The CEO's Regret: His Lost Wife's Secret Twins novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

ARIA

The body on the bed wasn’t Elaine.

It was a man. Elderly, gray hair, unfamiliar face.

“What-”

“Aria?”

I spun around.

Elaine stood in the doorway, very much alive. Her arm was in a sling. A bandage covered her forehead. But

she was standing. Breathing. Here.

“Oh thank God.” I ran to her, then stopped, afraid to hurt her. “I thought-they said-”

“I know what they said.” She pulled me into a one-armed hug. “Wrong patient. There was another accident

victim. An elderly man. He didn’t make it.”

I buried my face in her shoulder and started crying. Big, ugly sobs that I couldn’t control. All the emotions

I’d been holding back these days exploded at once.

“Shh, sweetheart. I’m okay. Just some broken ribs and a concussion.”

“I thought you were dead.”

“I’m too stubborn to die.” She stroked my hair with her good hand. “Richard called you?”

I nodded against her shoulder.

“He worries too much. It looks worse than it is.”

“What happened?”

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“Drunk driver ran a red light. T-boned my car on the passenger side.” She eased me back to look at my face.

“You’re shaking.”

“I was so scared.”

“I know, honey. I know.”

A nurse appeared. “Mrs. Grant, we need to take you for X-rays.”

“Give me a minute.”

“Mrs. Grant-”

“I said give me a minute.” Her voice held that steel I’d heard her use on rude waiters and pushy salespeople.

The nurse retreated.

Elaine looked at me closely. “There’s something else. What is it?”

I couldn’t tell her about the baby. Not yet. Not when I didn’t even know if I’d have a husband by the end of

the day.

“Nothing. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

She didn’t believe me. I could see it in her eyes. But she didn’t push.

“Where’s Emma?” I asked. “Does she know?”

“I called her. She’s finishing up a rehearsal. You know how she is when she’s preparing for a performance.” Elaine’s voice held a mixture of pride and exasperation. “Nothing else exists. Not even her mother in the

hospital.”

“She’ll come as soon as she can.”

“Probably.” Elaine winced as she shifted position. “These ribs are killing me.”

The nurse reappeared, this time with backup. “Mrs. Grant, we really need those X-rays.”

“Fine, fine.” Elaine squeezed my hand. “Will you stay? At least until Richard gets here?”

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“Of course.”

They wheeled her away, and I sank into a chair in the waiting room. My phone buzzed. Five missed calls

from an unknown number. Probably the lawyer’s office.

And one text from Blake.

[Where are you?]

I stared at the message. What could I say? Sorry I missed our divorce because I thought my not-really-

mother died?

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My fingers hovered over the keyboard, then dropped. I couldn’t deal with Blake right now. Couldn’t face his anger or his coldness or whatever emotion he’d choose to show.

I turned off my phone and closed my eyes.

The X-rays took an hour. Then more tests. Then paperwork. By the time they finally admitted Elaine and got her settled in a room, it was after 4 PM.

Richard arrived at 4:30, looking ten years older than when I’d last seen him. He hugged me tight before

rushing to Elaine’s bedside.

I stood in the doorway, watching them. The way he touched her face. The way she leaned into him. The way they looked at each other after thirty years of marriage.

That’s what love looked like. Not the cold distance between Blake and me. Not the performance we put on

for his family.

Real love. The kind that survived car accidents and scary phone calls and decades of life together.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I’d turned it back on to text Richard the room number.

Seven missed calls from Blake.

Three from the lawyer’s office.

And one voicemail.

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I stepped into the hallway to listen.

“This is Margaret from Whitmore and Associates. Mr. Morgan waited until 3:00 before leaving. He was…” She paused, clearly uncomfortable. “He was very upset, Mrs. Morgan. He said, and I quote, “Tell her she’s

made her choice.’ He didn’t leave instructions for rescheduling.”

The message ended.

I stood there, phone pressed to my ear, even though the voicemail was over.

He was very upset.

She’s made her choice.

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No rescheduling.

What did that mean? Was he giving up on the divorce? Or giving up on me entirely?

My chest tightened. I should have called. Should have explained. But in that moment, when I thought Elaine was dead, Blake hadn’t even crossed my mind.

And that terrified me more than anything.

Because what kind of wife forgets about her husband in a crisis? What kind of marriage was this, where 1 could completely shut him out without even realizing it?

I leaned against the wall and slid down until I was sitting on the floor.

He was right to be angry. I’d stood him up. Left him waiting at the lawyer’s office while I ran to someone else’s mother. Someone who wasn’t even family.

Except Elaine felt more family than anyone in my actual family ever had.

“Aria?”

I looked up. Emma stood over me, still in her rehearsal clothes. Sweat dampened her hairline. Her face was

flushed.

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“Is she okay?”

“Yeah. Broken ribs, concussion. She’ll be fine.”

Emma’s shoulders sagged with relief. Then she noticed my face.

“What’s wrong?”

Everything. Nothing. I don’t even know anymore.

“Just tired.”

She didn’t believe me either. But she held out her hand and pulled me to my feet.

“Come on. Let’s go see Mom.”

We walked back to Elaine’s room together. Richard had pulled his chair close to the bed, holding her hand while she slept. The monitors beeped softly. Peaceful.

Emma went to her mother’s other side. I stayed by the door, feeling suddenly out of place. This was their

family. Their moment.

I didn’t belong here.

“Aria.” Richard looked up. “Thank you for coming so quickly. For being here.”

“Of course.”

“You’re a good girl. I’m glad Emma has you as a friend.”

Was I though? A good friend?

“I should go,” I said quietly. “Let you all have some family time.”

“You are family,” Elaine said without opening her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

My throat tightened. I swallowed hard against the tears.

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‘Rest, I told her. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Outside the hospital, the evening air hit me. Cool and fresh after the recycled hospital atmosphere. I pulled

out my phone, then stopped.

What was the point? Blake had made his priorities clear.

A taxi pulled up to the hospital entrance. An elderly couple got out, the man supporting the woman as they

walked slowly inside.

Even after all these years, he still held her steady.

I wondered if Blake had ever held me that way. As if I was precious. As if I was worth protecting.

I couldn’t remember a single time.

I dropped my phone back in my purse and started walking home, my heart heavy with the weight of everything that had happened today.

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The CEO’s Regret: His Lost Wife’s Secret Twins