Damian Pov
That night, I held Bella's hand. She was asleep but I held it anyway. Her hand was so small in mine. So cold. I rubbed my thumb across her knuckles trying to warm it up.
Machines beeped around us. An IV dripped slowly into her arm. A monitor showed the baby's heartbeat. Fast and steady. Still there. Still alive.
I couldn't stop staring at that monitor. At that line jumping up and down. That was my baby. My child. Fighting to survive inside Bella.
A doctor came in. Different from the one earlier. He was older with gray hair and glasses.
"Mr Roberts" he said. He had my name from when I signed in.
"Yes" I said. I stood up but I didn't let go of Bella's hand.
"I'm Dr Shaw" he said. "I wanted to talk to you about your wife's condition"
"We're not married anymore" I said. "But she's carrying my baby. Tell me everything"
Dr Shaw looked at his chart. Then at me.
"Her body is under severe stress" he said. "She's malnourished. Dehydrated. Her blood pressure is dangerously low. If this continues she will lose the baby. Maybe her life too"
The words hit me like a physical blow. I almost sat down. Almost let go of Bella's hand. But I held on tighter instead.
"What does she need" I asked.
"Calm" Dr Shaw said. "Proper nutrition. Rest. No stress whatsoever. Someone to take care of her. Someone to make sure she's eating and resting and going to her appointments"
"I'll do it" I said immediately. "Whatever she needs. I'll make sure she has everything"
"Good" Dr Shaw said. "Because without support she won't make it to term. The baby won't survive. She might not survive"
He left. I sat back down. I looked at Bella sleeping. At how pale she was. How thin. How fragile.
This was my fault. All of it. She was dying because of me. Because I cheated. Because I drove her away. Because I made her so scared and angry she tried to do everything alone.
Bella's hand twitched in mine. She was waking up. I held my breath.
Her eyes opened slowly. She looked at our hands. At me holding her. She pulled her hand away fast. Weak but angry.
"Don't touch me" she said.
"Sorry" I said. I pulled my hand back. "I'm sorry"
She turned her head away from me.
"This doesn't mean forgiveness" she said. Her voice was rough. "This is just...survival. For the baby"
"I know" I said. "I understand"
"Do you" Bella said. She looked at me. Her eyes were hard. Cold. "Do you understand that I hate you. That every time I look at you I see Karen. That I can never trust you again"
Each word was a knife. But I deserved every cut.
"I understand" I said. "And I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect anything. I just...I just want to help. I want to make sure you and the baby are safe"
"Why" Bella asked. "Why do you care so much now. Where was this care when you were sleeping with your secretary"
I didn't have an answer. There was no answer that would make it okay.
"I was selfish" I said. "I was stupid. I took you for granted. I thought I could have everything. I was wrong. And I'm so sorry Bella. I'm so incredibly sorry"
"Sorry doesn't fix anything" Bella said. She closed her eyes again. "Sorry doesn't make the images go away. Sorry doesn't give me back the life I had before you destroyed it"
A nurse came in before I could respond. She checked Bella's vitals. She smiled.
"Your blood pressure is coming up" she said. "That's good. Keep resting"
She left. Bella didn't open her eyes. She looked like she was trying to pretend I wasn't there.
I pulled out my phone. I needed to tell someone. Needed to talk to someone before I fell apart completely.
I went out into the hallway. I called my mom.
She answered on the second ring.
"Damian" she said. "It's two in the morning. What's wrong"
"I'm at the hospital" I said. My voice broke. "Bella's here. She's pregnant mom. I'm going to be a father"
Silence. Then my mom spoke. Her voice was different. Careful.
"Is she okay" she asked.
"No" I said. Tears started falling. I couldn't stop them. "She's sick. She almost lost the baby. She's been doing everything alone because I...because of what I did. And now she might lose the baby. She might die mom. And it's all my fault"
"Damian" my mom said firmly. "Take a breath. Tell me exactly what the doctors said"
I told her everything. The stress. The malnutrition. The warning that Bella might not survive. My mom listened without interrupting.
"What are you going to do" she asked when I finished.
"I don't know" I said. "She hates me. She doesn't want me there. But she needs help. The baby needs help. I have to do something"
"Then fight for them" my mom said. "I don't know what you did to that poor girl. But if you love her and you love that baby then you fight. You don't give up. You prove to her every single day that you changed. That you're sorry. That you're going to be there"
"She'll never forgive me" I said.
"Maybe not" my mom said. "But that baby is still yours. That baby needs a father. So you be the best father you can be. Even if Bella never forgives you. Even if she never loves you again. You be there for that child"
"I will" I said. "I swear I will"
"Good" my mom said. "Now go back in there. Sit with her. Be whatever she needs you to be right now"
We hung up. I wiped my face. I took a deep breath. Then I went back into Bella's room.
She was still sleeping. Or pretending to sleep. I sat down in the chair next to her bed. I didn't try to hold her hand again. I just sat there watching her breathe. Watching the monitor show our baby's heartbeat.
I made a promise to myself right then. A vow. I would fix this mess I made. I would earn back every single tear she cried because of me. Even if it took the rest of my life.