Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

Chapter 106 ~ Can you help me?

ATHENA

"Dr. Dawson!" Rayen wriggles out of Alex's arms the moment he spots me and dashes toward me with a wide grin.

It took a long time to get him to stop calling me mummy and just call me Dr. Dawson, but after a few explanations he gave in.

I can't lie. Seeing him hurts me, but he's just an innocent boy who finds my presence warming.

How can I push him away?

I barely have time to brace myself before he flings his arms around my waist, nearly knocking the wind out of me.

"Rayen," I breathe, crouching to hug him back tightly. "You're supposed to be in school."

He pulls back just enough to pout. "I told Daddy I wouldn't stop crying until he brought me to see you."

I glance up at Alex, who's now stopped a few feet away, hands in his pockets, watching quietly with unreadable eyes.

"He's very persistent," Alex says.

I rise slowly, my heart still a chaotic mess after everything lan just told me.

"Hey," Alex says softly once Rayen skips off toward the nurses' desk. "You okay?"

I nod, too quickly. "Yeah. Fine. Just got out of a meeting with lan."

He tilts his head, studying me. "You sure you're fine?"

"I said I'm fine,” I snap more harshly than I intend. My walls are back up, brick by brick.

His brows knit together. "Athena-"

"You should go," I cut him off before I let the tremble in my voice betray me." I've got rounds."

"Dr. Dawson, do you hate me?" A sad little voice makes me halt my steps as I look around the busy hospital and walk back towards him.

"No sweetie. I'd never hate you. It's just that this place is full of gems. A baby like you shouldn't be here." I try to explain gently, but the little man gives me a frown.

"I'm not a baby."

tiny hands in mine, "How about we

light up, "I'm having a birthday party next week. Can you

come

me, and

clenches, caught between the tenderness in Rayen's eyes and the chaos of everything spinning around

looking into his hopeful face. "Your mum might not like that very much, Rayen. Why not do it with Aunt Sloane. She's excellent

his small fingers twisting

of my cheek, forcing a breath through my

me what he wants. To break my

This isn't my place.

isn't my child.

promise anything,

I can he

and there," I

a curl

forehead. "How about that

face lites up

can you

behind us,

"Sure buddy. I can."

rise slowly to

know Leah will be furious when she finds out," he says quietly,

between amusement and

quietly. "I'll

Rayen with something raw

of

"Good luck with that."

laugh at the sarcasm in

them out so I can start my

reach the car, Ryan sees us and rushes to hold the door

"Hi Ryan."

so he can go back home since

it looks like he only brought Rayen to

begin, my throat

understand." He pulls his keys out before finding my gaze once more and locking