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.

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.

said, her eyes wide. "Richard,

past her, calling Sarah's name as I opened doors and looked into

My voice echoed

the staircase

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

the floor beneath her, its dark red hue a stark

racing down

her steps frantic. "Oh my God,

face was ghostly white, her breathing shallow. My hands trembled as I pressed my fingers to her neck, searching for

911!" I barked at

phone, her

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

brief moment, dazed and unfocused. Her lips parted, and she muttered

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

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

Sarah, willing her to stay

thundered down the stairs as Martins appeared, his face etched with confusion and concern. "What

know!" I snapped, my voice breaking.

me, his usual demeanor replaced with grim determination. "The ambulance is

face as she

to stop the bleeding," Martins said, shrugging off his jacket and pressing

felt like hours. The chatter and music from the guests in the living room faded into a distant hum, replaced by the deafening thud

paramedics finally arrived, they worked quickly, assessing Sarah's condition and loading her onto a stretcher. I stayed close, gripping her hand as they wheeled her out to

to work,"

my arm. "We'll follow in my

to be with Sarah and knowing Zoe was right. Finally, I nodded, watching helplessly

***

the hospital was a blur. Zoe was behind the

sat in the back with me, his hand on my shoulder, grounding me when all

were ushered into a waiting area while the

antiseptic filled the air, and the harsh

a significant amount of blood, and we're performing an emergency C-section to deliver the baby." Her words hit me like a freight train. "The baby?"

"The baby is in distress.

quickly to

arm. "She's in good hands, Richard. They know what