Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ATHENA

"Where did Daddy go?" Rayen asks as Luca drives us back home.

| don't know what to say or how to answer that question. Yesterday passed in a blur.

| can barely remember what happened after Alex left or how | hugged Rose

goodbye with promises of catching up.

I've been holding onto my phone like it's my lifeline. Hoping and praying Giana is alright.

She saved me. Gavean education and made my life so easy.

She had another heart attack and could die.

| have the formula. Maybe | should stop hiding it and use it to save her and have Alex take a dose to prevent this

from ever happening to him.

"He had something to do, sweetie. You'll see him soon." | finally find the strength

to answer my son, who nods and focuses on his game.

Luca and | share a look through the rearview mirror.

"You can't keep it hidden from him forever." He says.

| know he's right, but | don't admit it.

I'll tell him when | hear how she's doing.

"Do you think the formula can help?" | blurt out the question.

Well, if Alex knows, then Luca totally knows about it.

"Are you talking to me?" He asks, givinga straight face.

"Forget it!" | mutter. Not having the strength to fight him today.

"No you can't. It was last used seven years ago. Plus, Giana is old. You'll need to do more tests on its

effectiveness, and that could take another seven years. | also suggest you don't repeat that question outside."

| let out a tired sigh and look out the window. Trees blur past. Sunlight flickers through the leaves, painting

golden patches across my lap, but it doesn't calm me. My fingers keep twitching, my phone burning a hole in my

palm. Still no updates. "Snew people just landed," Luca adds suddenly as he handshis tablet. "Figured

you should see this."

The screen shows a photo taken outside Quinn's Medical Center.

A tall man who looks a hell lot like Alex's dad and a woman with blond hair, is stepping out of a sleek black car.

The woman's face is mostly covered by oversized sunglasses. The man looks cold and makes my backbone

shiver.

| frown. "Who are they?"

Luca doesn't answer immediately.

"That's Noah and Sloane's parents." Luca finally answers, and | gasp.

| slide next, and in the next picture, the woman has pulled off her glasses.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

"She looks so identical to Ariana. Are they sisters?" | ask.

It's funny that I'm hearing about these two for the first time. | assumed his parents were late since neither of

them spoke about them. But then | realize Sloane was abroad.

So | guess that's where she was.

But why are they only showing up now? Their daughter has been in a coma for over eight months.

Lucas's soft laugh and slight shake of his head pullsback.

"They're not sisters. It's crazy but John is one sick bastard."

"Language!" | hiss with a glare as | turn to look at Rayen, who is buried in his game.

Luca chuckles, "That kid will be cursing soon, too. It's inevitable!"

"Why is John sick?"

"Can't you tell? He married a woman who looks exactly like Ariana. Doesn't that tell you something?"

| meet his gaze through the rearview, and he shakes head like I'm stupid.

"John had a crush on Ariana. But she fell for Eli and they got married. So the brothers fell off. Giana handing the

entire company to Eli didn't help the situation. So | guess he relocated and found himself a lookalike and married

her.

What's fucked up is that he even made her study law and dyed her hair blond too. She's a brunette originally. But

| hear she's now a cold ass prosecutor. | don't know why they came, but it isn't to catch up."

"Maybe they're here because they're mother is sick." | point out.

Not everything has to have a hidden agenda | try to convince myself even though

| agree with Luca.

That's pretty sick.

"They landed four hours before Giana collapsed. So unless they can see the future, | suggest you be careful and

don't let them near Rayen. You have nothing to worry about though, Alex would burn us all to shit before

anything happened to you. I'm just giving you a heads up."

"Well. Their daughter took a bullet for me, I'm sure we will start on a very lovely note." The sarcasm rolls out of

my tongue.

Luca doesn't respond, he just snorts and focuses back on the road. His silence feels more loaded than any

warning.

We pull into Isabelle's driveway twenty minutes later.

| unbuckle Rayen and help him out of the car. He's humming the thsong from

his game, completely unaware of the tension sitting like lead in my chest.

The front door opens before we can knock, and Isabelle steps out.

She's barefoot, wearing one of her oversized tees and leggings, a cup of tea clutched in her hand.

Her eyes immediately flick paststraight to Luca and her entire body jolts. She nearly drops the cup.

"Hey," | say, frowning at her reaction. "You okay?"

Isabelle's cheeks flush a bright pink. She stutters,

"Y-yeah, I'm just... surprised to see hi- ahh.." She clears her throat. "You. To see you."

Luca steps forward, no smile on his face but his eyes soften.

"Hi, Isabelle."

She nearly chokes on air. "Hi."

Rayen runs past us and jumps into her arms.

"Aunt Izzy! | missed you!" He giggles.

"I missed you even more munchkin!"

"You look tired," she says shifting Rayen to her hip.

"I am. I'll fit you in later. Just... can you please watch him for a while? don't want to take him to the

hospital unless | know it's safe.” s

"Of course. Go. I've got him."

"Mummy will be back for you, okay? Be good. | love you!" | kiss him in his curls.

"I love you too!"

| give Rayen one last look, then nod and follow Luca back to the car. Though |

can't shake what | just saw.

Isabelle's reaction was... weird.

I glance at Luca.

His face is unreadable.

Nope.

Not going there.

Not my circus. Not my monkeys.

We reach the hospital in silence. The car rolls to a slow stop in front of the main

entrance.

Security is tight.

Men | don't recognize are stationed at the front doors, their eyes scanning every

person walking in or out.

"The entire family will be in one

place.

the

e te dangerous." Luca answers

question burning holes in my

Sweet

head content belongs to

s

I nod.

Luca opens the door for me, and as | step out, | feel it.

The tension.

The guards all bow in respect as we step out.

"Good Afternoon, Mrs. King."

| bite back a correction. It will just complicate things.

"Good Afternoon." | offer them a small smile as the tattooed Six feet man trails

behind me.

| know where to find them, so | head straight there.

Everyone is here but my eyes immediately land on green ones.

He breaks from the group the second he spots me.

His expression is unreadable, but the second reaches me, he places a

firm protective hand around my waist. s

The gesture is instinctual.

Possessive and reassuring.

His warmth calms the panic brewing inside me.

And just like that every eye shifts to me.

He leans in, his voice low, just for me.

"Hi baby.” He grazes my skin with his deep voice and | swear | feel my knees

weaken.

"Hi. How is she?"

"She's stable. Still unconscious, but stable."

Relief crashes overlike a wave. My knees nearly give out.

"So this is the famous Athena." A cold female voice joins us.

I don't need to turn to know whose voice that is.