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.

a 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? The

eyes wide. "Richard,

I pushed past her, calling Sarah's name as I opened doors and looked into every corner.

My voice echoed down the

from the staircase

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 contrast

racing down the

followed, her steps frantic. "Oh my God, Richard! What

shallow. My hands trembled as I pressed my fingers to her

I barked at Zoe.

phone, her hands shaking as badly

hair back from her face. "Baby, please wake

Her lips parted, and she muttered something so faint I had to lean in to hear

tears threatening to blur my vision. "You're going to be

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

kept my focus on Sarah, willing her to stay

the stairs as Martins appeared, his face

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

replaced with grim determination. "The ambulance is

down her face as she ended the call. "They'll be here

Martins said, shrugging off his jacket and pressing it gently

The chatter and music from the guests in the living

assessing Sarah's condition and loading her onto a stretcher. I stayed close, gripping her hand

space to work," she

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

knowing Zoe was right. Finally, I nodded, watching helplessly as the ambulance doors closed

***

was behind the wheel, her knuckles

the back with me, his hand on my shoulder,

into a waiting area while the medical team

antiseptic filled the air, and the harsh fluorescent lights seemed to magnify

significant amount of blood, and we're performing an emergency C-section to deliver

"The baby is in distress.

to save

good