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,

say anything else, weaving through other guests

faces I don't recognize.

curious eyes and a

"Babe, did something happen?"

head quickly, brushing it

"No."

"Then why does Alex look like he's about to

I groan internally.

those

you over? Who will you pick?" She eyes me curiously. "Personally, I'm team

"I'm not stupid."

bottle of water from the drink table, grateful for the shift in

of how that woman almost chewed me alive, very clear before me. "You need to meet his mother, you'll change teams so fast." I

is not the type to be influenced by his mama.

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

but I'm saved by the sharp clink

turn, gaining

glass of champagne in one hand, and her other gently

want to say a few words," she starts, her smile soft and warm. "Being a mom is the greatest chaos I've ever

ripples across the

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

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

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 being a mother. To my mother-in-law, happy Mother's Day Gigi. Thank you for loving

her glass. "To every woman who's ever mothered by blood, by love, or by sheer stubbornness, you are seen. You are loved.

with a napkin, and then Giana slowly rises next, leaning slightly on her cane. "Well, now I have to follow the golden girl," she grumbles, earning

invested in other people's business." She shrugs. "All true. But I've also been

saved my life. Thank you, Athena, for giving me a reason to keep fighting. Thank you, Rayen, for making me your favorite old lady. Despite there being so many mothers in here, tonight is about you, my dear Athena. It's your first year as

holding up his

laughs again, and Giana sits back with

own eyes begin to get misty from how

Surprisingly, lan stands, too.

A hush falls instantly.

speaks

Never.

him and Alex for

his glass as he pushes his

eyes are full of sadness

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