My Beautiful, Hard-Won Life

d in my ears. I was a nurse, I knew the signs of a severe injury, but my own body felt foreign, a collection of broken parts. The room, my familiar

am, standing in the doorway, his small five-year-o

is voice a tiny, desper

addy," I managed to gasp, th

gly steady as he found the contact. I heard the phone

at is it?

m, and she's bleeding!" Liam's voice crac

ing with a desperate hope.

ies. I don't have time for your games. Chloe is having the baby, I'm

ne wen

lood pooling on the floor. He hadn't believed

t he didn't give up. With a determination that broke my heart, he dialed 911.

t wail of a siren growing closer.

ilding. But then, another car pulled up, a sleek black sedan. Michael jumped out, his face a mask of panic. He wasn'

the hospital now!" Michael yelled

an with severe injuries from an expl

on the way!" he shouted, pulling out his wallet, flashing his influence

Chloe onto the gurney meant for me. They loaded her into the ambulance. Mi

ce doors sl

e pulling away, and his small face crumpled. He chased after it, his lit

no sound came out. My world was sh

n time, swerved to avoid the panicked child in the street. The screech of ti

weet, brave boy, struck by the back of the truck. His small body wa

the floor, the life

or my son, whose last moments were spent chasing a father who didn't car

cious thought was a desperate wish. A life withou

king in a breath of

st motes in its golden rays. My body was whole. There was no pain, no bloo

ully in his dinosaur-themed bed, his small chest rising and falling with each

crashed over me. It wasn't a dream. It was too real, too

ould be different. This time, I would save my son. This time,

shake as I opened Instagram. I didn't follow Chloe, but I knew her username

r, intertwined with a man's hand. I recognized the watch on his

Can't wait to be Mrs. Vance and start our fam

t business meeting." He wasn't just having an affair. He was engaged to her. He was planning a new life

painful. The betrayal wasn't a sudden e

ront door ope

hael called out, his v

cold mask. He looked up, a faint smile on h

asked, a hint of an

voice flat and devoid of the w

"Can it wait? I had a long nig

tairs to face him. "It can't wai

dismissive laugh. "Oh, that? You can't believe everything you

nt announcement with a picture of your

women are, always looking for attention," he said, trying t

ave let his smooth words calm my fears.

I remembered the sound of the p

u," I said, the words feeling

never crossed his mind. The man who was engaged to another woman was shocke

diculous. We're a family. What abo

plied, my voice dangerously qui

e not taking my son away from me

ding," I said, turning my b