Too Late For Sorry, Mr. Billionaire

HERA POV Three years. One thousand and ninety-five days—I waited for this moment. I gazed at the dining table inside our penthouse here in Makati. I made sure everything was perfect—from the medium-rare steak that Jaxen loves, to the fragrant lavender candles that gave a calming aura to the surroundings. At the center of the table, beneath a white envelope, was the most important gift I had for our third wedding anniversary. An ultrasound image. A tiny life had been growing in my womb for nine weeks. “You’ll love this, Jaxen. I know you will,” I whispered to myself as I caressed my stomach. It was exactly seven in the evening, but he still wasn’t there. I tried calling his cellphone, but it just kept ringing. I was used to it. As the CEO of the Sarmiento Group, his schedule was always hectic. But tonight, I hoped that, just once, he would choose family over work. While waiting, I heard the heavy downpour of rain outside. The wind slammed against the large glass windows of the penthouse, as if joining the turmoil I felt inside. Suddenly, my phone rang. I quickly answered it when I saw his name. “Jaxen! Happy annivers—” “Hera, listen,” he cut me off. He was breathless, and I could hear the noise of people and machines in the background. “I’m at St. Jude Medical Center. Bianca got into an accident.” It felt like something slammed into my chest. Bianca. The one name that always shattered the calmness of my world. “What happened? Is she okay?” I asked, forcing myself to hide the bitterness in my voice. “She’s unconscious. The impact from the car crash was strong,” Jaxen replied quickly. “I need you to come here. Now.” “Jaxen, it’s already late and the rain is so heavy. I thought…” I looked at the steak growing cold on the table. “Can’t her family be there instead? It’s our anniversary, Jaxen.” “For God’s sake, Hera! A life is at stake here. Can you please set aside your jealousy for once? Just get here. We need someone to sign a consent form and her parents aren’t here yet. Hurry.” Calyx. That was what I wanted to shout—the name I had thought of for our baby. I wanted to tell him I was pregnant, that I needed him too. But before I could even speak, he had already hung up. I wiped the tears that fell from my cheeks. I grabbed my car keys and the white envelope. I’d just tell him the news at the hospital. Maybe, once he finds out he’s going to be a father, he’ll choose me for once. Even just this once. As I left the parking area, the visibility on the road was almost zero. Every corner of Makati that used to be filled with lights was now covered in darkness and floodwater. I felt my hands trembling on the steering wheel as I drove. “Baby, don’t worry. Daddy’s just stressed. We’re just going to see him,” I reassured myself. When I reached an intersection, the traffic light turned green. I slowly moved forward, but from my side, a large truck came speeding. I tried to hit the brakes, but the road was too slippery. The last thing I heard was the deafening screech of brakes and the violent vibration of my entire car. BOGSH! My head slammed against the steering wheel. A ringing sound filled my ears. I felt a warm liquid flowing from my forehead down to my eyes. But what hurt more was the sharp pain in my lower abdomen. A pain I had never felt before. “No… no, please…” My trembling hand reached for my cellphone on the car floor. The screen was cracked, but it still worked. I dialed Jaxen’s number. One ring. Two. Three. “Jaxen…” I called weakly when he answered. “Jaxen, help me…” “Hera, where are you now? I told you to hurry, didn’t I? The doctors are asking for a witness statement and I’m busy coordinating with the police here for Bianca,” Jaxen replied irritably. “Jaxen, I got into an accident… There’s so much blood. Help me, please… My stomach hurts so much…” I sobbed as I forced my eyes to stay open. There was a moment of silence on the other line, but what he said next felt like a stab to my heart—more painful than being trapped inside my car. “Hera, stop overreacting. I know you don’t like Bianca, but this is not the time to make a scene or pretend you’re hurt just to get my attention. Bianca needs me more right now.” “Jaxen, I’m not joking… please, come here—” “I don’t have time for this, Hera. We’ll talk when I get home.” Toooot… toooot… toooot… The phone slipped from my hand. At the same time, the envelope fell to the car floor, my child’s ultrasound image now stained with my own blood. I felt my body slowly growing cold as my vision blurred. The last thing I saw were the headlights of other vehicles stopping around me. “Miss? Miss, can you hear me? Call an ambulance! There’s so much blood!” a man shouted from outside. I wanted to respond, but no voice came out of my throat. In the midst of the darkness, only one thought entered my mind. Jaxen, you killed us. “Miss, stay with me! Don’t close your eyes!” the man added as he tried to open my car door. For the last time, I forced my lips to move and whispered into the air. “Sir, please… save my baby.”