ATHENA

"He''s going to be okay." I whisper to myself as I pace back and forth.

It''s been hours since he passed out in my car, and guilt has been eating me up. He left the hospital toe save me.

"I just put Rayen to sleep." Ariana says to me as she pulls me into a hug.

"Thank you so much. I wouldn''t have done this without you." I whisper.

She pulls back, her beautiful face looking extremely tired from theck of sleep,

"You gave us our first grandson. We will bring the whole world under your feet, Athena. You just have to say the word."

I force a shakyugh. Not knowing what to say to that.

"You''re also the only one he listens to," she says, looking me dead in the eyes. "That means something."

I nod, but the weight in my chest won''t lift. I nce back toward the private hospital suite. The door''s still closed. The nurses won''t let me in until the fever stabilizes, and they confirm his heart rhythm is steady.

"He just keeps losing his mind when ites to you. But I''m notining. That gives him purpose, and it makes me so happy seeing him finally realize that loving doesn''t make you weak, it give you strength, and more than anything, I''m happy it''s with you.

I might have been quiet the past weeks, but that was only because I was so scared and heartbroken that I''d lose my baby. You saved him, Athena. You brought me back, my baby! I don''t know what I''d do for you, precious girl."

The words settle in my chest, forming arge emotion fighting to swallow me whole.

"I don''t think I deserve that. You see, I was the one who told -"

"I know you. You wouldn''t sell his secret out like that. Alex also told me you suspected him, but he didn''t have enough time to prove his innocence. He never once got angry for whatever happened between you two. He actually felt like he deserved it. Don''t hold yourself from being happy, Athena. You deserve it more than any of us. That article is barely a scratchpared to what you went through. Besides, Alex will fix it." She pulls me into another hug.

"If I see one more hug, I''ll start to get jealous." Eli says behind us.

"Ohe on! I hug you all the time!" Ariana half rolls her eyes, but I can see her holding back a smile.

"Your hugs are never enough, my love. My blood pressure is dropping as we speak."

Iugh and step aside so he can hug her.

"Mummy!" A soothing voice calls me, making me turn around.

"Rayen, didn''t granny put you to sleep a few minutes ago?" Iugh as he jumps in my arms.

"You know I can''t sleep well without you! Grandpa said I could tag along." He pouts.fn9c0b ?????? ???? Find~Novel/fn9c0b

I pepper him with kisses, making him giggle.

"You just couldn''t say no to him, could you?" Ariana teases her husband for having spoiled Rayen rotten.

He kisses her hair.

"Of course I can." He responds, making her scoff.

The door opens, and the nurse looks at me,

"Mr. King is awake and is asking for you."

My heart skips a beat. I clutch Rayen just a little tighter.

Ariana squeezes my arm gently. "Go," she whispers. "He needs you."

Rayen looks up at me with wide eyes.

"Is Daddy okay? Why haven''t I been seeing him?"

I brush his curls back. "He''s going to be fine, baby. He just needs a little rest."

Eli steps forward. "Come on, champ. Let''s get you some juice while Mummy checks on Daddy."

"No grandpa. I want to see Daddy. Mummy, can I pleasee along?" His face shines with tears, making my heart clench painfully.

"How can I say no to this cuteness?"

I wipe the tears from Rayen''s cheeks and press a kiss to his forehead. "Okay, baby. But you have to be very gentle, alright? Daddy''s still feeling a little sick."

He nods eagerly, wrapping his little arms around my neck. "I promise."

I look over at Eli and Ariana, who both give me an encouraging nod. With Rayen

still clinging to me, I take a deep breath and gently push the door open.

The moment I step inside, the room shifts.

Alex''s eyes find mine instantly. He''s sitting up slightly, his chest

bandaged, his face pale and

exhausted, but there''s fire in those

green eyes when theynd on us.  s

Rayen lifts his head from my shoulder. The moment he sees his father, his small

body jerks in my arms.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, champ," Alex rasps, his voice rough but full of warmth.

I lower Rayen gently onto the bed

beside him. The boy scrambles forward and wraps his arms around Alex''storso with surprising gentleness, resting his cheek on his

chest.  t

s

I can see Alex grit his teeth at the contact. He''s still in pain, but he doesn''t push him away. Instead, he hugs him tightly, burying his face in Rayen''s curls.

"Missed you, Daddy," Rayen whispers.

Alex lets out a breath like that one sentence healed something inside him. "I missed you too. So much. Have you been good and protecting your mother?"

He nods, his beautiful eyes turning serious, "I''ll always keep her safe!"

I quietly sit down on the chair beside the bed, watching the two loves of my life, one small, one broken but still so strong.

"I was so scared," Rayen says softly. "Granny said you were sleeping, but I knew something was wrong."

Alex smiles weakly. "I''m okay now. Mummy made sure of that."

Rayen lifts his head and looks between us. "Did Mummy save you?"

Alex looks at me, really looks, and something in his expression softens

I swallow the lump in my throat, blinking back tears.

Rayen ces his tiny hand over Alex''s bandaged chest like he''s trying to protect

him. "I''ve always known that mum is a hero!"

Alex chuckles, "Should I be worried that you love your mother more?"

Rayen looks at me. Then, back at his father, "Yep!"

Iugh.

He''s obviously just messing with him.

I reach forward and brush my fingers through Rayen''s hair, then gently ce my hand over Alex His gaze shifts to me, and ford moment, the noise of the world fades.  s

"You scared the life out of me," I whisper.

He doesn''t answer. He just threads our fingers together and presses my hand to

his lips.

"I''m here now," he says softly.

And for the first time in what feels like forever, I believe it.

We sit like that for a while, Alex half-reclined with Rayen curled against him, my

hand in his, the soft beeping of the monitor like a luby in the background.

No noise.

No running.

Just us.

Family.

My family.

"Alex." I whisper his name.

"Yes, baby." He holds my gaze as say the words I''ve been dying to say to him slip

out of my mouth,

"I love you."