Ex-Husband's Regret

Chapter 0247

Ethan.

muh

When I got the news from one of the inmates that Ava had been shot, I felt like my heart had been split wide open by a sledgehammer. Everything in me died when he told me that there was no further news, but the grapevine believed that she was dead because no one could survive that shooting. That, and the

fact that her family kept quiet about it and there was no official report that was released,

I love Ava, and I love my baby even more. Knowing that they both hadn’t made it almost drove me to

insanity.

I waited the whole time with my heart in my throat. I waited for my parents to reach out and give me the bad news. When night arrived without a word from them, I was convinced that the rumors must be true. somehow. Otherwise, why would they take so long to make contact?

I barely slept an inch the whole night. Worry and anxiety were constant companions, driving me to the edge of insanity and filling my head with painful thoughts.

At one point, I cried to God. Praying that he could somehow do a fucking miracle. I didn’t believe in

any deity, but at that point, I was willing to believe in anyone who would tell me that they were both alive and okay.

My cellmate, the guards, and other inmates gave me pitying looks. I felt horrible, I looked horrible, and I was pretty sure that I was fucking dying inside.

When moming came, I could barely keep my breakfast down. The images of one adult–size casket and another tiny one kept wreaking havoc inside my head. It’s all I could think about. It’s all I saw.

My heart skipped a beat when I was called into the warden’s office. I didn’t say anything when I saw my parent’s lawyer.

When he told me that I had been pardoned for a few hours, a ray of hope started rising inside me. On our way to the hospital, that small ray bloomed into something bigger when Christopher, the family lawyer, told me that Ava and the baby were alive but in the ICU.

I thanked whatever power that had done it. They were alive, and that’s what mattered the most.

Ethan, are you okay?” Mom’s voice brings me back to the present.

I stare at her, wondering how the fuck I got so lucky. Most women in her position would have kicked me out of their lives, but she didn’t. Neither did my father.

My eyes search for him. They finally land on him. He was a few feet away from me, and he had his hand clamped on Rowan’s shoulder.

mind at all. The feeling was fucking mutual, given

around with Noah, and they follow

relieved, Mom,” I tell her

I hadn’t lost them. There was still hope

she says

her cry. I hate seeing her heart break. I can see

was killing her.

her into my arms since

love you too, mom,” I breathe. “And don’t worry. Ava and the baby are going to be just fine.

have a daughter,” dad says, and mom and

“What?” I stammer.

both give me a radiant smile. “You have a baby girl. Her name is

was holding back? Yeah, I couldn’t hold them back any more, so they

was afraid Ava would be pissed that they

one day and they settled on Iris if she was a

caught in my lungs, and my

happy with the name?” dad

name. It’s just that I

me a watery smile, and Dad

ever had a son, he would be named Kaden. The fact that she took me

can say

you deserve

they’ve dressed

my daughter.

her so small with tubes attached to her brings

to be okay?”

Right there, Iris becomes my world. I doubt anyone

that she’ll be okay,” she answers

thinks the same, but damn, Iris was really

unable to believe that Ava made such a perfect being. She was everything to me

when she told me she was pregnant, then I would have given up on the best gift anyone could ever give

few years, but I will do everything I can to protect her, and because of her, I

a few more minutes with her before Mary, as she introduced herself, tells