Dear Ex Wife, Please take me back novel Chapter 123

ATHENA

The shot rings out.

I brace for the pain, for the heat of the bullet tearing through my flesh.

But it never comes.

I’m still standing.

I'm still breathing.

Frozen.

My heart slams against my ribs as the world slows around me.

And then-

“No!”

A body crashes into mine, shoving me hard to the side.

I stumble, catching myself against the edge of a table.

That’s when I hear it, a guttural gasp, the sound of someone choking on breath. The thud of a body hitting marble.

Blood splatters.

I look down my body and realize it's not mine.

My eyes widen as I turn.

Someone took the bullet.

For me.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Leah screaming, thrashing, wild-eyed like a mad woman.. But the officers are on her now, four of them tackling her to the ground, ripping the gun from her hands.

My ears ring.

The voices fade.

Someone’s shouting my name, but it sounds like it’s coming from underwater.

Everything begins to blur, hitting me all at once.

A gun.

Shoot.

Not me.

I look to the side and see Sloane lying in her own pool of blood.

I let out a scream as I rush to her side.

“Are you hurt?” I hear Alex's panicked voice as he reaches me. I only shake my head as I push through the people surrounding her.

I drop to my knees beside her, blood soaking into the pink silk pooling around her.

“Oh my God!” I hear Ariana’s gasp.

“Sloane, Sloane, stay with me,” I whisper, my hands already moving on instinct.

There’s so much blood.

Too much.

Her breathing is shallow, and her lips are trembling as she blinks up at me. Her skin is pale, and she has sweat beads across her forehead.

“Give me space!” I yell, my voice loud enough to split the air. But no one moves.

“Give her fucking space! Dammit!” Alex’s deep voice booms and that does it.

The people crowding us stumble back, startled by the sudden command..

The panic and shock fades.

My hands are shaking as we follow the ambulance.

That should have been me.

Sloane- Oh God. Please don’t die! Please I'm begging you.

A tear rolls down my cheek when I feel a warm hand rub my bare back.

My dress is covered in blood and the man I hate the most is comforting me.

How messed up is this!

We arrive and rush straight outside the OR as we wait for the news of the operation.

I would have gone in but we can't have two emotionally attached surgeons in there. Isabelle will handle it if anything happens.

Shes a good- No- The best doctor.

My knees are shaking as I pace back and forth, my stomach in knots, my thoughts racing.

Please let her live.

Please don’t take her from us.

I run my hands through my hair, trying to slow my breathing. Trying to focus. Trying not to fall apart.

The doors burst open behind me.

Ariana, Eli, and Noah rush in.

“Athena!” Noah calls me, his eyes wild, and panic etched across his face.

“What happened?” he gasps. “Where’s Sloane? What the hell happened to my sister?!”

How do you explain something like this?

How do you tell someone their sister might die because she took a damn bullet for you?