked.
Dr. Mercer set the clipboard down carefully on the counter, then folded his hands in front of him. His voice lowered a fraction, smooth and deliberate.
"Typically, we present you with files, anonymous candidates, medical histories, genetic compatibility. But sometimes…" His gaze flicked briefly toward the frosted glass window of the exam room, then back to me. "Sometimes, opportunity finds us. Someone who is… unusually fitting."
A strange heat climbed into my cheeks.
"Unusually fitting?" I repeated.
"Yes." He said softly. "It's rare, but occasionally the clinic identifies a match so precise, so aligned with a patient's goals and health, that it feels less like a choice and more like inevitability. As tough the body itself is being answered."
I clutched the gown tighter.
"And you think… that's happening now?"I asked.
His silence was more telling than any direct answer. He studied me, then leaned back slightly, his tone calm, assured.
"Let me put it this way. Your chances, Ms. Hart, are stronger than most. There may already be someone perfect. A donor… whose traits fit seamlessly with what you've described."Doctor explained.
I blinked, pulse quickening. Someone perfect. The words rang oddly loud in my ears, chasing away the clinical comfort of the room. I thought of the bucket list I'd filled out weeks ago, marking down traits without overthinking them. Dark hair. Green eyes. Determined. Strong. The qualities that had come unbidden to my mind, pulled from old memories I had tried to bury. I swallowed hard.
"And I… I don't get to meet him, do I? I mean, that's the rule, isn't it? Anonymous?"I asked.
"Ordinarily." Mercer said smoothly, his gaze cutting into me like a scalpel. "But rules… can bend. Especially when a match is this exceptional."
The paper beneath my hands crinkled loudly as I tightened my grip. My heart raced, though I forced myself to nod.
"Alright." I whispered, though my voice trembled. "If it's the best chance…"
Mercer gave a slow nod, scribbling something on his clipboard.
"That's all you need to focus on. The best chance. The right path. Everything else will… align."He said.
As he turned to leave, I sat there, skin prickling, unable to shake the words circling in my head. Someone perfect. A donor aligned too well to ignore. And for some reason, the first face that came to mind wasn't anonymous at all. It was Xavier.