Ex-Husband's Regret

First Suspect
Chapter 116

“What do you mean she slipped into a coma?” Theo asks with an unmistakable tremble in his voice.

My heart was once again thudding against my ribcage. It felt like it wanted to punch a whole right through my fucking chest.

I try to think clearly, but it’s like my brain can’t function. Time slowed down as the doctor spoke. All I

heard was a ringing in my ear.

I stumble back and fall on the seat I had vacated. Gabe and my dad put their hands on me, but I shake

them off. I didn’t want their comfort. I wanted the doctor to tell me that the surgery had been a success

and that in a few hours Ava would wake up.

“She had a total of four bullets. One hit her head, the second hit her chest, the third hit her stomach, and

the final one hit her thigh. We were able to remove three of them successfully, except for the one in her

skull. It was lodged too deep and removing it would have killed her.”

Fuck. I don’t know what to feel or think about that. He is telling us that Ava will have to live with a bullet

stuck in her head. How is any of that fair? She was okay this morning before things took a turn for the

worst.

‘At least she’s alive,‘ a voice whispers.

I ignore it. She was alive, but would she stay alive? That was the main fucking question.

over, had to drill her skull to drain
“We were able to stop the bleeding, both internal and external. We,

fluid, which helped with the swelling in her brain. She flat–lined twice. It’s after the second time that she

slipped into a comma. For now, she’s in ICU.”

If I thought nothing could hurt me worse than seeing Ava get shot, then I was wrong. Hearing that we

almost lost her twice destroyed me. It is like being stabbed by a thousand sharp knives. I wouldn’t wish

anyone this fucking pain. Not even my worst enemy.

“Will she wake up?” I breathe hoarsely. “Will she be able to make a full recovery?”

“At this point, we can’t really say. This isn’t an induced coma, and we can’t assure you that she’ll wake up

in a few days. She might wake up tomorrow, in a few days, in a few months, or she might not wake up at

all. For now, we’ll give it a few days to see whether she’ll wake up.”

The possibility that she might not wake up nearly brought me to my knees.

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+15 BONUS

think like that. She’s strong; she’ll wake up.

glaring and snapping

living with it have any effect on her?” Nora asks as tears run

her cheek.

how hard this must be for her. I can’t ever imagine facing

too much to even think

lives, and

hearing issues,

just a few things that might be affected by the kind of injury to

we can’t say for sure. We have to

If she wakes up,

in the way he looks at us. The uncertainty is in his

down her face. Theo pulls her into his

I know is nowhere to be seen. The only ones standing in their place

heartbroken parents.

have to come back tomorrow, and even then, we

one person in the room with her. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take

and he leaves just as mom comes

me, while Gunner

mom okay?” He looks up at me with

whether to tell your kid the fucking truth or

doctors aren’t really sure his mother will

him that she’s

aren’t sure, Bud. We’ll just have to wait and pray.” I decide to go with

never wakes up, he would end up hating me for lying that his

looks at me before looking

1

of silence, I

able to see her today, I think you

tomorrow.”

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both Corrine and Letty refuse at the same

but they refuse to budge. In the end, everyone decides to stay except for

to go home only after I tell them that Noah can’t stay in the hospital and that he needs someone with

after they leave. There is little talking. Mostly we just

arrives.

interview the witnesses about

happened to her.”

I nod my head.

“Have you found anything?”

witnesses couldn’t give us anything beyond what we already know and have seen

I was hoping they would

she in any state to

face shuts down, and my voice hardens. I know it’s not his

just pisses

coma,”