Dear Ex Wife, Please take me back novel Chapter 126

ATHENA

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to take a proper breath and decide what comes next. Isabelle came to check on me, and I was about to rush out when she relieved me with an update.

Sloane is stable now.

Still unconscious, but stable.

And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she walks again, even if I have to give her my own damn legs.

The door creaks open.

I glance up.

Alex steps in and pauses mid-step when he sees me awake. I guess he wasn’t expecting that.

“Why do you look shocked? Where were you hoping I’d die?” I mock, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

“You’re awake?” he says softly, ignoring the insult I just hit him with.

Alexander King? Having a soft voice?

It’s strange. All my life, Alex’s voice has been clipped and cold.

Not this.

I nod once, my throat dry, feeling like I’ve swallowed sandpaper.

He walks toward the side of the bed, carefully lowering himself into the chair like he's afraid he'll break me just by existing.

In his hands is a paper bag and a takeout cup.

“I brought you some tea,” he says, lifting it slightly. “Lemon and ginger. Just how you like it.”

Just how I like it?

When did Alex ever notice something like that?

I don’t reach for it. I don’t move. I’d rather eat dirt than take anything from him, much less food..

“Athena, I know you hate me,” he continues, his voice barely above a whisper, “but you need to eat something.”

Hate?

Hate?

Oh what I feel for him goes beyond hate, I fucking despise him.

I snap.

The rage, the grief, the exhaustion, it all boils over.

“What the fuck are you doing, Alex?” My voice cuts through the room like a blade. “What is this? We work together to punish your little bitch of an ex, and now we’re what? Besties?”

“Athena-”

“NO!” I shout. “I hate you! I hate everything you represent!”

“If I could go back and undo it all, I would,” he says quietly. “But I can’t. So I’ll earn my way back, even if you never look at me the same way again.”

And then he walks out.

The door clicks shut.

And I collapse back onto the bed, the tears finally spilling as I stare at the cup he left behind.

Lemon and ginger.

Just how I like it.

Bullshit.

Just as I press the back of my hand to my eyes, the door opens again.

I’m about to snap when my words are caught in my throat, my eyes land on whiskey brown eyes.

Zayan.

He doesn’t say anything at first, he releases a sigh of relief as he strides over to me, cups the back of my head gently, and places a kiss right at the top like I’m made of porcelain.

His voice rumbles low and angry, the words vibrating against my skin.

“I’m so mad at you.” He growls, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye. “You said you’d be safe, Athena. Fuck, do you know how I almost lost my mind when I saw the gun aimed at you and fired right on live televesion?”

His tone is full of rage and fear, tangled into something I can’t seem to understand.