The Billionaire Helped a Pregnant Stranger — Unaware She Would Become His Greatest Love
Chapter 5
The baby arrived seven hours later.
A private doctor flew in.
The house became a temporary maternity ward.
Ethan stayed outside the room.
He had never been so nervous.
At 3:18 a.m., he heard a cry.
A baby’s cry.
Ethan closed his eyes.
A nurse stepped outside.
“It’s a girl.”
He smiled.
“Is Claire okay?”
“She is.”
“Can I see them?”
The nurse nodded.
Ethan entered quietly.
Claire was exhausted.
But smiling.
She held the baby against her chest.
“She’s beautiful.”
Ethan stopped beside the bed.
“What’s her name?”
Claire looked at him.
“I haven’t chosen one.”
She looked down at the baby.
Then whispered,
“Maybe Anna.”
Ethan smiled.
“That’s beautiful.”
Claire looked at him.
“Do you want to hold her?”
He froze.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded.
Ethan carefully took the baby.
His entire expression changed.
Anna opened her eyes.
For several seconds, he didn’t speak.
Claire smiled.
“You look terrified.”
“I am.”
“She won’t break.”
“I know.”
“You’re holding her like she’s made of glass.”
“She looks expensive.”
Claire laughed.
He laughed too.
Something about the moment felt strangely natural.
Then the door opened.
The doctor walked in holding a phone.
“Ethan.”
He looked up.
“There’s a problem.”
“What?”
“The security team received a message.”
“What kind?”
The doctor handed him the phone.
A photograph.
Claire and Ethan boarding the boat.
Taken from a distance.
The message underneath was simple.
WE KNOW WHERE YOU WENT.
Ethan’s expression hardened.
Claire saw his face.
“What is it?”
He didn’t answer.
“Ethan.”
He showed her the phone.
She went pale.
“They found us.”
“Yes.”
“What do we do?”
Ethan took a breath.
“We don’t panic.”
Claire stared at him.
“You sound very calm.”
“I’ve spent years pretending.”
She looked at him.
“Maybe stop pretending.”
He smiled faintly.
“Fair.”
That night, Ethan moved the security team into a tighter perimeter.
He also contacted federal authorities.
They agreed to take Claire’s statement.
But before the investigators arrived, another message came.
WE DON’T WANT THE BABY.
Claire stared.
Ethan’s expression changed.
“Then what do they want?”
A second message arrived.
WE WANT WHAT DANIEL LEFT BEHIND.
Claire looked at Ethan.
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Neither do I.”
Then a third message appeared.
ASK CLAIRE ABOUT THE BLUE FILE.
She froze.
Ethan turned toward her.
“What blue file?”
Claire closed her eyes.
“There was one.”
“Where?”
“I thought it was destroyed.”
“What’s inside?”
“Daniel’s research.”
“What research?”
Claire looked toward Anna.
“Research about a drug.”
Ethan waited.
“A drug that could save thousands of people.”
She swallowed.
“And could make billions.”
