Episode 5 - Her Return, His Regret

The sound of the heart monitor echoed faintly through the hospital room. Lilian sat frozen beside her mother’s still body, her fingers trembling as they brushed against the cold hand she’d once held for comfort.

“Mom… please,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Please wake up. I’m here now…”

But there was only silence.

Her mother’s chest no longer rose. The steady beep that had once given her hope had gone flat.

Lilian’s breath hitched. “No,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “No, this can’t be happening.”

Her knees gave out, and she collapsed beside the bed, sobs tearing through her chest. The nurses tried to lift her, but her body refused to move. The world around her blurred into a whirl of white coats and soft murmurs.

“Doctor! She’s losing consciousness!”

Darkness swallowed her.

---

When she woke again, the sharp scent of antiseptic filled her nose. Her body ached, her head heavy. The doctor was standing beside her bed, checking her vitals, his expression tense.

“Mrs. Brook,” he said softly. “You fainted out of shock. I ran a few tests to make sure everything was fine.”

She blinked slowly, her eyes red and swollen. “What… what did you find?”

The doctor hesitated, then gave a faint, careful smile. “You’re two months pregnant.”

The words didn’t sink in at first.

Pregnant.

Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach. A life — his life — growing inside her. The same man who had humiliated her, ignored her, and shattered every piece of her heart.

Tears welled in her eyes again, but this time they weren’t just for her mother. They were for everything she had lost — and for the small flicker of life that suddenly gave her a reason to hold on.

When the doctor left, she sat there in silence, staring at the report. Her fingers brushed over the words again and again, as if touching them could somehow make the moment real.

Then the door opened.

Ethan walked in.

Her breath caught.

He looked immaculate, as always — sharp suit, cold eyes, unreadable face. Emily wasn’t with him, but Lilian could still feel her shadow in the room.

“Ethan…” she started weakly.

He didn’t answer right away. He stood near the bed, arms folded, studying her like she was a puzzle he didn’t care to solve.

“So this is what it takes to get my attention?” he said finally, his tone mocking. “Collapsing in a hospital? Pretending to be weak?”

Lilian’s chest tightened. “I didn’t—”

He cut her off, stepping closer. His hand gripped her jaw, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Stop lying. You think I don’t see through your little act?”

She shook her head miserably, tears forming again. “I’m not pretending, Ethan. I swear—”

He released her roughly, his expression twisted with irritation. “Save it. I don’t have time for your games.”

The report in her hand slipped slightly. She quickly hid it under the blanket, praying he wouldn’t see it.

But Ethan didn’t even glance down. He didn’t notice the trembling of her fingers, the pale look on her face, the secret she was clutching like it was her only lifeline.

He just turned toward the door, his voice cold and final. “You got my attention, Lilian. Now you can stop this pathetic act.”

And then he left.

The sound of the door closing felt like the last nail sealing her heart.

Lilian sat frozen, staring at the spot where he’d stood moments ago.

Then her lips trembled as she whispered to herself,

“Maybe if he knew… maybe if he knew I’m carrying his child… he’d change.”

She placed a trembling hand on her stomach, tears streaming down her face.

“I’ll protect you,” she whispered softly. “Even if he never loves me… I’ll protect you.”

Outside, the rain began to fall again — soft, endless, and cold, like the life she had chosen to hold on to in a world that kept trying to break her.