OUR VOWS 48

Chapter 10 

The OR light stayed on all night. 

I delivered early, and it wasn’t until nightfall that they wheeled me out of the delivery room. 

Evan’s assistant, Mark, rushed over, his eyes full of sorrow. 

My chest tightened like something invisible was squeezing the life out of my heart. 

I was just about to ask the question I’d been dreading. 

Then Evan’s voice boomed from the hallway. 

“What do you mean there’s nothing you can do?” 

“What the hell do you mean it’s irreversible?” 

“I’m telling you–fix me! I don’t care what it costs, I’ll pay anything!” 

The doctor sounded hesitant. 

“Sir… it’s… gone… There’s really nothing we can do…” 

The shouting grew louder, more frantic, then suddenly died into silence. 

Evan was rolled in, slumped in a wheelchair. 

I sat up quietly and looked at him. 

Mark had already told me what had happened. 

But now, faced with the reality, I didn’t know how to say a word. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Thank you.” 

We spoke at the same time. 

Both of us froze. 

Evan’s eyes brimmed with regret. 

“I’m sorry. I was a total asshole. Everything I did to you before… I-” 

I smiled faintly, brushed my bangs aside, and wiped the tear from the corner of my eye. 

“It’s okay. That’s all in the past.” 

“I’ve done a lot of thinking while I was in the hospital. Maybe it’s time we both let go.” 

“You let go of the obsession. I let go of the past.” 

“Because life doesn’t move backwards.” 

“You did hurt me, Evan. But you also gave me a child.” 

“And through him, I found my way home again.” 

Evan looked away, clearly uncomfortable. 

“There won’t be any more kids for the Cross family. You know that now, right?” 

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Chapter 10 

I nodded and chose my words carefully. 

“I won’t keep you from seeing him. But I won’t give up custody. That’s non–negotiable.” 

He nodded slowly, looking me dead in the eye. 

“I’ve been thinking too. Raine, it’s not like I never loved you…” 

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have thrown myself in front of that truck…” 

“Can we try again? Let me make it right this time.” 

“For you, for the baby. We could be a real family.” 

I paused for a long moment, then shook my head. 

“No, Evan, We’re not right for each other.” 

He dropped his gaze and rolled himself out of the room without another word. 

Just outside, I heard the sound of a man trying to stifle sobs… but failing. 

They got louder. 

After I was discharged, Evan went completely overboard despite my protests. 

He bought the entire apartment building I was living in. 

Brought in the best team money could hire to take care of me and the baby. 

He and the nanny, Maggie, were like tag–team parents–learning everything from feeding to diaper duty. 

He looked like a picture–perfect dad. 

The next time I heard anything about Claire was two years later. 

The hit–and–run driver had been caught. 

And he confessed. 

Turns out Claire, flaunting her title as “Mrs. Cross,” had paid him to kill me. 

The moment that story broke, she became a national disgrace–a walking headline everyone wanted to spit on. 

She’d spent two years hiding out, thinking the storm had passed. 

But when she tried to flee the country, she was stopped right at the airport. 

A life sentence. 

Plenty of time to sit and think about what she’d done. 

At the amusement park, our son ran toward me. 

Evan walked just behind him, protective, careful. 

“Slow down, buddy,” he said gently. 

I handed our son his water bottle, then gave Evan one too. 

He looked startled, like I’d just handed him the world. 

Trying to play it cool, he asked, 

“So… Raine… I’ve been doing a pretty great job, right?” 

Chapter 10 

“Think maybe you could give me an official promotion? Full time husband again?? 

I laughed and gave my 1,086th rejection. 

“Sorry, Evan. We’re just not a match.” 

Our little boy tugged my hand and beamed. 

“Mommy’s a princess. I’m gonna be her knight. So let’s go ride the ca 

I laughed and nodded, not looking back at the man behind me. 

The music played, soft and sweet. 

The pastel horses rose and fell under rainbow lights. 

Sunlight bathed my son’s smiling face in gold. 

Right now, I am happy. 

I am at peace. 

And he–he’s the greatest treasure I’ll ever have.