Chapter 58
The faint glow of early morning seeped through the thin hospital curtains, painting the room in muted tones. Emma stirred, her body heavy with exhaustion and her mind foggy from the whirlwind of the previous night. The events came rushing back—the premature birth of the twins, the frantic voices of the medical team, and the suffocating fear that had gripped her.
Her fingers twitched, brushing against something warm. Slowly, she turned her head, her breath catching as her eyes landed on Alex.
He sat slumped in the chair beside her bed, his face etched with fatigue. His usually polished appearance was gone—his tie loosened, his shirt wrinkled, and his hair disheveled. Dark circles under his eyes hinted at a sleepless night. But what struck Emma most was the look in his eyes: a raw, desperate mix of guilt and sorrow.
“Emma,” he said softly, his voice hoarse.
She flinched, pulling her hand away as if his touch burned. The movement sent a pang of discomfort through her, but she didn’t care. Her gaze hardened as she met his. “Why are you still here?”
Alex leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he clasped his hands tightly. “I couldn’t leave. Not after last night. I had to make sure you were okay.”
Emma’s gaze was as sharp as a blade, her chest tightening with a storm of anger and exhaustion. She sat up slightly, her frail body defying the weight of her emotions. “I told you to leave, Alex,” she said, her voice low but filled with ice.
“I know,” Alex said quickly, his tone raw and pleading. “But I couldn’t. Emma, I—”
“No,” she interrupted, her voice rising despite the tight ache in her throat. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to sit here and act like you care after everything you’ve put me through.”
Alex visibly flinched at her words, his shoulders sagging as though her anger had hit him like a physical blow. Still, he didn’t look away. “I do care, Emma,” he said, his voice cracking. “I’ve always cared. I just… I didn’t know how to show it.”
Emma let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and foreign to her own ears. “You think that’s an excuse? That not knowing how to show you care somehow erases the fact that you abandoned me when I needed you the most?”
“I thought I was protecting you,” Alex said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I thought staying away would keep you and the twins safe. I was wrong. I see that now, Emma. And I’m so, so sorry.”
“Sorry isn’t enough,” she snapped, her voice breaking as tears stung her eyes. “Do you have any idea what it was like? To face this alone? To lie in that delivery room, wondering if my babies would survive, while you were off… doing whatever you thought was more important than being here?”
Alex’s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white against his thighs. “I made mistakes, Emma. Terrible ones. But I’m here now, and I want to make it right. Please, let me fix this.”
“You can’t fix this,” Emma shot back, her voice trembling with the force of her emotions. “You can’t undo the pain you’ve caused, Alex. And I’m done waiting for you to change. I have my children to think about now, and they’re all that matters.”
Alex reached for her hand, desperation flashing in his eyes. “Emma, please—”
She pulled her hand away sharply, her expression hard and unyielding. “Don’t,” she said firmly, the single word cutting through the air like a knife. “I don’t want your apologies. I don’t want your excuses. What I want is for you to leave. Now.”
“Emma, please,” Alex pleaded, his voice cracking. “Don’t shut me out like this. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m begging you to give me a chance to make this right—for you, for the twins, for us.”
“There is no ‘us,’” Emma said, her voice cold and final. “Not anymore. Whatever we had, whatever hope I held on to—it’s gone. And I’m not letting you drag me back into this cycle of hurt and disappointment.”
Alex’s shoulders sagged, the weight of her words hitting him like a blow. “I love you,” he said quietly.
Emma’s eyes flashed with fury, her voice rising as she stepped out of the shadow of her pain and into her anger.
“Love? Don’t you dare stand there and tell me you love me, Alex. Not after what I’ve seen.”
Alex froze, confusion etched across his face. “What are you talking about?”
She laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and cutting. “Don’t play dumb. I saw you, Alex. With Sophia. Late at night in your office. Her all over you like nothing has changed. Tell me, was it just that night? Or has it been going on longer?”
Alex’s face paled, his hands lifting in defense. “Emma, it’s not what you think—”
“Oh, spare me,” she snapped, her voice trembling with hurt. “You say you love me, but your actions scream otherwise. Do you know how humiliating it is to think for even a second that you could be sneaking around with her while I’m fighting to keep myself and our children together?”
His throat worked as he struggled for words. “I didn’t… I swear, Emma, nothing happened—”
“Nothing happened?” she repeated, her tone venomous. “I’m done, Alex. Whatever you thought you could fix, consider it broken beyond repair.”
The room fell silent, the tension thick and suffocating. Finally, Alex stood, his movements slow and deliberate as though every step took monumental effort.
He hesitated, his lips parting as though he wanted to say more, but the look in her eyes silenced him. Slowly, Alex stood, his movements heavy with regret. “I’ll go,” he said, his voice thick. “But this isn’t the end, Emma. I’ll prove to you that I can be the man you and the twins need.”
Emma didn’t respond. She turned her face away, staring at the wall as tears silently slipped down her cheeks.
He hesitated, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before he turned and walked toward the door.
As he reached for the handle, Emma spoke again, her voice sharp and resolute.
“And one more thing, Alex.”
He paused, glancing back at her.
“I want the divorce finalized,” she said. “No delays, no arguments. I want it done as soon as possible.”
Alex’s expression crumbled, but he nodded. “If that’s what you want,” he said again, his voice hollow.
“It is,” Emma repeated firmly.
Without another word, Alex opened the door and stepped out, the sound of it closing behind him echoing in the quiet room.
The moment he was gone, Emma exhaled shakily, her composure cracking as tears spilled down her cheeks. She pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob as the reality of the situation settled over her.
