Accidentally Pregnant With The Billionaire Heir

EMILY

"A personal motive?" I ask. I tilt my head to the side, maintaining a calm exterior while my mind races. "What exactly is this personal motive?"

Dr. Aris doesn’t answer immediately even though I know he heard the question loud and clear.

The heavy velvet curtains of Bordeaux 101 cannot hide the sudden stench of nepotism.

I sit back against the plush leather seating of our private dining booth. I fold my hands tightly in my lap. The thick white bandages wrapped around my palms chafe slightly against the fabric of my black trousers. I wait for Dr. Aris to explain his bias or what his personal stakes are in this matter.

"Have you ever heard the name Professor Chase?" Dr. Aris asks. He pushes his wire-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. The warm, golden light from the overhead lamp reflects off the silver hair at his temples.

I absolutely have. My uncle and aunt relentlessly leveraged the Vance family name to secure dinner invitations with him. I also had my suspicions that one of the reasons Julian pursued my stepsister specifically was because Professor Chase took Chloe on as a primary protégé. The man represents the ultimate academic ladder for ambitious, greedy climbers. Anyone who has him in their corner has made a solid connection.

In fact, in this world, he is more popular than Dr. Aris and maybe even more respected.

"I am very familiar with him," I reply quietly. I take a slow sip of my sparkling water. The carbonation burns the back of my throat. I set the crystal glass down on a small square napkin. “What about him?”

"Julian Thorne is dating Professor Chase’s top disciple," Dr. Aris explains. He picks up a silver pen and taps it gently against the mahogany table. "Professor Chase learned Thorne Medical was seeking a partnership through the lady. He called me directly and asked for a favor which is something he hardly ever does. He strongly recommended Julian for the role and gave him high praise."

A harsh, bitter laugh escapes my lips. The sheer audacity of the connection makes my stomach turn.

"So Julian is merely riding on Professor Chase’s coattails," I say. My voice drips with pure, unfiltered sarcasm. "He uses his girlfriend’s academic connections to secure backdoor meetings. That does not sound like competent corporate management. That sounds like a man incapable of earning his own seat at the table."

Dr. Aris stops tapping his pen. His expression turns incredibly serious. The friendly mentor vanishes, replaced instantly by the seasoned medical director.

"I made my boundaries perfectly clear to Professor Chase," Dr. Aris says. He leans forward, closing the distance across the table. "I told him I only recommend individuals of exceptional ability to you. Selecting a business partner for a breakthrough formula is no trivial matter. I do not entertain favors for mediocre candidates."

He gestures toward the sleek tablet resting between us.

"I recommended Julian because the man is objectively outstanding in every professional respect," Dr. Aris continues. His tone leaves no room for debate. "His company possesses the exact manufacturing infrastructure we require. His distribution networks are flawless. However, the final decision rests entirely with you, Emily. I will never force a partnership you do not want."

A profound warmth spreads through my chest. The tight knot of anxiety resting behind my ribs loosens completely. He values my autonomy above his own professional friendships. I look at his honest, lined face. I feel a deep, overwhelming wave of gratitude for his absolute sincerity. He treats me as an equal partner.

"I cannot work with Thorne Medical," I state. I keep my posture completely rigid. "I have a long history of bad blood with Julian Thorne."

Dr. Aris raises his silver eyebrows. He leans back against the leather cushions. Pure surprise registers across his features. "You know him personally? What exactly is the nature of your conflict?"

My throat instantly goes completely dry. I stare at the tiny bubbles rising in my water glass. How do I even begin to explain the humiliating mess of my past? I cannot easily summarize three years of fake promises, a stolen future, and a devastating infidelity. The words wedge themselves sideways in my windpipe. I try to formulate a professional summary of his betrayal, but the raw anger chokes me.

I open my mouth. No sound comes out. I look down at my bandaged hands.

Dr. Aris watches my struggle. He possesses decades of experience reading patients in distress. He senses my severe hesitation immediately.

"You do not need to explain the details to me, Emily," Dr. Aris says softly. His tone is incredibly kind and understanding. "If there is existing animosity between you two, business is impossible. We will simply rule him out right now and move on to the next candidate."

