The Unwanted Wife's Return (Ex-Husband Wants Me Back) novel Chapter 160

I Survived

HANNAH’S POV:

He sobbed, a sound of such relief and anguish mixed together that it made everyone in the room flinch.

He covered his mouth with a shaking hand, but it didn’t stop the tears that streamed down his face uncontrollably. His shoulders shook.

Then he was reaching for me, he was actually trying to stand up from the wheelchair, his body moving on pure instinct and emotion.

Martin, who had entered the room quietly sometime during the examination, immediately grabbed Elijah’s shoulder to stop him from hurting himself.

“Easy,” Martin whispered firmly, his own voice thick with emotion. “You’re still injured, man. You can’t put that much strain on your body yet.”

“I don’t care,” Elijah whispered harshly, his voice breaking on every word. “She spoke, she spoke. She knows who I am. She remembers me.”

He dragged his wheelchair closer, the wheels squeaking slightly on the hospital floor, until his knees were actually touching the side of my bed. His hands reached out and wrapped around mine, squeezing gently but firmly, like he was trying to ground himself in the physical reality of me being alive.

“I thought…” he started, then had to stop and take a shaky breath. “I thought you didn’t remember me. I thought the smoke or the trauma or something had taken you away from me even though you survived. I thought I’d lost the most important part of you.”

His tears fell onto my arm where he was holding it, warm droplets against my cold skin.

Something in me cracked open painfully at seeing him like this.

I forced my fingers to squeeze his hand in return, even though it took more effort than it should have. The small movement made his breath hitch violently.

I was so grateful. I needed him to know that.

He let out a broken laugh. “You saved yourself, Hannah. You fought abd you survived. I just refused to let the world exist without you in it.”

A sob burst from my lips, painful and raw and completely unstoppable. “You’ve saved me twice now. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

He gathered both my hands carefully in his, holding them like they were the last precious pieces of me he needed to prove I was real and alive.

“You don’t have to thank me for anything,” he said fiercely, his eyes boring into mine. “I would lay down my life/ for you a hundred times if that’s what it took. A thousand times. Without hesitation.” ”

I just stared at him, overwhelmed by the depth of emotion in his voice.

Behind him, I heard Maya start crying loudly, no longer trying to hold it in. Cherry choked on a breath, covering her mouth with both hands. Lucas stared up at the ceiling, blinking rapidly like if he looked at me any longer, he would fall apart completely.