Chapter 6: The report file

"He wants to see Dr. Michael Kim? I told him Dr. Michael is on leave, but he insisted he won't leave until someone attends to him!" the woman said, her voice tinged with frustration.

"It's fine! I think he should come with me," Victoria replied with a reassuring smile.

As Tyler followed Victoria into her office, he took a seat in front of her desk, his intense gaze never leaving her. His two arms rested heavily on the desk, exuding an air of impatience.

"Don't mind my office, I was just promoted here!" Victoria said, trying to lighten the mood with a smile.

"So, what issues do you have?" Victoria asked, her tone professional yet curious.

"I need a file concerning Marissa's pregnancy results," he said, pushing his palms onto the desk and leaning forward, his brooding figure casting a shadow over the room.

Suddenly, Victoria felt the room shrink under the weight of his presence. The man before her was nothing like the polished image she had seen in newspapers and magazines. There was a raw intensity in his eyes that made her heart race.

He was the epitome of strikingly handsome. Marissa's description hadn't done him justice.

"Sir, even though..." She swallowed hard, managing a composed smile. "We have this file, but I am not authorized to share it without her consent."

Tyler's lips tightened as he maintained eye contact with Victoria Quinn, who found it challenging to hold his intense green gaze.

He reached into his pocket and produced a crumpled envelope, presenting it to her. "This ultrasound report came from this hospital. It bears Dr. Michael Kim's signature. Are you telling me I can't access her file?"

"Sir," Victoria raised her hand to interject, "I am not denying anything; Mr. Michael Kim is not around, and I was just doing his because I was among those people counseling her, and as I mentioned, I cannot compromise this client's privacy. Our organization has strict confidentiality policies.

He ran his fingers through his black hair in frustration before stepping closer to her. "Listen, just answer one question. Have you ever treated my wife here? Renee Collins?"

When Victoria didn't respond immediately, he softened his tone. "I understand the privacy policy and I respect it. I'm only asking about my wife, Renee Collins."

Victoria felt a pang of sympathy as she noticed the worry lines on his face.

"Why don't you ask your wife instead, Mr. Tyler Collins?" Victoria suggested.

Tyler's eyes snapped up to meet hers. "How do you know I'm Tyler Collins?"

Victoria tried to steady her breathing, doing her best to hide her panic. "Of course. Half the country knows you, sir. You might be a businessman, but people see you as a celebrity."

Victoria's mind was racing. She needed to divert his attention from the issue at hand. "By the way, I'm thrilled to have you in my office on the day of my promotion. Could you... could you give me an autograph?"

She quickly extended her medical writing pad towards the handsome man, who seemed momentarily confused.

"And I would also love to take a selfie with you. You know, for publicity reasons? By tomorrow, my clinic will be packed. I could post on social media... 'Mr. Collins visited our clinic for the treatment of his...'"

She giggled nervously, babbling like a child. "I'm sorry... I meant to say your wife. Mr. Collins honored us by visiting with his wife for her fertility treatment. Ha-ha."

"Are you out of your mind?" He pointed a finger at her face, his frustration evident. "I'm here, worried sick about someone, and you're making these outrageous demands. I can ensure your license gets revoked."

Victoria's face turned pale at the threat. "I'm sorry. It's just that you're so handsome, I lost my composure."

Tyler's eyes narrowed, and he leaned in closer, his voice a low growl. "This isn't a game. If you don't help me, there will be serious consequences."

Victoria's face was etched with sadness. Tyler's expressionless eyes bore into her, and she felt a chill of fear.

Had she gone too far?

"Ms. Victoria Quinn," he hissed through clenched teeth, "I'll be back tomorrow, and you all better be prepared. I need answers, or I might bring a police officer to get the file."

Victoria let out a long sigh of relief as he left. But her heart nearly stopped when she remembered his threat.

He was planning to return the next day.

"If he finds out that Marissa was the one who frequently visited me and Renee never came to this clinic, it could spell trouble. He might go after my friend and interrogate her about the babies' father."

She couldn't risk exposing Marissa's secret.

Tyler's mother and Renee would be relentless in their pursuit of the children, and Tyler would never trust or believe Marissa over Renee or his mother.

Victoria knew she needed to devise a solid plan.