ON YOUR KNEES, EX-HUSBAND のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

Carla~ Something didn't feel right. Xavier was finally returning from his three-day trip, and I was supposed to be excited. Happy, even. However, I just couldn't shake off the odd feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to be at ease. Should I just... "Excuse me, Madame!" A voice suddenly chirped from behind me, startling me out of my thoughts. I turned to see one of the maids, Gemma walking toward me with a steaming tea cup in her hands. "I brought you something to help with the nausea." She said, earning a grateful smile from me. "Thank you, Gemma." I mouthed as I took the tea cup from her, instinctively inhalinh the sweet scent. For a couple days now, I'd been having really serious episodes of morning sickness and the only thing that helped was Gemma’s specially made tea. She would always make me a cup or two after I'd successfully puked my guts out. And I almost feel bad for having to worry her that m

Carla~The first thing I noticed was the sound.A steady, rhythmic beep… beep… beep drilled into my skull, sharp and unforgiving. It felt invasive, like it was echoing inside my head instead of outside it. I tried to move away from the noise, only to realize I couldn't.Then came the smell; strong, sterile. Disinfectant so overpowering it burned the back of my throat. My stomach lurched violently, and I gagged, a weak sound scraping out of me as nausea washed over my body."Uugh…"My eyelids fluttered, heavy and stubborn, before finally giving in.Bright white light assaulted me instantly, forcing a pained groan from my lips. I squeezed my eyes shut again, my head throbbing as if it might split open. When I tried once more, carefully this time, the world slowly came into focus.White walls surrounded me.A ceiling light so bright it felt cruel.And machines.Machines were everywhere.The beeping I'd heard earlier was coming from a monitor beside the bed, its screen filled with green

Xavier~I took another sip from the glass in my hand, letting the burning liquid travel down my throat.But I didn't flinch.I just sat there, staring blankly out the balcony.Footsteps echoed from behind me but I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.I'd sent for him since over an hour ago."Sorry I'm late, Mr. Lockwood. I was..." he began to explain himself before I suddenly cut him off."How is my father?"My voice was firm and gruff, almost devoid of emotions.I heard the doctor take deep breath from behind me before stepping forward. "His condition is quite critical." He started."Multiple fractures were detected, with a major trauma to the head.""For now, he's in a medically induced coma."My jaw clenched, my grip around the glass tightening.I closed my eyes and all I could see was the haunting image of my father in that damned hospital bed.All I could think of was the many tubes probably attached to his body, hooked to various machines.He doesn't get to die. Not n

Carla~ The shock on his face mirrored my own as he stared down at me, time stretching painfully thin between us. "Carla?" My name left his lips in the softest tone I'd ever heard from him. It was almost like he was questioning himself if I was really standing in front of him or not. That single sound snapped me back to reality. I scrambled to my feet and bolted in the opposite direction without a word. Shouts erupted behind me. "There she is!" "Don't let her get away!" I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, rain blurring my vision, my lungs burning. And in the midst of the chaos, I dared to glance over my shoulder. I dared to look at Xavier. He hadn’t moved. He was still standing there, rooted to the spot. He wasn't chasing me. And the look on his face... Pain? Hurt? Perhaps I was only imagining things? I shoved past someone and sprinted toward the main road just as headlights flooded my vision. A car screeched to a stop directly in front of me. The door suddenly

Carla~That night, I left a lot behind.My family. My life. Xavier...I left them all without looking back, without a single shred of regret or guilt.I told myself I was doing it all for my unborn child and to some extent, that was true. However I couldn't deny the fact that I still did what I had to do to save myself.I ran like a coward instead of facing my problems head on. I ran instead of staying to fight for my home. For my marriage.It's been well over three years since that rainy night and still I remember every detail like it was yesterday. I remember the biting cold as my soaked dress clung to my skin. I remember how my lips trembled with every breath, my heart thudding against my ribcage. I remember the wailing of police sirens in the distance.And Xavier.I remember the look in his midnight eyes as he stared down at me with an emotion I wasn't quite familiar with. I remember how he froze, even as the rest of the crowd were hot in my pursuit.It almost felt like I'd stole