The Vows We Shatter

Chapter2

Erika’s POV

I woke up to a strange beeping sound and a dull ache in my head.

Where was I?

My eyelids felt heavy, and my mouth was dry.

When I tried to move, the pain spread through my body.

I was still very dizzy and tried to see clearly.

I turned my head slowly to the left and saw white walls, a metal stand with hanging fluids. The smell of antiseptic filled my nose.

I was in a hospital.

My heart raced.

Why was I in the hospital? Am I dying?

I tried to get the questions out of my head and focus on the last thing that happened. I tried to remember.

The divorce papers. My best friend. The bedroom.

My heart began to race as memories returned.

I tried to sit up, but dizziness forced me back onto the pillow.

That was when I saw him.

Josh.

He was sitting beside the bed with his head bent forward, and his fingers wrapped loosely around my hand. But, he was asleep.

What was he doing here?

For a brief moment, hope crept into my heart, thinking of possible reasons why he stayed by my side.

Maybe he finally believed me, maybe he wanted to apologize, maybe…

I watched him and imagined him saying he was sorry. I imagined him holding me and telling me he had made a mistake.

My chest tightened painfully, and without thinking, I squeezed his hand.

His eyes opened.

The moment he realized I was awake, his expression changed.

The softness disappeared, replaced by cold distance.

He let go of my hand immediately, as if touching me disgusted him.

“You’re awake,” he said as he stood up.

I nodded slowly. “What happened?”

“You fainted,” he replied. “They brought you here.”

There was no concern or warmth in his voice. It was like he had changed into a whole new person.

I turned my face toward the wall, pretending my heart wasn’t aching.

I felt so foolish for believing, even for a second, that he had forgiven me.

I closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep and wake up somewhere but here.

The door opened quietly, and a doctor walked in holding a file. She smiled politely when she saw I was awake. “Good morning. How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts,” I said.

“That’s normal after fainting,” she replied. “We ran some tests while you were unconscious.”

My stomach tightened. “Is something wrong?”

She glanced at him briefly before looking back at me. “You’re pregnant.”

My heart dropped to my stomach.

Pregnant.

I stared at her in shock. “What?”

“About two weeks along,” she continued calmly. “We will need to monitor you closely, especially with the stress you’ve been under.”

My hands trembled under the blanket.

Two freaking weeks.

I turned slowly toward him, expecting surprise or confusion.

I saw suspicion, instead.

“That’s impossible,” he said. “Check again.”

“We already did,” the doctor replied. “The results are clear.”

He laughed bitterly. “Two weeks? Interesting.”

It seemed as if he was…doubting.

My heart began to pound. “It’s yours,” I said quickly. “I swear it is.”

He looked at me with disgust. “Don’t insult my intelligence. Two weeks means it happened when you were in another man’s arms.”

He was back at this again.

“I don’t remember that night,” I pleaded. “I don’t even know how I got there. I would never sleep with anyone else. Please believe me.”

The doctor lifted her hands slightly. “Sir, please calm down. Stress is dangerous for her condition.”

“Stay out of this,” he snapped.

I felt small in the bed, trapped between his anger and the doctor’s worried stare. “I didn’t cheat,” I repeated. “I swear on my life.”

“You expect me to believe that child is mine?” he said loudly. “Do you think I’m a fool?”

People outside the room fell silent. I could feel attention turning toward us. My face burned with shame.

“Lower your voice,” the doctor said firmly. “This is a hospital.”

He ignored her. “You got pregnant by your lover, and now you want to pin it on me?”

“There is no lover,” I cried. “You are my husband.”

“You were my wife,” he corrected. “And this thing inside you is proof of your betrayal.”

Tears streamed down my face. “This baby is yours. I know it.”

He stepped closer to the bed, his eyes dark with rage. “You disgust me.”

The doctor moved between us. “Sir, step back.”

He did not listen. “You got pregnant by another man and still dared to look me in the eyes?”

My chest ached, and my throat tightened. “I don’t remember anything from that night. I was drunk. I could have been drugged. Something happened to me.”

“You’re lying,” he said. “You planned it.”

“I didn’t,” I whispered. “Please…stop.”

The room felt too small. The walls seemed to close in on me. Every word he spoke felt like a blow to my chest.

“This bastard inside you is not mine,” he said loudly. “And I will not raise another man’s child.”

Something inside me snapped.

Before I could think, before I could stop myself, my hand rose and struck his face.

The sound echoed in the silent room.

Everything froze.

The doctor gasped. Josh stared at me as if he could not believe it. His cheek was red, but his eyes were colder than ever.

“I didn’t sleep with anyone,” I said through tears. “Stop calling my baby a mistake.”

For a long moment, he said nothing. Then he straightened his jacket slowly, as if I no longer mattered, as if that was all he needed.

“This is over,” he said flatly. “Do not return to my house. And don't try to contact me, ever again.”

My heart dropped. “You’re abandoning me?”

“Go and raise your child with the man who made it,” he said. “Never use my name again.”

He turned toward the door.

“Please,” I cried. “I am carrying your child.”

He did not look back.

The door closed behind him.

The room became silent except for my sobbing.

I curled into myself, my hands pressed against my stomach as my body shook with grief. The doctor sat beside me and placed a gentle hand on my arm.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “You will need to register a guardian or family member before discharge.”

I lifted my head slowly. “I have an older brother.”

Her expression softened. “That’s better. Is there a way you could get him here? Tonight?”

“I’ll try.” I whispered.

She furrowed her brows for a second and then the confusion disappeared. “Alright then.”

Then, she left.

I picked up my phone from the trolley beside me to call Weston.

A part of me doubted if he would pick my calls. Not because he was a busy surgeon, but because we haven’t spoken in the last two years.

And it was all my fault.

The phone rang. Once. Twice. But it kept dropping.

I was starting to believe I was all alone with my baby, till my phone started ringing back.

“Erika.”

“Weston.”

“How have you been?” he asked flatly.

“Good,” I replied, biting my lips.

There was an odd silence between both of us.

“What’s wrong?” he said with a little concern in his voice.

I didn’t know what to tell him.

My divorce or my pregnancy?

“Can you come back to Manhattan?” I forced myself to ask I already knew the answer to.

No.

“Erika…” he whined.

“I’m in the hospital.” I cleared out.

“What?”

“Yes and I need a guardian or a family member for me to be discharged.”

“Are you okay? What happened to you?” he asked.

“I’ll explain when you get here,” I said, and hung up before he could speak. I didn’t want to give room for an excuse.

He would show up this way. He had always excused himself from seeing me, saying he was two and a half hours away from me, he was busy in the theater…or he was visiting his girlfriend.

I didn’t give in this time.

I had not noticed how fast my heart was beating till I placed my hand on my chest.

Breathe. I said.

***

A knock from the door woke me up from the nap I was taking to kill time.

Weston actually came. Excitement burst through me.

“Erika?” The tall figure moved closer to me.

It wasn’t Weston.

My smile disappeared immediately.