Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart by Hayley

Richard

pov

The living room buzzed with life-laughter, the clinking of glasses, and warm chatter filled the air.

Guests had arrived, carrying brightly wrapped gifts and wide smiles. It should have been a joyful day, a celebration of new life.

But all I could feel was unease twisting in my gut like a knot that wouldn't come undone.

Martins nudged me as I stood by the window, eyes darting to the security guards stationed discreetly outside.

"Hey, CIA," he joked, his tone light. "You might wanna dial it down before Sarah figures out you've turned the baby shower into a covert operation."

I managed a thin smile. "Just being cautious."

Martins chuckled. "Yeah, cautious is your middle name. You're so tense, you might scare the baby into coming early."

His humor didn't land. I couldn't shake the image of Sarah falling down those stairs from my mind-a thought that had no basis but still felt like an omen.

Isabelle was out there. I didn't know where, and that made her a threat.

"Where's Sarah?" Martins asked, looking around. "She's still getting ready?"

"Yeah," I said, glancing at my watch. She'd been upstairs for a while now.

Martins grinned. "She's probably wrestling with her dress or trying to figure out how to make her swollen feet fit into shoes. Women in the eighth month-they're in a league of their own."

I nodded absently, my unease growing. The clock seemed louder than the chatter around me, each tick dragging her absence out longer.

Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm going to check on her," I muttered, leaving Martins to hold down the fort.

"Don't tell her I said anything about her feet," he called after me.

I climbed the stairs two at a time, my pulse quickening. As I reached the landing, Zoe stepped out of Sarah's room, her face pale.

"Richard," she said, her voice shaking. "She's not in there."

"What do you mean she's not in there?" My stomach dropped.

call," she explained, her words tumbling out in a rush. "When I came back, the room was empty. I thought maybe she went downstairs, but I checked, and she's not there either." Panic flared in my chest. "Did you check the bathroom?

eyes wide.

a word, I pushed past her, calling Sarah's name as I opened doors and looked into every corner. The house felt too big,

voice echoed

from the staircase

saw her standing at the top of the stairs, frozen in horror. My eyes followed hers to the bottom of

onto the floor beneath her, its dark red hue a stark

I shouted, racing down the

frantic. "Oh my God, Richard! What

pressed my fingers to her neck, searching for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. Relief mingled with the raw

I barked at Zoe.

her phone, her

whispered, brushing her hair back from her face. "Baby, please

dazed and unfocused. Her lips parted, and she

my vision. "You're going to be okay, Sarah. Both

on the phone with the emergency dispatcher, her voice shaky but urgent as she relayed the address and Sarah's

focus on Sarah, willing her to stay conscious,

sound of footsteps thundered down the stairs as Martins appeared, his face

my voice breaking. "She's hurt.

beside me, his usual demeanor replaced with grim determination.

streaming down her face as she

said, shrugging off his

guests in the living room faded into a distant hum, replaced by

stretcher. I stayed close, gripping her hand as they wheeled her out to the waiting ambulance. "I'm coming with

space to work," she replied

forward, placing a hand on my arm. "We'll follow in my car," she said

Sarah and knowing Zoe was right. Finally, I nodded, watching helplessly as

***

to the hospital was a blur. Zoe was behind the wheel, her knuckles white as she gripped the steering

shoulder, grounding me when all I felt was panic

we were ushered into a waiting area while

the air, and the

expression kind but serious. "Your fiancée is in surgery. She's lost a significant amount of blood, and we're performing an emergency C-section to deliver the

"The baby is

quickly to save both of

arm. "She's in good hands,