Chapter 13
Inside the brightly lit examination room of the downtown medical center, Clara lay comfortably on the padded table, her mother sitting in a chair beside her, holding her hand. Dr. Evelyn Vance—no relation to the lawyer, but a trusted physician Clara had secretly relied on during her loneliest months—smiled warmly as she adjusted the ultrasound monitor.
"Well, Mrs. Vance-Sterling, everything looks absolutely textbook," Dr. Vance said, pressing the cold wand gently across Clara’s protruding belly. On the grainy black-and-white screen, the rapid, rhythmic beat of a tiny heart pulsed with vibrant life. "Heart rate is strong, development is right on track, and your little one is getting ready to make an appearance very soon."
Clara watched the screen, tears of pure joy pricking at the corners of her eyes. All the stress, the courtroom battles, the public scandal, and the painful severance from her past melted away in the face of this simple, miraculous truth. Her baby was healthy, safe, and surrounded by genuine love.
"Thank you, Dr. Vance," Clara whispered, squeezing her mother’s hand tighter. "For everything. Especially for keeping my confidences when things were so dark."
"You did the hard work, Clara," the doctor replied gently, printing out a strip of ultrasound images and handing them over. "You walked through the fire and refused to burn."
As they left the clinic and stepped out into the crisp afternoon air, Clara felt a sharp, unmistakable contraction ripple through her lower abdomen. She stopped walking, catching her breath as her mother immediately turned to her with wide, alert eyes.
"Clara? Was that...?"
"Yes, Mom," Clara breathed, a calm, radiant smile breaking across her face despite the sudden wave of discomfort. "I think the baby is ready to meet us."
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Marcus Vance, who had been waiting discreetly by the curb in his town car, sprang into action the moment he saw their expressions. He held the rear door open smoothly, his professional demeanor instantly softening into genuine human warmth. "Hospital?" he asked.
"Hospital," Clara confirmed, sliding into the plush leather seat with her mother right beside her.
