5

The sound of beeping cut through my unconsciousness.

My eyes opened, but squeezed shut at the white light that greeted me.

I had to tilt my head to the side before opening it again.

“Oh my God, you're awake!” Rachel's voice rang in my ears, and I turned to where she was standing beside the bed.

But she wasn't alone.

A guy was with her. A guy I didn't recognize.

“I… I don't feel good.” My head was pounding, and my body ached. “What happened?”

It was then that it all hit. Cassie. Drex. Dad. Trish.

They made my eyes widen. “How did I get here? What am I doing here?”

“Calm down.” Rachel tried to calm me down, but I couldn't.

My heart was racing, because if I remember clearly, I was just hit.

I should be on the floor or something.

What was I doing... wherever this was?

“You're in the hospital.” It was the guy that spoke, voice soft from where he sat.

“How did I get here? And what are you doing here? I don't even know who you are."

“I'm Leo." He introduced calmly.

That didn't make me feel any better. "How did I get here?"

The two shared a look, before he explained.

“I was on my way from work when I saw you laying on the floor, your phone was ringing, and I answered it.”

“I was calling to ask how you were doing.” Rachel said, “then he answered. He had taken you to the hospital and told me to come meet you.”

"Wait, did you say you saw me laying unconscious on the floor?" I had to ask, and when he nodded, my fingers curled in a fist.

Drex and Cassie actually had the nerve to leave me to die?

They left me on the floor?

I let out a dry chortle, head shaking in disbelief. “Do they know I'm here?”

Rachel nodded, then awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. “They sent you this.”

She picked up something from the table, and handed it to me.

When I read the wordings; ‘Divorce Papers’, I felt something explode in me.

“It was sent a moment ago.” She explained in a low voice, like I might break if she went any higher.

“Oh?” I huffed out a laugh.

Well I wasn't going to argue. I'd give them exactly what they wanted. “Hand me a pen.”

“Are you sure you don't want to wait till you're better?”

“No, Rachel. I want to end this. And I'm ending it now.”

She nodded, then went to get a pen.

My hands didn't tremble or my heart ache as I dropped my signature, determined to put an end to this.

They wanted a divorce, didn't they? Well, I was going to give them that.

Oh, but one thing was a certain.

The Lisa they had left to die wasn't this same woman who woke up.

Because I couldn't. I couldn't keep letting anyone play me around.

Not anymore.

Leo was there, watching me sign it like he knew this moment would change everything.

And once I was done, our eyes met. “I'll help you send it to him.” He offered.

"Hmm."

The room door opened and a doctor walked in.

He smiled when he noticed me. “Oh good, you're awake. How do you feel?”

“I've been better.”

"You know, it's a miracle that you're both alive. When you arrived, you seemed in a very bad condition."

I frowned. “What do you mean ‘both’?”

“Hmm?”

“You said both alive.”

“Oh, you don't know?”

“What?”

“You're pregnant, ma'am.”

I sucked in a large amount of breath. "Wha-What?"

"Pregnant?" Rachel gasped, staring wide-eyed at me. "Really?"

"Bu-But..." Shit!

Pregnant? I was pregnant?!

My fingers slowly curled around my stomach, eyes squeezing shut, because this shouldn't me.

Not now.

Not when Drex was already with someone else.

I shook my head.

This child... I would take care of him. I didn't need anyone's help. I could, and would do it.

****

FIVE YEARS LATER

-- Drex Drane --

"This is one of the biggest events of the year, sir." My secretary, Finn, said as we both got down from the car. "And I heard the CEO of TEAm will be around. We really need to secure a deal with them."

All I did was nod, and he knew that as room to keep quiet.

Heads bowed as we both walked out of the building, straight to my car, where he got into the driver's seat.

The moment we were in, my mind travelled to one woman.

Lisa.

Five years. It had been five years since she walked out of my life.

Five years since that guy handed over her signed version of the divorce papers.

I think 'that' was when my life started to crumble.

Each day after, I'd had to face the guilt of my action. The weight of it.

It didn't help that my company's stocks began to fall, profits dropping at an unhealthy rate.

I had only figured out months after the divorce that one of our brilliant minds of the company was her.

My ex-wife.

Yet I let her go that cheaply.

A soft sigh left my lips, just as my phone pinged with a message.

*Are you coming over tonight*

I didn't bother to reply.

Minutes passed before the car steered into the event. Something I only attended to gather business deals I would need for my company's increase.

Finn got down and moved over to open my side of the car, and we were both making our way into the hall.

It was just as expected, decorated nicely in gold, four chaired table arranged everywhere, waiters moved around with trays of different things, and billionaires pranced around with their chest puffed and head held high.

A typical event.

"Mr Drane." A voice from behind made me turn, to where a middle aged man walked over with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you Mr Gori." I managed to hide the lack of care from my tone.

"You too. Did you hear that the CEO of TEAm International will be attending this event?"

Why did everyone keep talking about this CEO?

It was weird because the company only started about four years ago, yet they managed to be one of the most spoken about industry.

"Yes sir," Finn intejected, "and we plan on joining hands with them."

"Oh? But I heard they don't collab with others that... easily."

"Really?"

At that point, I already lost interest, and was making my way to one of the tables when Gori continued. "The CEO is very strict. Oh wait, isn't that her?"

I didn't really care. Just offered a half glance and the moment my eyes landed on the CEO strolling in, every part of me froze.

A female.

She was dressed in elegance, emitting nothing but wealth as she strutted in, heeled feet filling the area.

My breath held, the color leaving my skin because this wasn't just any female.

It was her...

My ex-wife.