Ex-Husband's Regret

Chapter 0490

Mia's words still continued to ring in my head even as I headed for my car. The truth had been brutal. It wasn't easy to swallow the bitter pill, but swallow it I must.

Instead of peeling out of the parking lot like I usually do, I just sit in my car and allow the tears to fall. I couldn't stop them even if I wanted to. The space fills with the sounds of my cries. My sobs are torn from deep within as the weight of all my actions crash me.

My head falls against the steering wheel because I can no longer hold it up. I wore my shame like a second skin. It was embedded deep inside me like a fucking tattoo.

Why did I let it get that far? Why did I hurt him like that? Why did I allow my selfishness to taint the bond I could have had with Gunner?

Why. Why. Why?

If I knew one day I would long to hold Gunner in my arms. To be in his life. To have him call me mom. I would have held on to him like he was a lifeline... But that's the thing about hindsight. It's a bitch.

My lips tremble as I sob. Guilt racks my body, jolting me as if I've been electrocuted. I want to scream. I want to hit something. I want to curl up in a ball and just die. It hurts. It fucking hurts and I don't know how to stop the pain.

are no more tears. Until my tear dam is empty. I'm not sure how long I stay there crying, but

eyes out for the last couple of minutes. Hell, it's hours, given I've been crying since I got

so badly? Where do I even begin? It would be easier if it had been a couple of months' worth

of things. His first word. His first walk. His first day of school. His first time saying mommy. I missed his first birthday, and those since

thinking. Thinking of all the things I could have done. Thinking of how I could have handled things differently. I regret a lot of things, but my biggest regret

I don't get into any trouble. I was so lost in my head that it

behind me with a kind of finality I feel is reflected in my life right now. Part of me feels like there isn't hope. That I should give up on my relationship with Gunner. That it's too late to fix what I broke. The stronger part of me, though, doesn't want to

front of the house and park.

than I expected," mom's

this moment, I feel like a little girl who needs her mommy to

wasn't easy" she whispers while smoothing down my

finally dried, but I was wrong. Once again,

Once there, she pushes us down on it, before pulling my head down. I ball up in a