Chapter Twenty-Six: Taken in Plain Sight

The sirens screamed like judgment.

Iris barely had time to breathe before the door burst open.

“Miss Iris Carter,” a male voice barked. “You are under arrest for theft of confidential medical records and obstruction of justice.”

Cold steel snapped around her wrists.

“No!” Nathaniel lunged forward, fury exploding out of him. “This is a lie. She didn’t”

A baton slammed into his chest, stopping him short.

“Sir, stand back!”

Iris cried out. “Nathaniel, don’t!”

His eyes locked onto hers, wild and helpless. “Don’t you touch her. Don’t you dare.”

Selena stood across the street.

Watching.

Smiling.

Wrapped in a coat that looked far too calm for a woman who had just destroyed a life.

Iris was dragged past Nathaniel, her body shaking, her heart ripping open as she was shoved into the back of the police car.

“I love you!” she screamed through the glass.

Nathaniel snapped.

He broke free.

Two officers went down before they could stop him. Rage like Iris had never seen before burned through his veins, feral and unchecked.

“I said don’t touch her!” he roared.

Guns were raised.

“Dr. Hale!” an officer shouted. “Stand down!”

Nathaniel froze.

For Iris.

Always for Iris.

They shoved him back as the car door slammed shut.

As they pulled away, Iris saw Selena step closer to Nathaniel, whispering something in his ear.

Whatever it was…

It made his face go completely blank.

The holding cell was cold. Bright. Smelled like bleach and fear.

Iris sat alone, wrists aching, replaying every moment that led here. Every smile. Every touch. Every promise.

She’d loved him.

And now she was paying the price.

Hours passed.

Then footsteps.

A familiar voice spoke softly.

“I told you to stay away from him.”

Iris looked up.

Selena.

Perfect makeup. Perfect hair. Perfect cruelty.

“You framed me,” Iris said hoarsely.

Selena tilted her head. “No. I redirected attention.”

“You ruined him.”

Selena laughed quietly. “He ruined himself when he chose you.”

She leaned closer to the bars. “You think he’ll survive this? His father already disowned him.”

Iris’s heart cracked.

“And you,” Selena continued, “will be expelled. Charged. Forgotten.”

“You’re afraid,” Iris whispered suddenly.

Selena stiffened.

“You’re afraid he never loved you,” Iris said. “That no matter what you do, he’ll always choose me.”

Selena’s smile shattered.

“You should’ve stayed small,” she hissed. “Girls like you don’t get happy endings.”

She turned to leave.

Then stopped.

“Oh,” she added lightly. “One more thing.”

She slid a photo through the bars.

Iris’s grandmother.

In a hospital bed.

Tubes. Machines.

Iris screamed.

Nathaniel arrived too late.

The cell was empty.

Iris gone.

Her file sealed.

Her name erased.

A guard shrugged. “Transfer order came through. Above my pay grade.”

Nathaniel stood still.

Then he smiled.

Slow.

Deadly.

“They took the wrong girl,” he murmured.

Because now…

He wasn’t going to play defense anymore.

The hospital hallway was unusually quiet that evening, the fluorescent lights humming softly overhead. Iris’s footsteps echoed as she made her way toward the cardiology ward, her heart racing—not from exhaustion, but from the thought of seeing Nathaniel.

He was already there, reviewing patient charts with that intense focus she had grown used to. His brows were slightly furrowed, lips pressed into a straight line, but there was something in the way he glanced up when she entered that made her chest skip. That quick, almost unintentional flicker of recognition—it made her stomach twist in a mix of excitement and nerves.

“Good evening, Dr. Moore,” Nathaniel said, his voice low, controlled, yet carrying a warmth that made her stop mid-step. She almost smiled, but the usual professional decorum held her back.

“You forgot your chart,” she said, walking closer, offering the folder she had been holding for him. Their fingers brushed for a second—just a second but the electricity that shot through her arm made her catch her breath. Nathaniel’s hand lingered a moment longer than necessary, and she felt her pulse pound harder.

“I appreciate it,” he said, finally looking at her fully. Those dark eyes seemed to see straight through her, reading thoughts she hadn’t spoken aloud. And for a moment, all the rules, all the hesitation, all the warnings about workplace boundaries faded.

They moved together down the corridor, reviewing patient notes, discussing treatment plans. Iris tried to focus, repeating medical terminology in her head, taking notes, but every time Nathaniel leaned over to show her something on the chart, the scent of his cologne, the warmth of his body, the closeness—it was overwhelming.

“Iris,” he said suddenly, breaking her train of thought. She looked up, and he paused, studying her. “Do you understand the procedure fully?”

“Yes,” she whispered, though her voice trembled slightly. Her hands shook as she held the pen, pretending it was just nerves from learning new material.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Don’t pretend with me. I need you sharp, focused… not distracted.”

Her heart skipped again. “I… I’m focused,” she said, though her thoughts screamed otherwise.

Nathaniel’s gaze softened, but only for a heartbeat. “Good,” he murmured, then straightened and moved on, checking another chart. But Iris couldn’t stop the way her chest felt tight, as if it were trying to contain both fear and longing at once.

The hallway lights flickered slightly, making the moment feel suspended in time. She wanted to reach out, to touch him again, to let him know what was stirring inside her but she couldn’t. She had to maintain composure, despite the raging emotions she couldn’t name.

As the shift ended, Nathaniel looked at her with an intensity that left her breathless. “See me in my office before you go,” he said.

Her stomach did a somersault. “Yes, Dr. Hale,” she whispered, barely above a breath.

The nurses passing by exchanged knowing glances, whispering among themselves. They had noticed the change in him too. the subtle smile that had appeared only when Iris was around, the way he lingered longer than usual over her explanations. It was rare for Nathaniel Hale to show even a flicker of softness, and now, in this quiet hallway, that softness was impossible to ignore.

Iris walked to the office, heart racing, palms clammy. She knocked softly. “Dr. Hale?”

“Come in,” he said.

The moment she stepped inside, the door clicked shut behind her. Everything froze. Their eyes locked, and the world outside the office ceased to exist. All the medical jargon, all the hierarchy, all the danger and gossip—it didn’t matter.

For a heartbeat, Iris felt it: something forbidden, thrilling, and entirely consuming.

And then Nathaniel spoke, low and deliberate:

“Iris… there’s something I need to say.”

Her breath caught. Her pulse pounded. She had no idea what he would say next. but she knew one thing: whatever came out of his mouth would change everything.