A Divorce He Regrets

Chapter 50:

Minutes crawled by, each one slower than the last, until the door swung open and a doctor stepped in. Dominic surged forward like a sprinter off the starting line, not even giving the man a chance to speak.

“How is she? How’s Faith? Is everything okay?” His voice was laced with equal parts fear and hope.

The doctor’s warm smile was an immediate balm. “Congratulations, Mr. Graham. You’re the father of a healthy baby boy. Both mother and child are doing well.”

Relief hit Dominic like a tidal wave. His shoulders sagged, and for the first time in what felt like hours, he stopped moving. “A boy,” he whispered, as if the words were too good to be true.

I felt a rush of emotion myself—a strange blend of joy for them and envy for the happiness they had found in the middle of this chaos. It was a cruel reminder of what I was about to lose, of what I feared I could never have again.

“Can we see them?” Dominic asked, his voice trembling with excitement.

“Of course,” the doctor said with a nod. “Give the nurses a few moments to get Faith settled, and they’ll let you in.”

Dominic turned to me, his face glowing with pride. “A boy, Raina. Can you believe it?”

I forced a smile, though my mind was already ticking down the seconds. Every passing moment brought me closer to the meeting I dreaded. “Congratulations, Dom. I’m so happy for you.” And I meant it, even if my smile felt strained. It wasn’t long before a nurse appeared and guided us to Faith’s room. The sight that greeted us stopped me in my tracks. Faith looked utterly exhausted but radiant, her face glowing as she cradled the tiny bundle in her arms. Dominic was at her side in an instant, his voice soft and reverent as he cooed over his newborn son.

The scene was almost too much to bear. The love and warmth in the room were palpable, wrapping around them like a protective cocoon. I allowed myself a moment to take it all in, to imprint the image in my mind. But I couldn’t linger. Time was slipping through my fingers, and I couldn’t afford to waste it.

“Dom, I have to go,” I said abruptly, tearing myself away from the moment.

He turned to me, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Go? Where?”

𝖀𝖕𝖉𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖘 ⲋ𝛼𝓁ⲛ𝓸ⴝ𝖊𝓁𝓈﹒ⅽ𝗈𝗆

“I’ll explain later,” I said, brushing off his concern. “Just… keep Ava here with you, okay? She’ll be fine with you and Faith.”

“Raina—”

“I’ll be back,” I cut him off, my tone sharper than I intended. Without waiting for a response, I turned and left the room, my steps hurried and purposeful. I felt his eyes on my back, but he didn’t follow. Thankfully, he was too caught up in the euphoria of fatherhood to press me for answers.noveldrama

The moment I stepped outside, the cool air hit me like a slap. I practically sprinted to my car, my heart pounding—not from exertion, but from the sheer weight of what I was about to face. Vanessa had me cornered, and I hated it. Every fiber of my being screamed against walking into her trap, but I didn’t have a choice.

As I slid into the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel, I allowed myself one deep breath. Just one. Then I started the car and drove toward the address she had texted, my mind racing with possibilities.

What was she planning? How far was she willing to go? And more importantly, how was I going to outmaneuver her without letting her know just how much power she held over me?

I didn’t have the answers. All I had was the resolve to see this through. For Ava.

For Liam. For myself.

The clock was ticking.

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