Chapter 16
Emily’s POV
I dialed Zane’s number, my heart aching with each ring. When he answered, his voice was laced with the kind of sadness that only a child who misses his mother could feel.
“Mommy, why didn’t you call me?” Zane’s voice wavered on the edge of tears, and it felt like a dagger to my heart.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” I replied, trying to keep my own voice steady. “Mommy’s been really busy with some important things, but I promise we’ll talk more tomorrow, okay? It’s just that things have been a bit hectic here.” If everything was okay, I could leave the hospital.
“But, Mommy, I miss you so much,” he whispered, the sadness in his voice making my chest tighten. “Are you okay?”
“I miss you too, Zane. So much. And I’m okay, really,” I said, doing my best to sound cheerful. “I just need to take care of a few things, and then we can have a long chat tomorrow, just like always.”
“Promise?” Zane’s voice was soft, hesitant.
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“Promise,” I said, my throat tightening. “Now be a good boy and have fun with Grandpa and Grandma. We’ll catch up tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy,” he agreed reluctantly. “But you have to promise you’ll call.”
“I will, baby. I will,” I assured him, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Mommy. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Zane.” I hung up the phone, staring at the screen as it went dark. The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I knew it was for his own good. He couldn’t know how close I had come to never speaking to him again.
A few moments later, the doctor walked into my room, a warm smile on his face. “Good news, Emily,” he said, glancing at the clipboard in his hand.
“You’re going to be discharged today. Everything looks good, and you’re well enough to continue your recovery at home. We’ll get the paperwork ready, and you should be able to leave in a couple of hours.”
I nodded, offering a small smile in return. “Thank you, doctor.”
As the doctor left, Keith was still staring at me, his eyes boring into
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mine with an intensity that made me uneasy. I turned away, refusing to meet his gaze. His presence felt suffocating, a constant reminder of everything I was trying to forget.
When I didn’t respond to his silent demand for attention, his stare. only grew more intense, almost challenging. It was like he was daring me to acknowledge him, to give in to whatever it was he wanted. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I had spent too long under his control, and I wasn’t about to let him pull me back in.
Finally, I had enough. “Keith, you need to leave,” I said, my voice. firm as I pressed the call button for the nurse. He didn’t move, didn’t even flinch. It was as if my words had no impact on him at all.
The nurse arrived promptly, and I could see her hesitate when she realized who she was dealing with. “Mr. Keith, I’m going to have to ask you to step out,” she said politely, though her tone was laced with a hint of nervousness.
But Keith remained unmoved, his gaze never leaving mine. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said flatly. “If you want me out, you’ll have to drag me out yourself. And trust me, that’s not going to happen.”
The nurse looked at me for guidance, unsure of how to proceed. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the way she weighed her duty against the man standing before her. I could hardly blame her- Keith wasn’t a man easily dismissed.
“Please,” I whispered to her, my voice tinged with desperation. But
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before she could do anything, Keith’s expression hardened, and he turned his attention to the nurse.
“If you even think about forcing me out,” he warned coldly, “I’ll have this entire hospital shut down. I have the power to do it, and I will if it comes to that.”
The nurse paled, clearly intimidated by his threat. She glanced at me apologetically before nodding and backing out of the room, leaving me alone with Keith once again.
“Emily,” he started, his voice low and insistent.
I cut him off, my patience wearing thin. “Don’t start, Keith. I’m not in the mood.”
He stepped closer, ignoring my dismissal. “I am gonna drop you at home. End of discussion.”
I glared at him, my temper flaring. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Frank can take me home.”
Keith’s jaw clenched, his eyes darkening with something I couldn’t quite place. “You have two choices, Emily. Either I take you home, or you stay here for a few more days. Frank’s not taking you. anywhere.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the exhaustion from the discharge process was catching up with me. My body ached, my
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head throbbed, and the last thing I wanted was another fight. I sighed, defeated. “Fine. But don’t think this changes anything.”
Keith didn’t reply, but the look in his eyes said enough. He thought he had won, but this was far from over.
As we left the hospital, I thought back to the confrontation I had with Lily three days ago.
Flash back
After Keith left and Tyler wasn’t around, Lily had stormed into my room, her eyes blazing with anger.
“What did you think you were doing, Emily? Orchestrating this whole thing to gain sympathy? You’ve always been so desperate for attention.”
I stared at her, disbelief coursing through me. “Do you really think I‘ d blow up my own car just for attention?”
Lily crossed her arms, a sneer twisting her lips. “You’d do anything to keep Keith’s attention on you. But it won’t work. Zane will be calling me ‘Mom‘ soon enough, and you’ll be nothing but a memory.”
I felt a surge of anger, stronger than anything I had felt in a long time. “Zane will never call you ‘Mom,‘ Lily. You can delude yourself all you want, but he’s my son.”
Lily’s sneer deepened, her voice turning icy as she leaned in closer. “You really think that matters? Even when Keith was with you, do you know who he was thinking about every time he touched you? Me, Emily. It was always me. And now, we’re going to start our own family. Keith and I will build a life together, and he’ll forget all about you and Zane. Soon enough, you’ll be nothing but a faint, unwanted memory.”
The fury that burned through me was too much to contain. I grabbed the vase from the bedside table and hurled it at her. “Get out, Lily. Get out of my life!”
The vase shattered against the wall, and just as Lily was about to retort, Tyler walked in. “What the hell is going on here?”
I turned to him, my eyes blazing. “Get out, Tyler. Just leave me alone.”
The nurse came rushing in, quickly ushering both Lily and Tyler out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the mess that was my life.
Flashback End
Now, as Keith drove us home, I couldn’t shake the memory of that confrontation. Lily’s words echoed in my mind, her threats hanging over me like a dark cloud. I didn’t trust her, and I didn’t trust Keith. Whatever they had planned, I knew I needed to stay strong for Zane.
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The car ride was quiet, the tension between Keith and me thickening with every passing mile. Eventually, the exhaustion took over, and I drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up, we were already at my house, and I was surprised
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to find Keith carrying me to my bed. For a moment, it felt like a dream, like all the nights I had imagined him being gentle and caring.
