Chapter three

CHAPTER THREE

CLARA POV

I woke up feeling dizzy. The bright lights hurt my eyes. I smelled something clean, like soap. Where was I?

Then it hit me. The hospital. This wasn't a dream.

"My baby!" I yelled, sitting up fast. My whole body hurt.

I looked down. The blood was gone. Did something bad happen to my baby? I started to panic.

I tried to get up, but the door opened. A lady in a white coat came in.

"You're awake," she said with a smile. She helped me back into bed.

I grabbed her coat. "My baby... please, is my baby okay?"

The doctor touched my forehead. I held my breath, waiting.

"Your baby is fine," she said.

I let out a big sigh. "Thank goodness," I whispered. I rubbed my belly gently. Thank you for staying strong, little one.

"But," the doctor said, stepping back, "there are some problems."

My heart jumped. "Wh-what kind of problems?"

"You lost a lot of blood. That's not good for you or the baby."

Tears filled my eyes. This was all Mike's fault.

The doctor squeezed my hand. "We'll give you some vitamins to help. But first, you need to rest."

I nodded. "Okay."

As she turned to leave, I asked, "Who brought me here?"

"Someone... he asked us not to say who."

I wondered who it could be. Part of me hoped it was Mike.

After the doctor left, I turned on the TV. What I saw made me feel sick.

Mike and Lucy were on the screen. They were holding hands and going into a fancy restaurant.

My heart hurt. When Mike and I were together, we had to hide. But here he was, showing off with Lucy.

The TV lady said, "Love is in the air for the handsome CEO and his fiancée!"

I gasped. Fiancée? No, it couldn't be true.

Tears ran down my face. I couldn't believe this was happening.

A nurse came in with some food. "Are you okay, dear?"

I wiped my eyes. "I don't know."

I tried to eat, but I wasn't hungry. When the nurse left, I grabbed my phone.

No calls from Mike. Not one.

With shaky hands, I sent him a message: "I agree to the divorce."

I hit send, feeling sad and alone. I thought about all the good times Mike and I had. Now it was over.

The room felt cold. So cold.

---

Mike's POV:

My phone buzzed. It was Clara.

"I agree to the divorce," her message said.

I smirked. Finally, she agreed.

Yesterday was our third wedding anniversary. But I didn't care. I only thought about Lucy.

I started to reply, "Ok-"

"Baby, you've been looking at your phone forever," Lucy said. "Eat before your food gets cold."

I put my phone down and smiled at her. Lucy and I had been seeing each other in secret for months. Now she wanted everyone to know.

Lucy was my first love. I couldn't say no to her.

"Something's bothering you, Mike," Lucy said, sounding annoyed.

"No, it's nothing," I said, cutting my steak.

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Is it about Clara?"

I put down my fork. "No, I'm not thinking about her. Only you."

Lucy blushed. I winked at her. "Let's eat, my love."

After our date, I drove home. The house was quiet. No one yelled "Welcome home!" or jumped to hug me.

"Clara?" I called. No answer.

In the bedroom, all her things were gone. Good, I thought. She knew to leave.

I saw 36 missed calls from her on my phone. Why did she call so much? She knew I wouldn't answer.

In the shower, I couldn't stop thinking about Clara. Her voice kept ringing in my head.

"I love you," she had said when I told her about the divorce. Why did she say it then? To trick me?

I got out of the shower, annoyed. Her voice wouldn't leave me alone.

"Mike, I'm your wife."

"Please, I'm begging you."

I tried to sleep, but I couldn't stop thinking about her.

---

The next morning, I woke up feeling worse. My head hurt, and my heart felt heavy.

I reached for my phone, half-hoping to see a message from Mike. Nothing.

A nurse came in to check on me. "How are you feeling today?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck," I said, trying to smile.

She laughed softly. "The doctor will be in soon. Try to eat something, okay?"

I nodded, but the thought of food made me feel sick.

After she left, I turned on the TV again. Big mistake.

There was Mike, giving a press conference. He looked happy, confident. Lucy stood next to him, beaming.

"I'm excited to announce that Lucy and I are engaged," Mike said, smiling at the cameras.

My heart shattered. It was real. It was happening.

I turned off the TV and cried. How could he do this? How could he throw away our marriage so easily?

The doctor came in and saw me crying. "What's wrong? Are you in pain?"

I nodded. "But not the kind you can fix."

She sat on the edge of my bed. "Want to talk about it?"

I hesitated, then told her everything. About Mike, the affair, the baby.

"I'm so sorry," she said when I finished. "You don't deserve this."

"What am I going to do?" I asked, feeling lost.

"First, you're going to focus on getting better. For yourself and your baby. The rest, we'll figure out."

I nodded, grateful for her kindness.

Later that day, a familiar face appeared in my doorway. It was Tom, Mike's brother.

"Hey, Clara," he said softly. "Can I come in?"

I nodded, surprised to see him.

Tom sat in the chair next to my bed. "How are you holding up?"

I shrugged. "Not great. Did you know about...?"

He shook his head. "I just found out. I'm so sorry, Clara. Mike's being an idiot."

"Was it you?" I asked. "Did you bring me here?"

Tom nodded. "I saw you collapse outside Mike's office. I couldn't just leave you there."

