"Kieran, the operating room is all prepped. Don't worry. I've arranged for the head of obstetrics to perform the procedure personally. Everything will be fine."

"Everyone's waiting. Let's get her inside."

Before Kieran could respond, Marilyn waved the nurses forward, and they wheeled me into the hospital.

The operating room was approaching fast. I couldn't find a single opening to speak with Kieran alone.

My hand drifted to my stomach. Then I sat up on the gurney and screamed.

"Kieran, this is our child! You can't do this to him! Give me five minutes. Just five minutes alone with you."

"Kieran!"

My voice rang through the corridor. The nurses flinched at my sudden movement, and the gurney ground to a halt just outside the operating room doors.

Kieran's face was ashen as he strode to the bedside.

"Whatever you have to say, say it here. The doctors and nurses are all waiting. Don't waste everyone's time."

"And if you're going to spew the same nonsense about the baby being mine, save your breath."

"Harper, if you had even a shred of feeling left for me, you wouldn't still be standing here humiliating me like this."

I grabbed his sleeve with one hand and pointed at Paula and her mother with the other.

"It was them! All of it was them! Kieran, we can go to another hospital. Get tested again. You never had azoospermia. They lied to you."

"This baby is yours. Kieran, please believe me. Please."

His brows knotted. He hadn't even opened his mouth before Paula cut in.

"Harper, what are you talking about? Your marriage problems have nothing to do with me or my mother. What would we even gain from something like that?"

"Besides, you two went three whole years without a child, and the second some other man comes along, you're suddenly pregnant? You really think anyone's going to buy that?"

Marilyn stepped forward, her gaze unwavering.

"I am the deputy director of this hospital. Thirty years I've served this profession with integrity. What you're doing right now is calling my entire career into question."

"If Mr. Sanchez chooses to believe his wife over me, then by all means, find another doctor. I won't be performing this procedure today."

The moment those words left Marilyn's mouth, Kieran stopped hesitating.

He pried my fingers off his sleeve. One by one.

I begged him. I pleaded with him to believe me. Tears streamed down my face, and Kieran turned his back.