Chasing His Rejected Wife

I slowly regained consciousness, my eyelids heavy and my mind clouded. The sterile scent of the hospital engulfed me, along with the rhythmic beeping of machines that filled the air. I

I stared up at an unfamiliar white ceiling, struggling past the fog in my mind as I tried to take in my surroundings. On one side, there was what looked to be a heart rate monitor and a bevy of other hospital equipment and on the other, an IV pole with a tube leading down to my arm, translucent liquid trailing down lazily inside. It took a minute but slowly the haziness in my brain cleared enough for me to recognize that I was in a hospital.

I swallowed, my throat felt painfully dry, tongue cottony and swollen and I struggled to sit up, hoping to find some water to ease my thirst only to wince as a dull ache hit my stomach. Why was I in pain down there? "Jess, you're awake," A soft voice pulled me from my thoughts and I lifted my head to see Vincent, standing at the end of bed. His concerned gaze meets mine, and a relieved smile lit up his face. "How are you feeling?" His voice is gentle yet filled with worry. He consults the clipboard hanging off the bed and flips through the pages, his expression thoughtful. "Your vitals are stable, that's good."

I tried to speak, but my throat still felt dry and scratchy. I managed to croak out a few words, my voice barely audible. "What... what happened?"

Vincent's expression softened, and he reached for a glass of water on the bedside table, then came to help me sit up, a hand supporting my shoulders as he lifted the glass to my lips.

I lapped at the water greedily, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat. After a few sips, he set the glass down and arranged the pillow behind me so I could recline in a half upright position.

"You had a scare at the office, Jessica," Vincent says, once I was settled against the soft pillows, his voice calm and reassuring. "You fainted, and Aiden brought you here to the hospital. Do you recall any of that?"

The memory rushed back and hit me like a tidal wave. I remembered the dizzy spell, the overwhelming fear, the ripping pain that felt like my insides were being pulverized, the blood...Aiden calling my name and the darkness closing in. The blood on my legs... I sat up with a gasp, my hands flying to my still flat stomach. "My baby!" I looked at Vincent, panicked. "Is...is my baby okay?"

"The baby's fine, don't worry." Vincent's eyes soften, and he places a comforting hand on mine. "Jessica, your baby is fine," he repeated, when I didn't seem to believe him at first, his voice filled with compassion. "We ran some tests, and everything looks good. You and the baby are in stable condition."

Relief crashed through me, relaxing tense muscles and I sagged back to the pillow, my hands still cradling my stomach. "Oh thank god! I was so frightened. But, what happened to me? Why did it happen? Was it...was it a miscarriage?" Vincent nodded, drew a chair close and straddled it, resting his chin on his folded hands. "Afraid so, you were in the early stages of a miscarriage that would most likely have resulted in losing the baby if you hadn't received medical attention when you did. Luckily, Aiden rushed you to us in time to save both you and the little one."

His tone lightened and he chuckled. "He broke about a dozen or so traffic laws driving like a bloody manic, even got the police chasing him until he explained what was going on and they cleared the way for him. It was chaotic but a sight to behold."

A mix of gratitude and guilt flooded me as I listened to Vincent's account of the events. Gratitude that Aiden's actions had saved the life of our child and guilt that he had to find out about the baby the way he did. I could just picture the shock he must have gone through when he'd discovered the pregnancy.

"So... he knows." I murmured, looking down at my hands, voice trembling. "About the baby?"

Vincent nods, his expression empathetic. "Yes," he replies softly. "He knows."

I laughed, the sound bleak and devoid of actual humor. "He must have been so furious when the doctors told him."

"Jess, he already figured it out on the way to the hospital." Vincent informed me gently. He reached out and cradled one of my hands in his. "According to him, even though you'd passed in the elevator, there was a brief moment when you came to and begged him to not let the baby die."

My heart skipped a beat, fear and anticipation swirling inside me. What had his reaction been? Anger? Had he thought I'd kept the news from him as some sort of trump card I could pull out later on and delay the divorce. A million thoughts swirled through my mind, each one as bleak as the other and I felt myself deflate even more.

Vincent sensed my apprehension, and squeezed my hand comfortingly. "Aiden's been worried about you, believe me. He's been wearing a hole in the hallway tiles outside your door since yesterday from pacing around and interrogating any medical staff unfortunate enough to cross his path about you and the baby's safety."

Then where was he now? I silently wondered, though I simply nodded at Vincent to show I understood. If he had been truly worried about me - and it was more likely that he only did so because me dying would lead to all sorts of complications for him - then why wasn't he by my bedside?

Reading my thoughts with an accuracy that was unnerving, Vincent said. "I asked him to wait outside and give you some space until you're ready to see him. Your sugar levels have been dangerously high, likely due to stress and it's not good for the baby."

"Oh." I nodded again, relieved and thankful. I certainly wasn't ready to face Aiden right now, no matter what side of him I'd be faced with. An Aiden who cared about my well being was just as disconcerting and unnerving as a furious Aiden who wished me to hell and back for lying and hiding things from him, or a cold Aiden who would sneer and mock me for trying to manipulate him once again.

Long story short, I wanted to remain in my safe bubble for just a little bit longer.

"Would you like to see him now?" Vincent asked, though from the quirk of his lips as he spoke, he already knew what my answer would be. "No," I whispered. "Not right now, please. I...I'm a bit tired."

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He sighed and stood up, sliding the chair back to its original spot. "Okay, I understand. Just get some rest, I'll ask the nurses to get you something light to eat. I'm on the night shift, so if you need me, just ask one of the nurses to find me." "Thanks." I replied with a smile. I hadn't been lying when I said I was tired, my body had begun to feel sluggish from fatigue and my eyelids were heavy.

"Anytime, Jess. I'm glad you're okay." He grinned back and tugged at the ends of his scrubs, then sketched a playful salute at me. "You hang in there, babe and try not to think too much."

"Me too. Thanks." I replied, my spirits lifting momentarily.

When he left, the room fell silent save for the beeping of the machines. I lay down, alone once more with my thoughts, fighting exhaustion while trying to figure out what to do. My initial plans had depended on Aiden remaining ignorant of the baby while we worked through the divorce and I finalized my plans to leave Skylark Corp and the state of New York behind for a fresh start.

Now? I didn't know what would happen next. There were too many variables at play and I was lost, not knowing what Aiden's next move would be. It felt like I was in a game of chess, the outcome of which would change my life in ways I couldn't fathom.

I sat up again and looked around for my things. For the first time, I registered that I was in a private room, even more elegantly furnished than the one Elisa had stayed in, though this must be a different hospital. My lips twisted in a bitter smile as I pondered the irony of the situation.

Both of the women who were carrying Aiden's child had ended up in the hospital within days of each other. I almost felt sorry for Aiden, how nerve wracking it must have been for him.

I pushed the thought from my mind firmly. I didn't need those kind of thoughts to upset me further. What I needed now was a plan.

And my cell phone.