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.

I came back, the room was empty. I thought maybe she went downstairs, but I checked, and she's not there either." Panic flared

eyes wide.

opened doors and

My voice echoed

the staircase sent my heart into

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

her, its dark red hue a stark contrast to her pale

shouted, racing

followed, her steps frantic. "Oh my

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

barked at Zoe.

for her phone, her hands shaking as badly

back from her face. "Baby, please

moment, dazed and unfocused. Her lips parted, and she muttered something so faint I had to lean in to

my jaw, fighting the tears threatening to blur my vision. "You're going to be okay, Sarah. Both of

voice shaky but urgent as

focus on Sarah, willing

stairs as Martins appeared, his

know!" I snapped, my voice breaking. "She's

his usual demeanor replaced with grim determination.

face as she ended the

to stop the bleeding," Martins said, shrugging off his jacket and pressing it gently against the worst of

from the guests in the living room faded

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

space to work," she replied

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

Finally, I nodded, watching helplessly as the ambulance doors closed and the vehicle

***

Zoe was behind the wheel, her knuckles white as she

sat in the back with me, his hand on my shoulder, grounding me when all I felt was panic threatening to

we were ushered into a waiting area while the

the air, and the harsh fluorescent lights seemed to magnify

kind but serious. "Your fiancée is in surgery. She's lost a significant amount of blood, and we're performing an emergency

nodded. "The baby is

quickly to save both of

arm. "She's in good hands, Richard.