Adeline’s Pov
When I opened my eyes, everything was white. For a moment, I thought I was dead.
Then I saw Ethan sitting beside my bed. His head was bowed, his fingers running through his hair. He looked tired, like he's been sitting there all night.
“You’re awake,” he said quietly, his voice thick. “You’ve been unconscious for two days.”
I stared at him, saying nothing.
He sighed and looked away. “I didn’t know it would get that bad. I just… I panicked. Clara needed a blood transfusion, and I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean for you to suffer.”
The words meant nothing to me now.
He continued softly, “I realize I’ve neglected you lately. I didn’t even remember our anniversary. I’ve been… distracted. I want to make it up to you.”
He reached for a paper bag beside him and set it on the bed. “There’s a dress in there. When you’re discharged, my driver will take you to dinner. I’ve made reservations at your favorite restaurant.”
I just stared at the bag.
He forced a small smile. “Try to look beautiful again, Addy.” He leaned in, brushed his lips against my forehead, and left.
The door closed behind him, and the room went silent. I sat up slowly, my body still sore, and checked my phone.
There was a text from my father. ‘Your flight is at 9 p.m. tonight. My men will pick you up. I'm tracking your phone now.’
Two hours after my last dinner with Ethan. A hollow laugh escaped my lips.
The doctor came in not long after. “You’re being discharged today, Mrs. Morales,” he said, avoiding my eyes. “Mr. Morales has already paid the bills.”
“Of course he has,” I murmured.
He handed me my papers and left.
Two nurses came in with a dress box and a bouquet of white roses, my favorite flowers.
I stared at them until one nurse awkwardly said, “Mr. Morales said these are your favorites.”
I scoffed under my breath. A few days ago, I might have smiled. Today, I wanted to throw them out the window.
I dressed quietly. The red satin dress fit perfectly, as if he still remembered my size, but not who I was.
When the driver came to get me, I followed silently. The car glided through the city as the sky turned gold with the setting sun.
At the restaurant entrance, the waiter led me to a private table.
When I got to the table I saw Ethan smiling at me and beside him was… Clara?
Clara looked radiant, dressed in soft ivory, her hands resting on her round belly. Ethan looked slightly uneasy but smiled when he saw me.
“Addy, I’m sorry,” he began, standing. “Clara didn’t want to be alone tonight. She’s been anxious lately. I couldn’t just leave her.”
“Of course,” I said flatly, taking my seat. “You could never leave her.”
Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly. “Let’s not fight tonight.” He reached into a small box and took out two necklaces.
He handed me one. A crystal pendant. My breath caught, it was almost identical to the one Clara had broken. Inside was my baby’s ultrasound.
“I got this made for you,” he said softly. “I thought maybe it would remind you of him.”
For a brief second, my heart trembled. Then he turned and brought out another necklace of the same design, but Clara’s glittered brighter, lined with real diamonds.
He clasped it around Clara’s neck as she giggled softly.
Clara smiled sweetly, holding hers up to the light. “It’s beautiful, Ethan. You have such good taste.”
“I don’t need reminders of something I’ll never have again,” I said quietly, setting the necklace back on the table.
“Adeline—”
“I said I don’t need it,” I repeated, my tone sharper.
He sighed and tried to change the subject, asking about my health, the house, meaningless things. I answered in short, cold words.
Clara, meanwhile, filled the silence with stories about their childhood about how Ethan used to sneak into her backyard, how they used to play piano together.
Each story she told was deliberate and supposed to get a rise out of me but I ignored her.
Ethan smiled faintly through all of it, occasionally glancing at me as if hoping I’d join in. I didn’t.
Then, suddenly, the smell of gas hit me before a loud explosion followed.
BOOM! The restaurant exploded.
The lights shattered, the ground shook, and screams filled the air.
A blast of heat threw me backward, slamming me into the far end of the room. I hit the floor hard, pain surging through my body as debris rained down.
“Adeline!” I heard Ethan shout.
“Ethan,” I gasped, coughing through the smoke. “Help me!”
Clara clutched his arm, crying. “I can’t move! Please, Ethan, the baby… I can’t move!”
She wasn’t hurt. Not even a scratch. She was sitting perfectly upright, pretending to tremble.
I blinked through the haze, watching him stand in the middle as he stared between me and Clara.
Ethan’s eyes flicked to me, full of hesitation and then a cold resolve filled his eyes
“Hold on, Adeline!” he yelled. “I’ll come back for you!”
He scooped Clara into his arms and ran.
I stared, disbelief and heartbreak tearing through me as I watched him disappear through the smoke leaving me behind.
Clara turned her head slightly in his arms and smiled at me before the flames swallowed her face.
The heat grew unbearable. My lungs screamed for air. I tried to move, but debris pinned my legs. I couldn’t breathe.
So this is how it ends, I thought weakly. After everything… This is how my story ends. Even at the end, he still chose her.
My head slumped forward. Darkness crept in.
Through the haze, I saw shadows moving, four tall figures pushing through the smoke.
One of them shouted, “Miss Adeline! Hold on! Your father sent us!”
Their voices echoed as my vision faded. “Please hang on, Miss Adeline—”
Then everything went black.
