Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ATHENA

Noah freezes.

His grip loosens instantly as his eyes snap toward the voice.

Alex stands there, calm as a glacier, but there's nothing cold about the fire in his eyes. One hand is in his pocket, the other resting casually at his side, but the tension rolling off him could crack the floor.

Noah straightens slowly, his jaw ticking in anger. Hatred written in every line of his body.

Did something happen between these two, or does Noah hate Alex because of what happened to Sloane?

But that would be unfair. She took the bullet for me and not him.

"I wasn't hurting her," he says through clenched teeth.

Alex takes a slow, deliberate step forward.

"You touched her, and she flinched. That's more than hurting her."

"Why do you care?!" Noah hisses, and when Alex takes another step forward, he snaps his mouth shut.

Oh, for crying out loud!

"Stop it, both of you!" I hiss, yanking my hand back and stepping between them.

"I shouldn't have to explain myself to you, Noah. Nothing is going on between Alex and me, and nothing will. We are Rayen's parents. Seeing us together shouldn't be strange to you."

"And you," I turn to face Alex, "I'm not your wife that needs protecting or you breaking other people's hands over. I can fight my own battles!"

I feel the heat in my cheeks, not from embarrassment but pure frustration.

"Athena-" Alex begins

"No!" I hiss. "Now let me go back to having a good time. If you want to behave like children, I won't stop you! Just keep me out of it."

Noah blinks, caught off guard by my sharp tone.

His mouth opens, then closes.

"I'm sorry, Athena. I overreacted," he finally says, his voice softer now, remorseful.

But I'm too angry to respond. My jaw clenches as I turn away from him.

Why is he behaving like some obsessed lover marking his territory?

isn't like Noah. At least, not the

stalk off before Alex can say anything else,

faces I don't recognize.

wide, curious

"Babe, did something happen?"

my head quickly, brushing

"No."

gaze narrows slightly, then flickers over my shoulder. "Then why does Alex look like he's about to swallow Noah

I groan internally.

those two,"

who wants to win you over? Who will you pick?" She

"I'm not stupid."

as I grab a bottle of water from the drink table, grateful for the shift in

me alive, very clear before me. "You need

not the type to be influenced

trees. Hell, if his cousin wasn't married, I would

the sharp clink of

turn, gaining

her golden dress catching the light, a glass of champagne in

smile soft and warm. "Being a mom is the greatest chaos I've ever known, and

ripples across

when they didn't want me in the beginning," She looks at me with a mock glare and

of the most beautiful parts of my life. I love you all like you came from my soul."

my precious gift. My son. My pride and joy. Thank you for coming into this world and giving me a chance to experience this priceless opportunity of

woman who's ever mothered by blood, by love, or by

more misty-eyed than others. Ariana sits, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin, and then Giana slowly rises next, leaning slightly on her cane. "Well, now

nosy, and entirely too invested in other people's business." She shrugs. "All true.

Despite there being so many mothers in here, tonight is about you, my dear Athena. It's your first year as a mother, and I'll die a happy woman knowing I got to witness this beautiful moment. You are our pride and joy, and

up his painting like

and Giana sits back with a

to get misty from how much

Surprisingly, lan stands, too.

A hush falls instantly.

speaks at

Never.

and Alex for being so

his eyes on his glass as he pushes his glasses

and his eyes are full of sadness and

a confession. "But I can't keep pretending like things didn't happen. Because a few years ago, our hospital almost took