Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

Chapter 104 ~ Did you tell anyone?

ATHENA

"22nd October." The words echo in my mind like a depressing song on a loop.

My baby was born on the 22nd of September.

Which means... Rayen isn't mine." Not biologically. Not by blood.

God, I feel like such a fool.

I shouldn't have come. I should've stayed away like I promised myself I would. But

I saw the ambulance that day, saw the way Alex held him, panic written all over his face. Something broke in me. Something deep and aching.

Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was that stupid glimmer of hope I've been secretly nursing like a wound that never healed.

And that damn birthmark.

"We even have the same hair color!" Rayen's happy voice rings at the back of my head, making my eyes sting.

I wrap my arms tightly around myself.

I was so hopeful.

I'm so sure there was a reason I felt that pull to Rayen every time I saw him. The way he'd cling to me. The way I knew how to soothe his cries like I'd done it a hundred times before.

But it was just in my head. It's just a cruel coincidence.

Wishful thinking.

And Alex... the way he looked at me, the way he held me... it messed everything up.

Because no matter how hard I try, I can't stop loving the man who tore me apart. The jealousy in his eyes and how he looked like he wanted to rip Noah's head off reminds me of that night I danced with Zayan.

I don't know why he behaved like that.

"I can hear you thinking." Noah's deep voice pulls me back to his car.

"Am I that obvious?" I sigh, not having the strength in me to pretend.

"What were you doing with Alex, Athena?"

window, the sun glowing

and well

"Athena?"

the tears burning

don't know," I admit softly. "Making a fool of myself, I

doesn't respond right away. The silence stretches, heavy with the weight of

that he's misinterpreted my statement, but that sounds better than what actually

with confidence, but my heart jumps

finally. "Not your thoughts. Not

hit hard, like gentle

at my hands,

Another pause.

hand reaches across the console, brushing

hate seeing you like this," he

until your next shift?"

take a look at the time before

"Two hours."

drop you off at the hospital.” He says at the

with laughter, "I guess

groan, burying my face in

laughs,

into a small

with ivy climbing the brick walls and soft jazz leaking from the open

Our usual hiding spot.

to come here a lot when I was still

for me.

and warm pastries, and for the first time today, something inside me

the window, the morning sun casting golden light

display filled with croissants and

but

"You want the usual?"

at him. "You remember my

lopsided smile.

like a lame pick-up line."

Noah's

okay?" he asks softly, his

nod. "Yeah.

what I