Kiara’s POV
The warm sunlight filtered through the glass panels of the mall as I strolled through the aisles, scanning the shelves for baby supplies.
It felt strange, finally being free of the weight Eric had put on my life. It was like breathing fresh air after being suffocated for so long.
Wilson, with his gentle touch and steady presence, had filled the cracks Eric had left in my heart. I was finally starting to believe in happiness again. I picked up a soft, baby-pink blanket and smiled, imagining my little one wrapped in it.
Wilson had been so excited when we talked about the baby last night, his eyes lighting up as we discussed names and nursery ideas. I could feel a warm glow in my chest, something I hadn’t felt in years.
Things were finally falling into place. Even though the baby was not for him, he had taken the girl as his and she even smiled at him on some occasions.
As I moved toward the checkout, I heard a familiar laugh that made me pause. Turning around, I saw Ashley and Caleb walking toward me, arm in arm. It had been a while since I’d seen them together like this, and the sight made my heart swell with happiness for them.
“Ashley! Caleb!” I called out, waving them over.
They both smiled as they approached me, and I could see something different in their eyes, contentment, maybe even peace. It was a stark contrast from the tension and heartbreak I had last witnessed between them.
“Kiara!” Ashley beamed, pulling me into a tight hug. “I can’t believe I’m running into you here. You look amazing!”
“I could say the same about you,” I replied, grinning as I looked between her and Caleb. “You two… I’m so happy for you both. It’s about time you chose each other over everything else.”
Caleb nodded, his arm wrapped protectively around Ashley’s waist. “We’ve been through enough. We figured we should stop fighting what was always there.” His tone was soft but firm, the love he had for Ashley evident in every word.
Ashley smiled up at him, her eyes shimmering with a softness I hadn’t seen in years. “It’s been a long road, but we finally made it. What about you? How’s the baby?”
The question caught me off guard for a moment, but I quickly smiled and rested a hand on my stomach. “The baby’s doing fine, growing stronger every day. Wilson is already planning out every detail of the nursery.”
Ashley laughed, “Sounds like you’re in good hands.”
Just as I was about to respond, Ashley’s face suddenly went pale, and her body swayed. My heart skipped a beat. Before I could ask her what was wrong, her knees buckled, and she collapsed into Caleb’s arms.
“Ashley!” I gasped, rushing forward, panic flooding my veins.
Caleb caught her before she hit the ground, his face as pale as hers. “Ashley, hey, stay with me!” he called out, shaking her gently, but her eyes remained shut. She was completely unresponsive.
Without thinking, I grabbed my phone and called an ambulance. My hands shook as I relayed the details to the dispatcher, while Caleb tried to rouse Ashley, panic written all over his face.
“I don’t know what’s wrong. She’s been fine all morning,” he muttered, his voice tight with fear.
“She’ll be okay,” I tried to stay positive, though my heart was racing. “We just need to get her to the hospital.”
The next few minutes were a blur. The ambulance arrived swiftly, and Caleb and I followed close behind as they loaded Ashley inside and rushed her to the hospital.
My heart pounded the entire ride, and I could see the panic building in Caleb’s eyes. He was terrified, and it wasn’t hard to understand why.
They had just found each other again. The idea of losing her now, after everything they’d been through, was unbearable.
We arrived at the hospital, and Ashley was immediately wheeled into the emergency room. Caleb and I were left pacing the waiting area, the sterile smell of the hospital hanging heavy in the air.
“She’s strong,” I said softly, trying to comfort Caleb. “She’ll pull through. I’m sure that it is just a mild fever from all the stress she has been through. Calm down.”
He nodded, but the tension in his shoulders never eased. “I can’t lose her, Kiara,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Not now. Not after everything. She has to be fine for me.”
“You won’t,” I replied, though I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince him or myself.
He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could answer, the doctor walked out of the emergency room with a clipboard, his expression grim.
“Ashley,” Caleb whispered, stepping forward.
Caleb rushed to the doctor, nearly knocking him down. I went after him, calling him to calm down as everything was fine, even though I was dead worried myself.
The doctor looked between us, his eyes heavy with something I couldn’t read. “We need to talk,” he said. And suddenly, the world felt like it was teetering on the edge of a knife.
I was waiting, counting the seconds, when the doors to the emergency room burst open. My breath caught in my throat as I saw a familiar figure rush in, his clothes soaked in blood.
Dripping from the sides of the stretcher that he was being transported on. The reception was in a frenzy and I struggled to get a close look at the person.
Eric.
My heart skipped a beat, shock freezing me in place. His face was pale, and there was blood smeared across his cheek, his hands trembling as he stumbled into the waiting room. His eyes found mine, wild and unfocused.
Before I could get close to him again, he had passed out and everyone looked too much in a rush for me to ask them the details of what had happened to him.