Bella Pov
I woke up to sunlight coming through the hospital window. For a second I forgot where I was. Then I heard the beeping. Felt the IV in my arm. Remembered everything.
I turned my head. Damian was still there. Asleep in the chair next to my bed. His head was tilted at a weird angle. He was going to have a terrible neck ache when he woke up.
Good. I hoped it hurt.
I watched him sleep for a moment. He looked tired. Dark circles under his eyes. His jaw was covered in stubble. His expensive shirt was wrinkled and dirty.
He looked broken. Just like he broke me.
Then I felt it. A flutter in my stomach. Different from before. Stronger. Like someone tapping from the inside.
The baby. The baby was moving. Really moving for the first time.
My hand went to my stomach automatically. I held it there. Waiting. The flutter came again. Stronger this time. Unmistakable.
My baby. My child. Moving and alive inside me.
Tears filled my eyes. I didn't try to stop them. They just fell down my cheeks onto the hospital pillow.
This was real. The baby was real. Growing. Living. Fighting.
Damian's eyes opened. He sat up fast. He looked at me. At my tears. Panic crossed his face.
"What's wrong" he asked. "Are you okay. Should I get a doctor"
"The baby moved" I said. My voice was quiet. "I felt it move"
Damian's whole face changed. The panic turned into something else. Joy. Wonder. Awe.
He smiled. Soft and gentle. A real smile I hadn't seen in months.
"Really" he said. "You felt the baby kick"
"Yes" I said. More tears fell.
"Can I...can I feel" he asked. He reached toward my stomach then stopped. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked"
"No" I said. The word came out harsh. Sharp. "You can't touch me. You can't touch my stomach. This is my baby"
The smile disappeared from his face. He pulled his hand back.
"Our baby" he said quietly.
"Get out" I said. "I don't want you here anymore"
"Bella"
"Get out" I said louder. "Leave. Now"
Damian stood up slowly. He looked like I slapped him. But he didn't argue. He just nodded.
"Okay" he said. "I'll go. But I'll be back. I'll bring you food. And"
"I don't want anything from you" I said.
"Too bad" Damian said. His voice was gentle but firm. "The doctor said you need to eat. So I'm bringing food. You don't have to talk to me. You don't have to look at me. But I'm making sure you and the baby are taken care of"
He walked out. He closed the door softly behind him.
I lay there in the bed. Alone again. My hand still on my stomach. Feeling for another flutter. Another kick.
An hour passed. A nurse came in with breakfast. Hospital food. Bland and gross. But I ate it anyway because the doctor was right. I needed to eat.
Another hour passed. Then the door opened. Damian came in carrying bags. He didn't look at me. He just set the bags on the table by my bed.
"Fresh fruit" he said. "Protein shakes. Prenatal vitamins. The good kind. And some food from that restaurant you used to like"
He turned to leave.
"Wait" I said. I didn't know why I said it. The word just came out.
He stopped. He looked at me.
"There's a note in one of the bags" he said. "For you and the baby"
Then he left. Just walked out without another word.
I stared at the bags. I shouldn't look. I shouldn't read his note. I should throw it all away.
But I was curious. And hungry. And the food smelled really good.
I pulled the bags onto my bed. I found the containers of food. Pasta from my favorite Italian place. The one Damian took me to on our first anniversary.
There was a small white envelope tucked between the containers. My name was written on it in Damian's handwriting.
I opened it. Inside was a note.
"Bella. I know you don't want to hear from me. I know you hate me. But I need you to know something. I will be here. Every day. Whether you want me or not. I will make sure you and our baby have everything you need. Not because I expect forgiveness. Not because I think this fixes anything. But because it's the right thing to do. Because I love you. Because I love our baby. Because I failed you once and I will never fail you again. Eat the food. Take the vitamins. Rest. For our child. Damian"
I read it three times. Then I crumpled it up and threw it across the room.
He thought he could just write a note and everything would be okay. He thought he could buy my forgiveness with food and vitamins.
He was wrong.
I picked up my phone. I needed to call Tanya. Needed to talk to someone who wasn't Damian.
But when I unlocked my phone there was a text from an unknown number. Just a photo. No words.
I opened it.
My blood went cold.
It was a picture of Karen. She was smiling at the camera. Wearing a tight red dress. Looking beautiful and confident and dangerous.
Then another text came through from the same number.
"He'll never choose you."
I stared at the screen. My hands started shaking. Karen. She was texting me. She was threatening me. Even after everything. Even after Damian fired her.
She was still there. Still in my life. Still trying to destroy me.
I screamed. I threw my phone across the room. It hit the wall and fell to the floor.
A nurse rushed in.
"Are you okay" she asked.
"No" I said. "No I'm not okay"
"What happened" she asked.
"Nothing" I said. "Just...nothing. Can you leave please"
The nurse looked worried but she left.
I put both hands on my stomach. On my baby. I thought about Karen. About Damian. About this nightmare I was living.
Fear choked me. Karen was still out there. Still coming after me. Still trying to hurt me. What if she came after the baby. What if she tried to hurt my child.
I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't.