BE MINE

MILENA'S POV

Two hours later, I was sitting in the doctor's office, my feet tapping nervously against the floor while Theo sat beside me, toying with the small teddy bear in his hands.

Damien had agreed to come for the test and he was currently sitting in the waiting room as we awaited the test results. He didn't need to see Theoㅡnot if it wasn't a match.

“Mum?” Theo's tiny reluctant voice pulled me out of my haze and I quickly turned to him.

“Yes, Baby?” I leaned forward in my seat, trying to put on a cheerful expression for him.

His gaze was unfocused as usual and he seemed more intent on his teddy than on me but this was something I was used to. “Why are we here? You said no more hospitals”

I pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. “We're only here for a few minutes, okay? I just want to grab something”

He finally looked up at me and for a moment, tears threatened to spring to my eyes as he looked at me with so much hope in his blue-brown eyes. “I… I wanna go back to Switch…” He paused, almost confused then he looked back at his teddy bear, his bottom lip tucked between his teeth in frustration.

I smiled slightly at that and ruffled his hair. “Switzerland. It's fine… you're learning” I assured him.

He didn't answer, he merely blinked and continued twisting the poor teddy at impossible angles.

The door to the doctor's office was pushed open and I stood up on reflex, Theo practically glued to me as he avoided the doctor's gaze.

The Doctor seemed to be a little above his 30’s with a warm smile and Chestnut brown hair. “Miss Carter. Apologies for the delay, I had to go through Doctor Gareth's report on Theo here. I'm Dr Jimmy, I'll be in charge of your case until Dr Gareth begins his work here”

I nodded, gripping the edge of my seat tightly with a hand while the other pulled Theo to myself almost protectively. As much as it scared me to think of the fact that Damien may not be a match, it scared me even more to think about the fact that he may the match I had been searching for. “Are the results out?”

“Yes.” The man paused and dropped the files on his table before he sat down. “It's a match”

It felt like the air had been knocked out of my windpipes and the world around me seemed to fade into nothing for a while then I gasped, tears freely streaming down my cheeks. Was this real?

Without thinking, I hugged Theo close to myself, tears soaking my clothes while I whispered sweet nothings into his hair. “You're fine… you're finally fine, sweetheart”

The doctor watched the exchange carefully. “I informed Mr Hale and… I'd advise you to meet with him to talk to him…”

I wiped my tears and made Theo sit. “The surgery has been scheduled, right?” I asked, not wanting to waste any time.

Dr Jimmy looked hesitant then he shook his head. “No.”

The smile wiped off my face and my lips parted in confusion. What?

“Why not?”

The doctor shook his head. “Not my place to say”

My heart was thudding in my chest. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and no, I wasn't going to lose it. Not at the expense of my son. “Theo, wait here” I whispered then kissed his forehead before I dashed out of the office and almost bumping into Damien who had been standing at the door.

He looked relieved and still confused as he saw me and I quickly shut the door before he could peek at Theo. “Milena…”

“Why aren't you signing the documents? Don't care much about your company?” I asked, cutting him off, a sense of urgency in my tone.

Damien ran a hand through his hair, already looking dishevelled. “Let me see him…please…let me see my son” He pleaded. “Then I'll explain then we can talk”

“No” I said without a second thought. “Why won't you sign the papers?” I demanded again.

He was silent, his jaw tight and his fists clenched by his sides before he spoke up. “I can't. I want to but… We're divorced. I don't have theㅡ”

I didn't wait for him to finish speaking. “You don't have the what?!”

“I fund this place, Milena!” He finally admitted and for a moment, we just stared at each other, our chests heaving visibly.

“What?” I whispered, confusion clouding my features.

Damien exhaled sharply, his jaw tight as he gestured around the hospital. “I fund this place, Milena. I’m a major shareholder, which means every decision I make here is scrutinized. If I sign those papers as an outsider, it won’t just be a signature—it’ll be a legal nightmare. The board will block it, and if I try to push it through, it could take weeks—months even” His voice dropped, strained. “Our son doesn’t have that kind of time. I’d sign it in a heartbeat if I could, but right now… I legally can’t.”

I struggled to keep my voice level. “So you can't?”

“If you're ready to wait for a few months for us to get legal papers from them” He crossed his arms.

“I don't have months, Damien. Theo is dying” I said through gritted teeth.

Damien ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. “Milena, hospitals don’t just take organs or bone marrow from anyone, even if they’re a match. There are protocols, legalities. And in my case, it’s even more complicated.”

I folded my arms, my patience wearing thin. “Complicated how? You’re his father, Damien. That should be enough.”

His jaw clenched. “No, it’s not. Because legally, I’m not his father.” He let out a harsh breath, stepping closer. “You took him away, changed his last name, removed me from everything. There’s no record that ties me to him anymore.” He gestured to the hospital doors. “As far as the system is concerned, I’m just a man with compatible DNA, not his legal guardian. And because I’m a major shareholder here, everything I do is under scrutiny. If I sign off on this without the right legal documents, it could trigger an investigation, lawsuits—things that would delay Theo’s surgery indefinitely. It's more complicated because I'm his actual father”

“So what's gonna happen?” I asked, my voice cracking slightly. “I don't think they'd mind”

Damien let out a bitter chuckle. “You really think they’re going to let me walk in here, sign a couple of forms, and give away an organ without it becoming a legal disaster? I may be Theo’s biological father, but on paper, I’m nothing.” His voice dropped lower. “A single lawsuit, a bad press leak, and my company could be dragged into a scandal about unethical medical practices, coercion, or favoritism. Yours too”

“So is that a no, Damien?” I asked incredulously.

He put his hands into his pockets, a reluctant look on his face. “There is one way, Milena”

“Which is?”

He lifted his chin. “Marry me, Milena Carter”