THE BILLIONAIRE'S CHRISTMAS HEIR

Inside the house, the silence was absolute.

Iris stood frozen by the living room archway, her chest heaving as she clutched James tightly. The adrenaline was slowly ebbing away, leaving behind a cold, hollow tremor in her hands.

Declan walked back into the living room, his breathing slightly elevated, his tie askew. He stopped a few feet from her, running a hand through his dark hair.

"I'm sorry," Declan said quietly, his voice laced with genuine regret. "I shouldn't have lost my temper like that in front of the baby."

Iris let out a shaky, half-hysterical laugh, sinking down onto the edge of the sofa. "Are you kidding? Marcus deserved to be thrown through the window. He’s been bleeding our family dry for years, threatening to take this house over unpaid debts our parents left behind."

Declan’s eyes narrowed. "What debts?"

"It doesn't matter," Iris whispered, looking down at the baby’s sleeping face. "It’s my burden, not yours."

"Iris," Declan stepped closer, kneeling down in front of her so his eyes were level with hers. He gently placed his large, warm hand over her trembling fingers. "Listen to me. Nothing about your life is separate from mine anymore. Not your debts, not your family, not your fears. We are tied together by the most permanent bond on earth."

Iris looked down into his dark, intense eyes, tears welling in her own. "I'm scared, Declan. When you left me... it broke something inside me. I had to rebuild my entire life from ash, entirely alone, while carrying your child. I can't go back to being a trophy wife sitting in an empty glass tower waiting for a husband who only loves his spreadsheets."

Declan squeezed her hand gently, his thumb brushing a tear from her cheek. "I don't want a trophy wife, Iris. I never did—I was just too blind to realize that you were the only real thing anchoring me to humanity. The penthouse is on the market. Effective this morning."

Iris blinked in shock. "What? Your headquarters?"

"My prison," Declan corrected softly. "I bought a sprawling estate in Medina with an acre of private gardens, a nursery overlooking Lake Washington, and a perimeter security system that could stop an army—not to keep people out, but to keep my family safe. We are leaving this house, Iris. But not to go back to my old life. We are going to build a new one. Together."

Before Iris could process the sheer magnitude of his words, James let out a soft yawn, stretching his tiny arms out as he woke from his nap.