A Divorce He Regrets (Raina and Alexander) novel Chapter 225

I called him again, my fingers shaking as I held the receiver to my ear. The line rang. and rang. but there was no one. No familiar voice that would greet me, no conversation, no simple "I'm here."

Before, it didn’t matter how late the hour was; even if he was asleep, Alex would still pick up. But now, nothing. Just silence. Perhaps he was sleeping, I thought for a moment, after everything he'd done for me, but that idea could not dispel the increasing emptiness within me.

I whispered to myself, half-hopeful, "He's probably just sleeping." I held on to this hope against all odds, hoping against everything that it was true.

The second day arrived and with it more silence. The routine started again—no word from Alex. I tried to push past the creeping fear closing in on my chest and moved through the house, attempting to concentrate on something, anything, to keep my head from spinning.

But then I thought of something—perhaps Dominic's phone would be fine, perhaps I could call Alex on it. I picked up Dominic's phone and dialed in an urgent huff, hoping desperately to hear Alex's voice, to shatter the crushing quiet. The line came through, and my heart skipped a beat upon hearing him— only for it to immediately stop when he abruptly ended the call as soon as he heard my voice.

The cold click of disconnection felt like a physical blow. I looked on at Dom in dumbstricken dismay and for what reason would he treat me in such a way? What right did he have to shut me out like that.

My voice came up involuntarily, my anger spilling out. "He hung up on me, Dom," I said, my words stuck in my throat. "I have to go to him. I have to hear what his issue is." Dom's face turned icy, his eyes unreadable. He held up a calming hand and sighed before he spoke—his voice even, but with something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. "Do you really not know?”

He looked at me as though with pity of some sort, then shook his head in distaste. He flung his hair back, obviously fighting to contain his anger. "You left on your own, Raina. You went off to a man we've been trying to protect you from."

I did get up one night to the point of being able to only obtain a glass of water. I stumbled into the living room and overheard Dom and Faith laughing together, the comfortable familiarity between them a cruel contrast to the turmoil that dominated my heart. I reflected on myself, at least their relationship was okay now—at least they had found some level of happiness. I began to step away, my mind racing with terror and grief, when the world was spinning around. Dizziness hit me, and I had no chance to respond before being overpowered by darkness.

When I woke, I saw them all in there—Alex as well, his hands both still clutching mine. His infuriating smile and maddeningly warm face hit me in the face. How was he able to smile so warmly after keeping me at bay for one whole month? I yanked my hands free from his, wounded and betrayed. "Dom, what's wrong with me?" My voice trembling with anguish and fury.

Alex's eyes temporarily softened, and he spoke in flat tones, "You had a fever, Raina. And it's because you're pregnant." His words hung there, a combination of alarm and an explanation I wasn't certain I wished to hear. My heart was racing with mixed feelings as I tried to take in his revelation, the warmth of his smile now somehow inappropriate in the lingering shadow of abandonment.