Attracted By My Ex-wife

Sam stood gaping at the scene in front of him. What the hell was this?

It had been two long and gruesome years of waiting for Kevin and Anne, and yet...

Sam let out a covert sigh and lowered his head. His eyes went to the screen of his phone. "Anne, it's Kevin. He said that Eddy had woken up and wanted to see you," he said in a muted voice.

Anne's body froze. Her voice was devoid of emotion when she answered, "Don't worry. Eddy is my son. I'll take care of him."

Sam could almost not recognize the voice that answered him. Anne had never been a cold person, and yet the woman who answered seemed like a stranger. At this moment, Emily shook her head at him, and he was left with no choice but to step back.

Any woman, when put into Anne's shoes, would have made the same choice.

There was nothing that could rival a mother's pain when they had to see their own child get hurt.

Kevin sat down in front of Eddy's bed, clad in a hospital gown. He felt as if his heart was getting wrenched from his chest as he watched his son. He forced his lips to offer Eddy a smile as he spoke. "Eddy, don't worry. You're getting better. You'll be able to go home in a few days. Just wait a little more, okay buddy?"

"Can I still see Mommy after we go home?" Eddy asked weakly.

Kevin felt as if rocks were piling up inside his chest. Slowly, they were turning into huge boulders that weighed down on his every movement. He looked at Eddy, his eyes colored in shades of complicated emotions. Eddy was a very perceptive young boy—of course he would know that something was wrong.

He placed a gentle hand on his son's forehead and said,

"Eddy, you've grown up. I know you're smart, so Daddy will be honest." Kevin heard his voice crack, as if splintering from the weight of his confession. The look of complete trust in Eddy's eyes had almost made him turn back and hide him from the harsh truths that threatened to cut away at his heart and his innocence. He had wanted to hold on to those bright and pure eyes a little longer. But Kevin knew that he had a right to know. Keeping the truth from him would only delay the inevitable, and he was the boy's father. If his son had to be hurt from the truth, he would rather do it himself than anyone else. He gathered himself before he continued, "Our family is a little different from others because of a special kind of blood that we have. It was also because of this that you have suffered from heart disease. Yesterday, you were in a critical condition, and we had to find a new heart for you. Your grandmother felt so sorry for you, but she did something bad. She wanted to give you your sister's heart so you would live... "

Kevin felt his heart fracture as he watched Eddy's eyes widen. Still, he did not look away. He would not leave his son to carry this burden alone, especially not at this moment. "How could grandma do such a thing? Even if I die, I will never take my sister's heart!" Eddy wailed.

A myriad of convoluted emotions sprung in Kevin. He knew that Eddy could be headstrong, but he had never thought that he would hear such words come out of his son's mouth.

Kevin didn't know what he had done in his life to deserve such a child. He prayed silently for the world to let him have Eddy longer.

The next moment, another realization dawned on the distraught child. With his eyes cast down, he said softly, "Mother... She left again, didn't she? Grandma did something terrible. She must be so sad and angry now..."

Kevin sighed and wiped the tears that had gathered in Eddy's eyes. "Don't worry. Your mother loves you more than anything in the world. Even if she feels angry with daddy and grandma, she will definitely come to see you. Now, it's bed time for you. Sleep well so you can see Mommy when you wake up."

His words were full of confidence. Kevin knew Anne very well. She would never abandon her children.

Eddy nodded slightly and obediently closed his eyes, even as a heaviness sank in his chest. His thoughts warded sleep away.

'Grandma made a big mistake and mom will never forgive her. Will we be okay? Are we still a family?

How could you do this, grandma? Sally and I are both your grandchildren. She is the better option anyway. I have the blood disease, but she doesn't. How could you want to just give her up? I don't understand, even if Daddy said it was for me. I can't accept it...'

all sorts of heavy feelings,

eyes slowly—almost cautiously, and looked at the hallway through the glass. Still no Anne. Disappointment filled Eddy

will you come? I really miss

to him, Kevin had been watching his every movement. He closed

hospital. Once she was

corridors, and Eddy and Kevin turned their heads at the same time. Their eyes lit up and the corners of their mouths lifted in surprising synchronicity. It was like one was the mirror of the

They knew that she would

her, but

that I'm late." She had all but

her, as if all his tiredness was gone. He shook his head and said, "Mom, I've grown up already,

of her tears threatening to fall down, but she

such a wonderful boy for a

I can go back in

course. I want you to get better fast so we can be together again. As long as

he looked at

sad eyes. "Mom, Dad told me everything. Grandma did something wrong, didn't

but Kevin knew she was glaring at him from the way her body tensed. His shoulders sagged forward helplessly. He had not wanted to tell Eddy either, but the boy had already managed

always, Kevin was right. Anne was incredulous that he had told Eddy everything. Their son was sick. What good would knowing the truth do to

and more strained, and he did not need to ask any more questions to understand the silent war that was going on between his parents. "Mom, it was all grandma's fault. It

her skin from where their hands met sent small tremors through Anne's fingers. She had instinctively wanted to pull away from him and the feelings that he had brought to her, but Kevin gave her no chance to pull

"Anne, you should know by now that once I have taken hold of your hand, there is no way I am

a deep gaze, as if he was making a vow. "Anne, you are my wife. We have taken an oath to be together for the rest of our lives. I won't let

tugged at her heart, but she

mother. Anne knew that it was impossible to reconcile these two facts, like two truths that refused

since the very beginning, even during the time you didn't want dad. You didn't like him, so I didn't either. But two years ago, you suddenly disappeared, and he was the one

hard time, but he did his best not to make me feel lonely. When you were gone, I used to feel so jealous of the other kids. Why were they with both their parents? Why couldn't I be like that? I prayed a lot. I promised to be a good boy so

a bad kid, so I was punished. I got sick and made grandma do something wrong. I'm sorry. I promise I'll be a good kid, so can

in her. Had he always been thinking

chest unrelentingly, and she wanted to cry out from the pain. She gathered her son in her arms and held him carefully. Eddy shouldn't be

ever think that.

protested weakly in Anne's arms. "It has nothing to do with Dad too. It's

mouth twitched and

situation to his advantage. At the end of it all, he was just telling her that it

Eddy was not only clever, but he had loyalty as well. Anne did not know whether

sent him a sharp glance at the possibility. 'Son of a bitch! How could he make use of a child? And his own son at

his eyebrows in question, blessedly unaware of Anne's harsh