Tears filled my eyes again. "Thank you, Tom. I don't know what would have happened if..."

He took my hand. "Hey, don't think about that. You're safe now. Both of you."

We sat in silence for a while. Then Tom spoke again.

"Clara, I want you to know... I'm here for you. Whatever you need. You're family, no matter what Mike says."

His words touched me deeply. "Thank you, Tom. That means a lot."

As Tom was leaving, he turned back. "Oh, I almost forgot. I brought you something."

He handed me a small gift bag. Inside was a tiny onesie that said "Loved."

Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks, but this time they weren't all sad.

"Your baby is loved, Clara. Don't ever forget that," Tom said before leaving.

I hugged the onesie to my chest, feeling a tiny spark of hope for the first time in days.

---

Mike's POV:

I woke up with a pounding headache. Last night's celebration with Lucy left me feeling rough.

As I reached for my phone, I saw a missed call from Tom. Weird. We hardly ever talked.

I called him back.

"Mike, what the hell are you doing?" Tom's angry voice came through the speaker.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"Clara's in the hospital, you idiot! Did you even know?"

My stomach dropped. "What? Why?"

"Because you left her bleeding on the floor of your office! She almost lost the baby!"

The baby. I had forgotten about the baby.

"Is... is she okay?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"No thanks to you," Tom spat. "How could you do this, Mike? How could you throw away your marriage for Lucy?"

"You don't understand," I tried to explain. "Lucy and I-"

"Save it," Tom cut me off. "I don't want to hear your excuses. Just know this: you're making a huge mistake. And one day, you're going to regret it."

He hung up before I could say anything else.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my head in my hands. Clara was in the hospital. She almost lost our baby.

Our baby.

For the first time, the reality of what I'd done hit me hard.

My phone buzzed. It was Lucy.

"Morning, handsome! Ready for our big day?"

I stared at the message, feeling sick. What had I done?

---

Back in the hospital, I was starting to feel a little stronger. The doctor said I could go home soon.

"But you need to take it easy," she warned. "No stress, okay?"

I nodded, but inside I was scared. How could I avoid stress when my whole life was falling apart?

As I was packing my things, there was a knock at the door. My heart jumped, thinking it might be Mike.

But it was Lucy.

She walked in, looking perfect as always. My heart sank.

"Hello, Clara," she said, her voice sickly sweet. "I heard you were here. I wanted to check on you."

I didn't believe her for a second. "What do you want, Lucy?"

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I just wanted to make sure you understood the situation. Mike is mine now. He always has been, really. You were just... keeping his bed warm for me."

Her words stung, but I tried not to show it. "If you're so sure about that, why are you here?"

Lucy's smile faltered. "I'm here to warn you. Stay away from Mike. Don't try to use this baby to trap him. He doesn't want you or it."

I felt a surge of anger. "Get out," I said, my voice low and dangerous.

"Excuse me?" Lucy looked shocked.

"I said, get out!" I yelled, pointing at the door. "You don't get to come in here and threaten me. This is my baby, and Mike's baby, whether he wants it or not. Now leave before I call security!"

Lucy's face turned red with anger, but she stormed out.

As soon as she was gone, I collapsed back onto the bed, shaking.

Tom came running in. "I heard yelling. Are you okay?"

I nodded, still trembling. "Lucy was here. She... she said some things."

Tom's face darkened. "I'm going to kill my brother," he muttered.

"No," I said, taking a deep breath. "No more fighting. I'm done."

Tom looked at me, confused. "What do you mean?"

I sat up straighter, feeling stronger than I had in days. "I mean, I'm done being the victim. Mike made his choice. Now I'm making mine. I'm going to focus on myself and my baby. We don't need him."

Tom smiled, looking proud. "That's the Clara I know. What can I do to help?"

"Can you take me home?" I asked. "I need to start packing."

As we left the hospital, I felt a mix of sadness and hope. My life with Mike was over, but a new chapter was beginning.

I put my hand on my belly. "It's just you and me now, little one," I whispered. "But we're going to be okay. I promise."

For the first time in days, I actually believed it.

---

Mike's POV:

I sat in my office, staring at the wall. Lucy had just left, angry that I'd canceled our lunch plans.

I couldn't stop thinking about Clara. About our baby.

Tom's words kept echoing in my head: "You're making a huge mistake."

Was I?

I picked up my phone and scrolled to Clara's name. My finger hovered over the call button.

But before I could press it, Lucy burst back into the office.

"Mike, darling, I've been thinking. We should move up the wedding. How about next month?"

I stared at her, feeling suddenly very tired. "Lucy, I..."

"Yes, love?" She looked at me expectantly.

In that moment, I saw her clearly for the first time in months. The manipulative smile, the cold eyes. This wasn't love. This was... something else.

"I can't marry you," I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

Lucy's face turned ugly with rage. "What did you say?"

I stood up, feeling stronger with each word. "I said, I can't marry you. This... us... it's a mistake. I'm sorry."

"You can't do this to me!" Lucy screamed. "After everything we've been through!"

"I'm sorry," I said again, and I meant it. "But it's over."

As Lucy stormed out, slamming the door behind her, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders.

I grabbed my coat and keys. I had to find Clara. I had to make this right.

I just hoped it wasn't too late.