Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

Chapter 68 ~ News

ALEX

| don't know how long I've been pacing outside the hospital room. Minutes?

Hours? Tdoesn't feel real when you're forced to wait.

My hands clench into fists, then relax, only to clench again.

Every few seconds, | hear her.

Athena.

Her voice, raw with pain, broke through the walls that separate us. Each sound she makes feels like a blade

against my skin, cutting deeper and deeper.

And | can't do anything about it.

| run a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. The sterile hospital air does nothing to settle the weight in my

chest.

I've faced a lot of things in my life, fights, failures, and loss, but nothing preparedfor this kind of

helplessness.

When | first stepped into that room, she toldto leave. And for the first time, | actually listened.

Because | saw it in her eyes. The anger. The frustration. The pain.

She didn't wantthere.

And maybe... maybe she was right.

Maybe | don't deserve to be in that room with her.

But | can't leave, either. So | stand here, listening, waiting, feeling every damn second like it's a lifetime.

The only comfort | have is that we will both be smiling after this. We are going to be parents and fuck, my heart

is about to burst with joy.

The doors open and mum and dad rush forward. Mum kisses my cheek before placing my head between her

hands.

"I'm so proud of you." She kissesagain but | shake my head at that.

"Athena is doing all the work. What can | get her as a push present?"

| know it's not the best tbut I've been thinking about it. It's just that everyt| want to go through with it,

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I'm hit with more pictures of her and Zayan and it makes my heart boil.

Earlier when she walked in, | had received a text from Arnold. | was going to ignore it until | saw what he had

attached.

| was losing my mind and all | could see was red. So | canceled my plans to go through the options and rush

honly to confirm that she wasn't home.

Another scream reaches my ears, bringingback to the present.

"Son." Dad taps my shoulder as a silent encouragement but it doesn't work even though | nod at him.

The nurse comes out to get something, and | seize the opportunity standing with mum next to me,

"How is she?" My voice is rough, almost unrecognizable.

"She's progressing," the nurse says with a small, tight smile. But it doesn't reach her eyes.

"She's in pain." | bite out.

"Alex." Dad calls me, a silent Warning to watch my tone but I'm too frustrated to tone down.

"Labor is painful," mum says gently rubbing my arm, "But she's strong and will need you after this."

Strong.

Yeah. | know that better than anyone. Athena is one of the strongest people I've ever met. But that doesn't mean

I want her to suffer.

"Can |-" My throat tightens. "Can | see her?"

The nurse hesitates, then shakes her head. "Not yet. But soon."

| nod stiffly, swallowing down my frustration as she disappears back inside.

| try not to think. Try not to imagine the worst. But the seconds drag, stretching into something unbearable.

And then-

The atmosphere suddenly changes.

Nurses are rushing in and out. Not sparing a glance at us and It doesn't take rocket science to know that

something has gone wrong.

Mum pulls one nurse to the side, "What is going on?"

The nurse gives her an apologetic look and rushes out to God knows where.

| feel my knees becweak. My stomach twists, a sickening dread curling around my ribs, tightening with

every second that passes.

Mum clutches my arm, whispering reassurances neither of us believe. Dad stands still, his jaw tight, his hand on

my shoulder in silent support.

Then, finally, the door opens.

A doctor steps out, pulling down his mask. His expression is weary, but there's no

hesitation when he speaks.

"She's stable."

The breath rushes out ofso fast

my legs nearly give out. Relief floods

my veins, but it's short-lived, burning out just as fast as it came.

Because | know. | can see it in his face. The way his lips press together. The way

his shoulders are stiff with something unsaid.

"And the baby?" My voice is barely above a whisper.

The doctor hesitates, his gaze flickering away before he meets mine again.

"I'm sorry," he says softly, but it feels like a hammer to my chest. "The baby was stillborn."

Everything insidegoes quiet.

The noise in the hospital, the movement around me, it all fades into a dull, empty void.

Stillborn.

No cries. No tiny hands grasping my fingers. No first breaths.

Nothing.

Mum gasps beside me, her hand flying to her mouth, and | hear Dad inhale sharply. But | can't move.

I can't think.

The doctor keeps talking, but his words don't register.

Athena carried our child for months. We made plans. Had a whole room ready.

Gave him a nand counted every second,

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And now...

There's nothing.

| swallow, but my throat feels raw, like I've been screaming without realizing it.

"Can | see her?" My voice is hoarse.

The doctor nods. "She's unconscious, but you can go in."

| force my legs to move, barely aware of Mum's hand squeezing mine before |

push through the doors.

Inside, the beeping of machines fills

the

troom. Athena lieser Fist the sheets, her c

pale

and falling steadily.

She looks... so tired. So fragile.

| step closer, my fingers trembling as | reach for her hand. It's warm. But it feels

wrong like she should be squeezing back.

Like she should be awake.

Like she should be smiling at me, exhausted but happy, holding our baby.

A sharp ache burrows deep into my chest. | sit beside her, my head falling

forward, my grip on her hand tightening as | whisper,

"I'm so sorry, Athena."

Because | know this will break her even more than it has broken me.

My heart shatters when | look next to her bed. | didn't even notice the small bed

that was meant to hold my precious prince.

| stand and walk over to it, and there he is. No pulse. Wrapped in a blanket as if

left forto confirm that my son was born dead.

Tears roll down my face as | feel a kind of pain that can't be explained.