He reaches across the table. He drags his finger across the tablet screen. He dismisses Julian’s smiling photograph into the digital trash bin without a second thought.

I exhale a massive, shaky breath. The crushing weight lifts completely off my shoulders. "Thank you, Dr. Aris. I truly appreciate your understanding."

"We move forward," he says simply.

Dr. Aris swipes across the screen again. A new profile appears.

A man in a sharp silver-gray suit looks out from the photograph. He has thin wire-rimmed glasses and a lean, athletic build. His sharp jawline and calm, mocking eyes are unmistakable. It is the exact same man who intervened in the hallway twenty minutes ago.

"This is Victor Sterling," Dr. Aris introduces him. He taps the financial statistics listed below the photo. "He is an executive from Sterling Pharmaceuticals. His capabilities and distribution channels are entirely on par with Julian Thorne’s network. He might even possess a slight operational advantage in the southern districts."

I study the sharp angles of Victor Sterling’s face on the glowing screen. He handled Julian with effortless, mocking authority. He did not flinch when Julian grabbed his expensive lapels. He definitely has the necessary spine for aggressive corporate warfare. He is entirely immune to intimidation.

Dr. Aris pauses. He picks up his pen and taps it against the table again. The rhythmic sound fills the quiet booth. He looks down at the tablet with a deep, worried frown.

"Why are you hesitating?" I ask. I lean closer to the screen. "Is there a problem with his company’s financials?"

"His company is pristine," Dr. Aris replies. He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "But Victor Sterling harbors a very bitter, very public feud with the Monroe family."

My eyes widen in genuine shock. The air in my lungs stalls. I grab the edge of the mahogany table. "Are you referring to the actual Monroe family? The noble house?"

"Yes," Dr. Aris nods slowly. The worry lines around his mouth deepen. "One of the three great noble families of the Etrand Empire."

I lean back against the velvet cushions. My mind races through basic national history. Everyone in the country knows the untouchable power structure. These three great families hold absolute dominion over the realms of commerce, politics, and the military. They own the towering financial skyscrapers. They control the massive defense contracts. They dictate the flow of legislation. They are virtually untouchable titans. Crossing them is equivalent to jumping in front of a speeding freight train.

I stare at Victor Sterling’s picture. I ponder the sheer magnitude of his bravery. Why would a pharmaceutical executive pick a fight with an established noble house? What kind of dark, twisted history drives a man to declare open war on a political giant? It takes a very specific kind of fearless insanity to challenge that level of entrenched power.

"This is my primary concern," Dr. Aris says. He folds his hands over the tablet, covering Victor’s face. "If you partner with Victor Sterling, you risk inadvertently becoming entangled in his personal war. The Mo family is absolutely ruthless. They crush their enemies without hesitation. A situation like that would prove incredibly troublesome for you. Even with your background in the Vance family, your relatives could not shield you from the fallout."

I almost laugh out loud. The mental image of my family defending me is completely absurd. The Vance family would gladly hand me over to the Mo family wrapped in a neat little bow if it secured them a minor tax break. I do not rely on Thomas or Lydia Vance for protection. I rely entirely on my own intellect and my own grit.

Dr. Aris sighs heavily. He removes his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I originally favored Julian Thorne for this exact reason. Thorne Medical offers a safe, predictable path to the market. But since you have a history of conflict with him, we have no choice but to select someone else. Perhaps we should revisit the other three candidates on the list."

I look at the edge of the tablet. I remember Victor Sterling standing in the dim hallway. He defended me against Julian without knowing my identity. He looked a powerful, angry man right in the eye and mocked his lack of control. He possesses the exact same defiant, fearless energy I need to build my own empire.

I do not want a safe, predictable path. Safe paths are for cowards like Julian Thorne. I want a partner who knows how to fight. Victor is not afraid of titans. Neither am I.

"No," I say. My voice rings with cool, unwavering certainty.

Dr. Aris puts his glasses back on. He looks at me with wide, startled eyes. "No?"

I point a bandaged finger directly at the edge of the tablet screen.

"I choose him."