Chapter 9
561 Words
Torn Between the Past and Present
Anna had never driven so fast in her life. The hospital loomed ahead, its bright fluorescent lights piercing through the dark night. Her hands trembled as she pushed open the doors, her breath shallow.
“Carter… Noah Carter,” she gasped at the reception desk.
The nurse glanced at her sympathetically. “He’s in surgery. The doctors are doing everything they can.”
Anna’s heart clenched. She nodded stiffly, stepping back. The waiting room felt suffocating, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t.
A hand touched her shoulder. She turned to find Daniel, concern etched into his features.
“I got here as soon as I could,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”
Anna swallowed hard. “I don’t know.”
He pulled her into a gentle embrace, but she stiffened. Daniel felt it too. Slowly, he let go, searching her eyes. “Anna… talk to me.”
“I just…” She shook her head, running a hand through her hair. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I thought I was over him.”
Daniel exhaled deeply. “I know this is hard, and I won’t pretend to understand what you’re feeling. But I’m here, okay? No matter what.”
She forced a smile, appreciating his patience, but deep down, a war raged within her.
Hours passed before a doctor finally emerged. “Miss Carter?”
Anna’s breath hitched at the name but nodded. “Yes?”
“Noah made it through surgery, but he suffered a head injury. There’s some swelling in his brain, and we won’t know the full extent until he wakes up.”
Anna nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Can I see him?”
The doctor hesitated but eventually nodded. “Just for a moment.”
Daniel watched as Anna disappeared into Noah’s room, a strange feeling settling in his chest.
Inside, Anna’s steps were hesitant as she approached the bed. Noah lay there, bandages wrapped around his forehead, a breathing tube assisting him. He looked so different from the man she once knew—so vulnerable.
She reached for his hand but stopped short. This was her ex-husband. The man who had betrayed her. And yet, the sight of him like this twisted something inside her.
“You i***t,” she whispered, blinking back tears. “Why did you have to do this to yourself?”
A soft knock at the door made her turn. Daniel stood there, watching her carefully. “You should get some rest,” he said.
Anna hesitated, then shook her head. “I can’t leave him like this.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “Then I’ll stay with you.”
Over the next few days, Anna barely left Noah’s side. She fed him when he started to wake, adjusted his pillows, and made sure he was comfortable. Every day, Daniel came to check on her, but something had changed.
The first time he leaned in for a kiss, she turned away. When he tried to pull her into his arms, she stiffened.
“I just… I can’t right now,” she murmured.
Daniel studied her, realization dawning in his eyes. “You still love him, don’t you?”
Anna opened her mouth, but no words came out. Because deep down, she wasn’t sure of the answer anymore.
- Writer
