All Chapters of The Doctor's Temptation: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

"She hasn't left her bed since yesterday morning, Edward," one of the older trustees whispered, leaning forward over his leather folder. "The High Court injunction was delivered directly to her solicitors at midnight. If she doesn't appear before the Council today to surrender the seals—""She will appear," Lord Edward interrupted, his voice raspy and devoid of its usual aristocrat pride. "She has no choice. The Swiss accounts are frozen, the legal petition is thrown out, and Vincent holds my proxy vote. It's over."Before any of the trustees could respond, the heavy double doors at the front of the hall burst open with a loud, echoey thud.Vincent walked into the room first. He wore a sharp, charcoal-gray suit without a tie, his unbuttoned wool coat swinging open behind him as he crossed the marble floor in long, powerful strides. His dark eyes swept across the long table like a tactical radar, locking onto every trustee until they looked away in discomfort.Beside him walked Mia. Sh

"You missed a spot right near the window frame," Mia said, taking a slow sip of her cold lemonade.Vincent stood on a small wooden step stool. He wore a plain white cotton t-shirt and a pair of old grey sweatpants. Mia had never seen him wear sweatpants before. Since the day they met, Vincent always wore sharp, expensive three-piece suits. Seeing the terrifying head of the Vance family standing in casual clothes, holding a paint roller covered in wet sage green paint, made her smile wide."I did not miss a spot," Vincent argued gently, looking over his broad shoulder at her. "The paint is still drying, Mia. It always looks lighter when it is wet.""It is definitely a missed spot," Mia teased, resting her glass of lemonade on the windowsill.Mia sat comfortably in the soft velvet rocking chair in the middle of the nursery. She wore a loose white maternity dress that flowed over her large bump. The afternoon sun was warm, shining brightly through the large glass windows. Outside, the oc

The warm morning sun poured through the high arched windows of the Oakhaven sitting room, casting long rays of golden light across the plush cream rug. A gentle breeze blew in from the open balcony, carrying the clean, crisp salt air of the ocean along with the distant, soothing murmur of waves crashing against the cliffs below.Mia sat comfortably in the corner of the oversized linen sofa, dressed in a soft cashmere cardigan wrapped over a simple cotton dress. She looked tired, with faint shadows lingering beneath her eyes, but her face radiated an absolute, glowing serenity. Resting against her chest in a cozy knit blanket was three-day-old Clara, fast asleep, her tiny chest rising and falling in steady, rhythmic breaths.Vincent stood by the French doors, a cup of black coffee held loosely in one hand. He wore a dark navy sweater with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows—a stark contrast to the tailored armor he used to wear in London. His dark eyes shifted back and forth between th

The late summer sun warmed the emerald lawn of the Oakhaven garden, painting the coastal air in bright shades of gold. The white roses along the stone paths were in full bloom, filling the afternoon breeze with a sweet, delicate fragrance that drifted toward the ocean cliffs below.Mia sat on a soft woven picnic blanket spread across the grass, her legs tucked under her simple linen dress. She held a small wooden camera, clicking a quiet photo as nine-month-old Clara sat in front of her, dressed in a light yellow sunsuit with tiny embroidered daisies on the pocket.Clara had grown remarkably over the summer. Her dark hair fell in soft curls around her forehead, and her hazel eyes were bright, curious, and wide as she examined a fallen rose petal in her chubby hand."Look at her focus," Mia said softly, turning her head toward the stone path. "She gets that absolute concentration from you, Vincent."Vincent walked across the lawn from the main house, leaving his phone on the patio tabl

"If you let her eat another blueberry, she is going to turn into a literal berry by noon," Vincent warned with a soft, amused smirk, leaning his hip against the kitchen counter.Mia laughed, wiping a stray smudge of blue juice from the corner of one-year-old Clara’s chin. "She is growing, Vincent. Growing toddlers need fuel. Right, Clara?"Clara babbled a happy, unintelligible agreement, banging her little wooden spoon against her high chair tray with triumphant enthusiasm.The morning sun streamed brightly through the wide kitchen windows of Oakhaven, painting the polished hardwood floors in warm, golden light. Outside, the Atlantic tide was rolling in, its steady, rhythmic roar echoing softly against the cliffside. It was a crisp, brilliant autumn morning, the kind of day that made the entire estate feel alive and completely untouched by the rest of the world.Vincent walked over, pouring a fresh cup of dark black coffee before stepping down beside the high chair. He reached out, hi