The Captain's Secret Baby

Chapter 4: The Favor

Avery's Point of View

The suitcase lay open on the hotel bed, its empty interior a welcome sight. I threw my clothes

back into it with frantic, uncoordinated movements. I didn't care about folding them neatly. I

didn't care about wrinkling the expensive emerald dress. I just needed everything inside the bag

so Jasmine and I could leave.

"Mommy, are we going on the big airplane again?" Jasmine asked, sitting on the rug while

sliding her toy cars across the smooth floor.

"Yes, sweetie. We're going home early," I said, zip-locking her toiletries with a sharp snap.

"We're going back to our apartment and your favorite park."

"Yay!" she cheered, completely unfazed by my rush.

My heart was still fluttering with residual panic from the night before. I hadn't slept. Every time

I closed my eyes, I saw Rhett’s dark eyes staring at me through the ballroom crowd. I felt the

suffocating weight of his presence, the cold sharpness of his voice, and the terrifying realization

that four years hadn't changed the way my body reacted to him. I was a ghost in this city, and

ghosts didn't belong in the daylight.

My phone vibrated against the nightstand. I flinched, my eyes instantly checking the screen.

It wasn't my mother. It was Lena.

Dr. Lena Morales had been my absolute rock during my university years, and more importantly,

she was the only person from my past who knew the absolute truth. When I found out I was

pregnant four years ago, terrified and completely alone, Lena was the one who kept me hidden.

She was the one who helped me organize my medical records, guided me through the prenatal

appointments in secret, and held my hand when I packed my life into a single suitcase to flee to

London. She was more than a best friend; she was the keeper of my life's heaviest secret.

I pressed the phone to my ear, a small wave of relief washing over me. "Lena? Thank God. I’m

actually packing right now. I’m heading back to London today."

"Avery..." Lena’s voice came through the speaker, but it was weak, broken by a sharp gasp of

pain. "Avery, don't leave yet. I need you."

I froze, a shirt dangling from my hand. "Lena? What’s wrong? Your voice sounds terrible."

"I'm in the emergency room at St. Jude's," she muttered, her voice tight and strained. "My

appendix is about to burst. They’re prepping me for emergency surgery right now."

"Oh my god," I said, my medical instincts immediately taking over. The panic about Rhett

vanished, replaced by genuine worry for my friend. "Who is your surgeon? Are you stable? Do

you need me to come down there?"

"No, the surgical team here is great," Lena panted, trying to breathe through a wave of pain. “But

Avery... I am in deep trouble. You know I finally landed my dream job this year.”

“Yeah. You are accepted as a physician in a Hockey Team, right?”

“Yes… but the board... they're incredibly strict about availability. If I am out for the next few

weeks without a qualified, pre-approved specialist covering my shifts, they will terminate my

contract. They already told me there's no sick leave for the probation period."

"I can call the clinic director for you," I offered quickly. "Surely they have a registry of local

backup physicians."

"They don't have anyone with my specific sports medicine credentials available on

twenty-four-hour notice," Lena groaned. "The season starts soon. The training camps are active.

Avery, please. You have the exact same specialization board certifications I do. Your credentials

are top-tier. I already spoke to the chief administrator from my bed. If you submit your

temporary license paperwork today, they will accept you as my emergency cover."

I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me. "Lena, I can't. I have my own clinic in

London. I have Jasmine. I can't just stay here for weeks."

"You can do telehealth for your London consultations, and you know it. Please, Avery. I am

begging you," Lena wept, the sound of her crying hitting me straight in the chest. "I need you to

hold the line for me for just three or four weeks. If I lose this job, my career is completely over."

The guilt hit me like a physical wave. She was right. When I was at my absolute lowest, shivering

with fear and carrying a secret that could have ruined multiple lives, Lena didn't hesitate. She

risked her own professional reputation to shield me. I owed her everything.

"Okay, okay," I said, rubbing my forehead as a massive headache began to form. "Calm down.

Don't stress your body before surgery. What team is it? I’ll contact their medical liaison and fill

out the emergency temporary forms."

A heavy, terrifying silence stretched over the line. The only sound was Lena's shallow breathing.

"Lena?" I asked, my voice dropping. "What team is it?"

"It's the city's NHL team, Avery," she whispered in a rush. "The absolute biggest contract in the

state. The team Rhett captains."

The phone nearly slipped from my fingers. My entire body went completely numb. The walls of

the hotel room felt like they were closing in on me, cutting off my oxygen.

"No," I whispered, my voice trembling. "No, Lena. Absolutely not. Anyone else. Any other team.

I can't do this."

"Avery, please! He doesn't spend his days in the medical room! He's on the ice, he's in the gym.

You'll barely see him. You just have to handle the player physicals, minor injuries, and sign off

on the daily health clearances. You can completely avoid him."

"You don't understand," I choked out, looking over at Jasmine, who was still happily playing

with her cars on the floor. "I saw him last night, Lena. At the wedding. It was disastrous. If I

walk into his arena, if I am forced to be in his immediate circle every single day, the truth will

come out. The risk is too high."

"He doesn't know about Jasmine," Lena pleaded, her voice cracking with a sharp sob of pain.

"And he won't find out. She'll be with a nanny at the hotel. Avery, please... they are wheeling me

into the operating room right now. I have no one else. Please don't let them ruin my career."

The line clicked. The call was disconnected.

I slowly lowered the phone, staring blankly at the dark screen. My breath was ragged, coming in

short, panicked gasps.

I looked at the open suitcase on the bed. I looked at the clothes I had just thrown inside, ready

for a quick escape. My ticket back to London was sitting on the email app on my phone, waiting

to be checked in. Safety was just a flight away.

But Lena's terrified face from four years ago flashed in my mind. She had stood between me and

total destruction without a single complaint. She had protected my daughter's future. How could

I turn my back on her now when she was lying on a hospital bed, helpless?

I let out a long, shuddering breath, a tear slipping down my cheek. I closed the lid of the

suitcase, the heavy fabric clicking shut. I wasn't leaving.

I had just agreed to walk straight back into his life. I had just agreed to become the team doctor

for the man who owned my past and threatened my future. I was going to be in close proximity

with Rhett Kane again, and this time, there would be no crowd to hide behind.