Chapter 5: Marriage proposal

Emily~

I stood frozen, staring at the man who had stepped between me and Ethan. His hand gripped Ethan’s wrist, halting the slap mid-air.

Ethan yanked his hand free, scowling. “And who the hell are you?” he barked.

The man’s voice was calm, but it carried a weight that silenced the corridor. “She’s not yours to hurt anymore.”

I watched Ethan’s eyes narrow, heat rising in his cheeks. “I asked who the hell you are!”

I should’ve spoken up, said something to defuse the growing tension, but the man’s next words stole the breath from my lungs.

“Someone who just put his wife in the mortuary and can’t stomach watching another man destroy a woman.”My eyes widened. The voice… the pain behind it… it clicked. He was the man I’d seen earlier, the one who had clung to the doctor, weeping, his world clearly shattered. The same man who had just lost everything—and yet here he was, shielding me.

“You...” I whispered, recognizing him fully now. He looked taller than I remembered, his shoulders broad beneath the hoodie he wore, his face tight with emotion.

“Touch her again,” he said coldly, “and I’ll make sure you never lift that hand again.”

Ethan looked stunned, his pride bruised. He swiped his face with his sleeve, trying to maintain some control. “I’ll see you later,” he muttered before storming off.The stranger turned to me, the fire in his eyes fading into something softer. “Are you alright?”

I nodded, though my hands were still trembling. “Y-Yes. Thank you... for stepping in.”

“My name is Alec,” he said, offering a small smile. “Forgive the sudden interference, but I couldn’t watch that happen. I just lost my wife today… during childbirth. I couldn’t save her. But I could stop him.”

The ache in his voice pulled at something deep inside me. “I’m so sorry,” I said quietly. “No need to apologize. That... that was incredibly brave of you.”He looked down for a moment, his jaw tightening. “I guess I’m still trying to figure out what to do now. She’s gone, and I’m left with our baby… I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Your baby?” I asked, following his gaze.

He nodded. “A girl. She’s in the nursery right now. I haven’t even had the courage to hold her properly. Everything’s just... overwhelming.”

I surprised myself by stepping a little closer. “Would you mind if I saw her? Maybe it’ll help.”

He blinked, then gave a small nod. “Sure. This way.”“Wait—just a second,” I said. I rushed into Lucian’s room. “Sweetheart,” I whispered, brushing hair from his forehead. “Mummy will be right back. I’m going to see a newborn baby.”

Lucian’s sleepy eyes lit up. “Can I come?”

“Oh, honey, you’re still on a drip. But I promise, once you’re feeling better, you’ll meet her. Rest for now, okay?”

He nodded slowly, and I kissed his cheek before heading back out.

Alec led me to the room. Inside, the baby lay quietly in her hospital crib, wrapped in soft blankets. She looked so peaceful, like the chaos of the world hadn’t touched her yet.“She’s beautiful,” I whispered.

“She looks just like her mother,” Alec said, voice thick with emotion.

“You must be a proud father,” I murmured.

He didn’t answer. He just stared at her, and I saw it—the way grief battled with love in his eyes.

Something stirred in me. Maybe it was maternal instinct. Maybe it was the loneliness of feeling like I was fighting the world alone too. “Why don’t you bring her to my son’s room?” I offered. “I’ll help watch her, at least while you get things sorted.”

“You’d really do that?” he asked, stunned.“Of course. One good turn deserves another.”

Minutes later, we were back in Lucian’s room. My little boy beamed when he saw the baby. “What’s her name, Mummy?”

I froze. I hadn’t asked. Would Alec have even named her yet?

“Mira,” Alec said gently. “That was her mother’s name. I want her to carry it.”

Lucian smiled. “Hi, Mira!” he cooed, and the baby made a soft noise in return.

“I’ll go get some things from home,” Alec said, suddenly looking unsure. “I… I don’t even know what to bring.”

“You could check the hospital supermarket,” I suggested. “But we can’t leave the kids alone.”“Right.”

I smiled, grabbing my bag. “Let’s go together. Lucian, keep an eye on Mira, alright?”

“Yes, Mummy!” he said proudly, already holding her tiny hand like they were old friends.

As we walked through the hospital corridor, Alec sighed beside me. “I’m scared.”

I glanced at him. “That’s normal. She’s your world now.”

“I don’t know how to be a father,” he admitted. “And now I can’t even give her what her mother could’ve.”“You don’t need to do it alone,” I said softly. “There are formula options, support groups, even nurses who can help. You’re not failing.”

He stopped walking, his expression raw. “Then… will you be her mother?”

My feet stilled. “What?”

“Marry me,” he whispered, like it hurt to even say the words. “Please. Be Mira’s mother.”

My heart thudded in my chest. “Alec…”

His eyes pleaded. “I know it sounds insane. We barely know each other. But you’re kind. You helped me without knowing me. And I saw how you are with your son… Mira deserves that kind of love. I’m not asking you to love me. I just—Mira needs a mother. And you…”I didn’t know what to say. My world had already shattered with Ethan’s betrayal. And now here I was, standing between two broken pieces of a stranger’s life and my own.

“Alec,” I breathed, “this isn’t a decision we should make in a hallway.”

“I know,” he said, looking down. “But I had to ask.”

And for the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel completely alone.