Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

Chapter 80 ~ Earned it!

ATHENA

Looks of pity.

I detest them—and I'd rather not receive any.

They feel like quiet judgments wrapped in sympathy. Like everyone's saying, "poor Athena", without ever opening their mouths.

Noah and Sloane have been so quiet, I didn't even realize they were still in the

room.

It's only when I feel the warm weight of a jacket settle over my shoulders that I notice Noah beside me.

He doesn't say much. He never does when I'm hurting. But the way his eyes soften, the way he avoids looking at Alex's direction, says everything.

He's angry and is having a hard time keeping that in check.

"Let me drive you home," he murmurs.

"I'll come with you," Sloane says, stepping forward. But Noah shakes his head.

"Stick around. Keep me updated."

A flicker of protest dances across her face, but then I give her a small, tired smile. "I'll call you."

She nods, and I can tell she wants to say something more but doesn't.

I step over to Ariana and pull her into a brief hug, then turn to Giana.

She looks... spent. Like every last ounce of strength has been drained from her bones. She sits on the couch, her expression so far away, her eyes glistening.

A pang of guilt stabs me in the chest.

Alex has always been careful to shield her from stress. To keep his demons behind a well-mannered front when she was near.

tonight, he shattered

saw him for who he truly

I did that.

least I was the match that

to the door with a hand at my

around me like a second skin. But

do to

have I stirred up in this

wave of

I should've let the past

what caused

know I had every

year, six months

"Congratulations, Dawson! You've

an incredible asset to this hospital!" Dr. Lin says,

letter confirming my promotion.

"PGY-2. You've earned it."

room, but it's a gentle,

already been

first time in over a year that my heart is feeling something else other than

a smile and nod, thanking them, my fingers

paper. Ink

But to me?

sweat,

endless pages of notes, whispered prayers,

in the bathroom when no one

every time I looked in the

the girl Alex

the woman they

But Athena Dawson.

it, I

ree

to go under therapy for three months and and It helped me a lot. At first, I was afraid and ashamed because it felt like something was indeed wrong