Chapter 10

[Elara]

He looks at me as if I’ve just said something blasphemous.

His brows knit deep, and his lips press into a thin, hard line.

Then, he lets out a scoff that almost sounds like a laugh. “Looks like I’ve been spoiling you too much. You don’t even watch your words anymore.”

Shaking his head, he turns away—but I don’t let him.

“I’m serious, Damon. Let’s get a divorce. Let’s end this and move on with our lives.”

It’s not like he doesn’t already have everything mapped out. Once we’re divorced, he won’t even have to look for someone to replace me. Hannah—his one true love—will be right there, waiting for him to kick me out and hand her the title of his legitimate wife.

The funny—and most absurd—thing is that even though I’m the one asking for a divorce, it still feels like a blessing to him. If we go through with this, wouldn’t he be ecstatic? He’d finally get to make Hannah his. It’s been the one wish he’s never been able to fulfill—the only love he’s never dared to let go.

But instead of the relief I expect, he grabs me by the throat and slams me against the wall.

“The last time I checked,” he growls, his face inches from mine, “I never gave you the right to decide anything for us. So tell me—how dare you bring up something like divorce?”

What the hell is wrong with him? Hasn’t he been waiting to get rid of me all this time? He’s always blamed me for trapping him in this marriage by having Cora, and now that I’m the one letting him go, he still looks furious. What the hell does he even want?

“It’s not like you haven’t thought about it,” I rasp, prying his hand off my neck and stumbling back as I cough. “Let’s be honest, Damon. The moment I step down as your wife, you’ll finally be free to make Hannah your real wife—and Danny your real son. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

A flash of surprise crosses his face. “You… you know?”

It’s not like he ever tried to hide it—his late-night calls, the perfume that wasn’t mine clinging to his shirts, the way Hannah’s name slipped from his lips when he thought I wasn’t listening.

“Let’s just say I connected the dots.” I’ll never forget what I overheard his mother and Hannah talking about that day. It was a brutal reminder that no matter how hard I tried to keep this marriage intact, I’d already lost.

“Anyway,” I wipe my face and take a deep breath. “We can talk about the details later. For now, let’s go see Cora. She just came out of surgery. We should do everything we can to make sure this doesn’t affect her.”

He doesn’t respond—just rolls his eyes and walks off.

We’re almost outside Cora’s ward when his phone lights up.

I catch a glimpse of Hannah’s name flashing on the screen.

“Yes. What happened?” he says, and his expression instantly darkens. “What? How the hell can you be so careless? Alright, alright. I won’t be mad. I’ll be right there. Wait for me.”

He turns to me, his face tight. “Danny’s hurt. I have to go.”

“But, Damon—” I reach for him, catching his sleeve, but he jerks away so hard it stings.

“Let go, Elara! Now’s not the time for your tantrums.”

He storms off without looking back once.

Earlier, a small part of me had started to regret bringing up the divorce—but even that small part feels too disappointed now. If only he cared about Cora half as much as he does about Danny, maybe I never would’ve dared to bring it up in the first place.

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “It’s alright. I still have Cora. She needs me more than anyone right now. That’s all that matters.”

When I walk inside, I find Cora already waking up. She looks confused at first, her gaze darting around the room—until her eyes land on me. Then, relief floods her tiny face.

“Mommy,” she whispers, her voice so small and fragile it shatters me completely.

“Hey, sweetheart.” I rush to her side, brushing her hair back gently. “Mommy’s right here, okay? You did so well, my brave girl.”

“It hurt,” she murmurs, her lips trembling, “but I didn’t cry. I… I heard what you said. About the amusement park.”

A laugh escapes me, choked and tearful. “You heard that?”

She nods, her eyes fluttering. “You promised.”

“I did.” I press her hand to my cheek. “And Mommy never breaks her promises.”

For a long moment, I just sit there, watching her chest rise and fall—each breath a small miracle. Everything else fades. The hospital, the walls, even Damon’s voice echoing in my head. None of it matters. Only this. Only her.

Then, the door opens softly behind me. Gwen peeks in, a faint smile on her face. “Is she awake?”

I nod, quickly wiping my tears. “Yeah. She’s awake.”

“Dr. Wolfe will be in soon to check on her,” she says, walking in quietly. “The surgery went perfectly. He said she’s responding better than expected.”

At the back of my mind, I register that whenever she talks about him, it sounds as if she knows him personally. It was only a small suspicion before, but now…

I shake my head. I’m probably overthinking it.

“You talked to him?” I ask, frowning. Shouldn’t only family members be briefed about the patient’s details?

“I…” she pauses, her eyes going wide before she grins, a little guiltily. “I overheard.”

“You saw him?”

“Yeah. He was with Dr. Wilson earlier. They were discussing Cora’s case. I was just passing by, so I ended up eavesdropping.”

I manage a faint smile despite everything. “Since when did you start doing that?”

Her grin widens. “Since I realized all the interesting stuff happens when I’m not supposed to be listening.”

Her playful tone almost makes me laugh. Almost. But then, my gaze falls back on Cora, who’s still blinking slowly, struggling to stay awake. The ache in my chest returns instantly.

Gwen moves to the other side of the bed, leaning closer. “Hey, my little warrior. What a win, huh? You made so many jaws drop earlier, you know that?”

“Really?” Cora’s voice comes out soft and scratchy, but there’s a flicker of pride in her sleepy eyes.

Gwen nods enthusiastically. “Oh, absolutely. The doctors were speechless. One of them even said, and I quote, ‘That little girl’s got the heart of a lion.’”

Cora’s lips twitch upward into a faint smile. “A lion?”

“Yup. Bravest one they’ve ever seen.”

Cora giggles weakly, and the sound—though faint—melts something inside me. For hours, I’ve been living in this constant haze of fear, praying she would open her eyes again. Now that she finally has, I feel like I can breathe for the first time.

“Where’s Daddy, Mommy?” She suddenly asks, and my smile falters. “Did he see me fight too? Did he see how good I was?”

Words fail me, and so do my eyes. The tears burn before I can stop them.

I force a smile, though my throat tightens painfully. “He… he wanted to be here, sweetheart. But something came up suddenly.”

“Something more important than me?”

The question shatters me. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

“Your dad’s probably just making sure everything’s ready for when you go home,” Gwen says quickly. “You know how daddies are—they want everything perfect for their little princess.”

“Really?”

“Of course,” she says cheerfully. “When have I ever lied?”

Cora yawns, her tiny fingers curling around mine as her eyes grow heavy again. Within moments, she drifts back to sleep.

After a while, Gwen stands up. “I’m gonna take a walk outside. Call me if you need anything.”

I nod and watch her leave.

A few hours later, I’m alone with Cora when Beatrice—Damon’s mother—walks into the ward. She doesn’t even glance at Cora, let alone ask how she’s doing.

“You,” she says, her expression grave. “Let’s talk outside.”