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.

looked ready to kill me as his eyes seared me with hate. I didn’t mind at all. The feeling was fucking mutual, given how he treated

as he turns around with Noah, and they follow

tell her as my

happy. I hadn’t lost them. There

you, Ethan,” she says as

watching her cry. I hate seeing her heart break. I

was killing her.

pull her into my arms

“And don’t worry. Ava and the baby are going to be just fine. You’ll

says, and

“What?” I stammer.

both give me a radiant smile. “You have a

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

afraid Ava would be pissed that they named our

names one day and they settled on Iris if she was

caught in my

you happy with the name?” dad

beautiful name. It’s just that I once mentioned to her that

a watery smile, and Dad gives me a side

ever had a son, he would be named Kaden. The fact

any of us can say anything, a

it. You’re her father; you deserve to see

her and follow the nurse. After they’ve dressed

my daughter.

tubes attached to her

to be okay?”

someone so much that it felt all–consuming, but I was wrong. Right there, Iris becomes

we’re confident that she’ll

thinks the same, but damn,

to believe that Ava made such a perfect

me she was pregnant, then I would have given up on the best gift anyone

will do everything I can to protect her, and because of her, I will be on my best behavior just

as