PREGNANT BY THE WRONG BILLIONAIRE

ESCALATION

A forced termination?" Evelyn dropped her coat, her voice rising in pure disbelief. "They can't legally hold me here! This is my body!"

​"They aren't trying to hold you legally, Evelyn. They're filing a emergency medical quarantine order," Julian said, grabbing her coat off the floor and catching her by the wrist. "They're claiming the donor sample was biologically compromised. That gives them the right to freeze your care and hold you in the facility for 'observation' while their lawyers tie us up in court."

​Dr. Chen backed away from the ultrasound console, her face pale. "Mr. Vance, if you take her off the premises without signing the formal discharge and medical transfer forms, Aegis will file non-compliance charges against my license by noon."

​Julian didn't look at her. "My legal team will acquire Aegis's parent company by four o'clock today, Dr. Chen. Your license will be fine. Move, Evelyn."

​"Wait!" Evelyn dug her rubber-soled shoes into the linoleum floor, pulling against his grip. "Stop dragging me! I just found out I'm carrying twins, Julian! I am not running down a service stairwell!"

​Julian stopped. His grip on her arm loosened, though he didn't let go entirely.

​Slowly, he turned his head back toward her. His eyes moved from her face to her stomach, then over to the glowing monitor still humming against the wall.

​"Twins?" Julian asked. His voice dropped into a quiet, flat register. "What did you say?"

​"Identical," Dr. Chen interjected hastily, pointing a finger at the screen. "Sample 408B split post implantation. There are two gestational sacs, Mr. Vance. Two heartbeats developing."

​For three long seconds, the exam room went dead silent. Julian stood rooted to the spot, looking at the dark shapes on the screen without moving a muscle.

​"Two..." Julian said softly.

​"Yes, two!" Evelyn pulled her arm free of his grip. "So stop treating this like an acquisition for five seconds and let me process this!"

​"I don't have five seconds," Julian said, his focus snapping right back at her. "Two change the stakes, Evelyn. Two change everything."

​"It doesn't change my rights!"

​"It doubles your exposure," Julian said, stepping into her space. "A twin pregnancy is high risk by default. Aegis isn't filing that quarantine order to protect you. They realized they handed two heirs of the Vance estate to an unregistered patient. Their board is trying to force a settlement before the news hits the market."

​"I am not letting anyone force a settlement on my children!" Evelyn said.

​"Then you walk out that door right now," Julian said.

​Before she could answer, the heavy fire doors at the end of the hallway slammed open with a loud metallic crash. Muffled, urgent voices echoed down the corridor, followed by the quick rhythm of shoes on tile.

​"They're on the floor," Julian said, his tone turning ice-cold.

​"Julian, wait"

​Julian didn't ask. He leaned down, swept one arm behind her knees and the other around her back, and lifted her off her feet.

​"Julian! Put me down!" Evelyn grabbed his shoulders as he kicked the side service door open with his boot. "Put me down right now!"

​"Hold on," Julian said, taking the concrete stairs two at a time without breaking his stride. "You are carrying two children now. That changes my security protocol."

​"You are out of your mind!"

​"I am keeping you out of the courtroom," Julian replied, his breathing steady as he navigated the tight turns of the stairwell.

​"This is forced relocation!" Evelyn said, her fingers digging into his suit jacket. "I will hire a lawyer, Julian! I swear to God, I will hire every firm in this city!"

​"Hire whoever you like," Julian said smoothly. "You can consult them from the estate."

​He kicked open the heavy basement exit doors, stepping into the cool, damp air of the underground garage. An armored black SUV sat idling near the ramp. Two security guards stood by the open rear door.

​Julian set Evelyn onto the leather back seat, climbed in right beside her, and pulled the door shut with a solid, airtight click.

​"Take the rear exit onto 4th Street," Julian told the driver. "Avoid the main avenue."

​The driver hit the gas, the heavy tires screeching against the concrete as the vehicle shot up the ramp and out into the pouring rain.

​Evelyn pushed herself back against the leather seat, smoothing down her sweater and glaring at him. "You pulled me out of a medical facility like a piece of luggage!"

​"I pulled you out of a legal trap," Julian corrected, pulling his phone from his coat. "And our original agreement is void."

​Evelyn caught her breath, watching him tap the screen. "What agreement?"

​"The guest house," Julian said, holding the phone to his ear. "Marcus? Cancel the guest house setup. Draft a new residential agreement. I want four guards on the upper floor of the main house, around the clock."

​"Around the clock?" Evelyn reached across the leather console, grabbed the phone from his hand, and ended the call. "Are you insane? You don't get to decide where I sleep!"

​Julian didn't reach for the phone. He leaned back against his headrest, looking over at her.

​"I am not leaving you in a detached building three hundred yards from the main house," Julian said quietly. "Not with twins."

​"I am not moving into your house, Julian!" Evelyn said, her voice shaking. "We had boundaries! You said I had autonomy!"

​"That was before Aegis filed court papers," Julian replied, his baritone filling the quiet car. "The situation changed."

​"The situation didn't change, my life did!" Evelyn said. "I chose a donor, so I wouldn't have a man controlling my decisions! I left Daniel, so that I won't go through this!"

​Julian's eyes darkened slightly at her ex's name. "Do not compare me to him."

​"Then stop acting like him!" Evelyn said. "He thought he owned my time, and you think you own my life!"

​"I don't think I own you, Evelyn," Julian said, his voice dropping into a low, measured tone. "If I thought I owned you, I wouldn't be sitting here explaining this to you. But I have resources, security, and medical staff on call. You have a damaged apartment and a clinic trying to serve you court papers."

​Evelyn looked out the window at the rain pouring down the glass. "I didn't ask for your security detail."

​"You didn't ask for twins, either," Julian said flatly. "But here we are."

​Evelyn bit her lip, her hands resting over her stomach. The reality of it was hitting her in waves. Two. There were really two.

​"Where are we going?" Evelyn asked quietly, keeping her eyes on the road.

​"To the main estate," Julian said, picking his phone up off the console.

​"To the main house?"

​"To the east wing," Julian said. "It has a private entrance, separate living quarters, and direct access to the medical bay."

​Evelyn turned her head back to him. "Is it connected to your rooms?"

​"It's on the same floor," Julian said, unlocking his phone. "Separated by a set of locked double doors."

​Evelyn watched his face, looking for any trace of hesitation. There was none.

​"You ring the bell if you want to speak to me," Evelyn said, her voice firm. "No exceptions."

​Julian looked up from his screen, meeting her gaze for a quiet moment. "Agreed. Now put your seatbelt on."

​Evelyn clicked her belt into place with a sharp snap, turning back toward the window as the SUV accelerated down the highway toward the iron gates of the estate.