Chapter 4 - The Broken Vow|
The morning light broke through the high windows of the VIP recovery suite, painting the pale walls in soft shades of gold.
Elise opened her eyes slowly. The dull, throbbing pain in her lower abdomen was still there, but the sharp, terrifying spasms had subsided. She placed her hand flat against her stomach.
A tiny, faint movement pressed against her palm. A soft, gentle nudge.
Tears spilled over her lashes, hot and silent. "Thank God," she whispered to the empty room. "Thank God."
"She’s a fighter. Just like her mother."
Elise turned her head. Julian was sitting in a leather armchair beside her bed, his dark hair slightly rumpled, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked as if he hadn't slept a single minute all night.
"Mr. Sterling," Elise murmured, her voice raspy. "You're still here."
"I told you I wouldn't leave," Julian said, standing up and pouring a glass of water from the bedside pitcher. He helped her lift her head, holding the straw to her lips with careful tenderness.
"Thank you," she breathed, sinking back into the pillows. "The doctor told me... they told me what you did. You saved my daughter’s life."
"I only did what any decent human being should have done," Julian replied softly.
The heavy wooden door of the suite suddenly clicked open. Matthew walked in, holding a bouquet of yellow roses. He looked pale, dark circles bruising the skin under his eyes, his posture defensive.
"Elise," Matthew began, taking a step toward the bed. "Thank God you're okay. I’ve been out in the waiting room all night—"
"Get out," Elise said.
Her voice wasn't loud. It wasn't angry. It was flat, cold, and dead.
Matthew froze, his eyes darting nervously between Elise and Julian. "Elise, honey, please. Let me explain. Saraphina... she was crazy. I didn't know she was going to do that! I was in shock—"
"You watched her kick me, Matthew," Elise interrupted, looking directly into his eyes with a clarity he had never seen in her before. "You watched her kick your own child, and you didn't move an inch. You didn't even call an ambulance."
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"I was terrified for our reputation!" Matthew blurted out, stepping closer. "If I created a scene—"
"Your reputation?" Elise let out a bitter, lifeless laugh. "My daughter almost died because you cared more about your brand than her life. We are finished, Matthew. I want a divorce."
