Chapter 5

My EX-husband!

VICTORIA’S POV I woke to familiar beeping sounds. When I opened my eyes, it didn’t surprise me to see I was in a hospital bed with an IV attached to the back of my hand.

“You are awake?” a woman in a doctor’s coat asked with a smile. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Devonte?”

“I...” My throat dried, remembering the terrible ache in my abdomen when Alessandro stopped me.

What if something happened to my baby? “H–how is my baby?” I needed to know.

The doctor smiled, touching my arm and spreading a sense of comfort. “Your baby is fine. But you need to rest. No anxiety. It could affect you or the baby’s health.”

The heavy stone that had taken residence in my heart disappeared at her words. My baby was fine.

Relief washed over me. However, my relief dissipated when I realized she had called me Mrs. Devonte.

“Who brought me here, Doctor?” I asked, fearing it may have been Alessandro.

“Your husband. Don’t worry, he said he’ll be back soon. He just went out to complete some procedures.”

Fear filled me. “Did you tell him about my pregnancy?” I asked, worried she might have said something.

I couldn’t let Alessandro find out.

A momentary confusion passed over the doctor’s face, but then she shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Please, don’t tell him,” I requested.

“But...” She peered at me quizzically.

“Please, Doctor, Don’t tell him. I don’t want him to know.”

The doctor seemed hesitant, but nodded. As she turned to leave, Alessandro entered the room. I shifted my eyes to the window, feeling both guilty and awkward.

“How is she, Doctor?” he asked.

“She’s doing well. Vitals look good.”

“Why did she faint?”

He had never cared about me when I had wanted him to care, but just then he started caring? What the hell? I couldn’t help but face the doctor with fear in my eyes, hoping she kept my secret.

“We’re not sure,” the doctor said. “It could be any number of reasons, and her blood work is still in the lab.”

Thank Lord!

The doctor left the room, and I wished he would, too. I no longer wanted him around. It was too difficult because I still loved him. It would be easier to move on and forget him if I could just keep away from him—and if he would keep away from me.

I didn’t get my wish. Instead, he approached and placed a bag on the side table, pulling a box out of it.

“You need healthy food,” he said, smiling as he placed the box before me. “I brought some shrimp porridge for you.”

The urge to punch him came over me. For three bloody years, I had stayed beside him, taking care of everything. Three years later, my soon-to-be ex-husband had no idea what I could and couldn’t eat.

How could he not know I was allergic to shrimp? Probably because it was the first time in all our years together that he’d ever gotten something for me.

I needed to get him out of there, so I closed the box and pushed it back into the bag.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his face filled with confusion.

“These last three years have been a nightmare for me, and I don’t want you anymore. So you can quit with your caring act and leave me alone.”

It pierced my soul to utter those words, yet I felt I had no choice. Though I still loved him, I also had to have some dignity and pride.

Alessandro didn’t like to hear “no” and wasn’t used to rejection. He took a step forward, his jaw tightening. “Provided you come back home, I’ll ignore those words and won’t bother about anything that happened before, either.”

Was he kidding? Did he just blame everything on me? Of course. Because he thought I was a greedy and needy woman. In his mind, that was why I married him. But that had never been the case.

Foolishly, I loved him. Yet he always seemed to despise me.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, and it sounded hurt and bitter to my own ears. “Did you forget we’re legally separated?” I shook my head, pursing my lips. “Get out,” I said, then leaned back on the bed and closed my eyes.

A few seconds later, the whoosh and click of the door met my ears. The tears I had kept back while he was there slipped from my eyes.

ALESSANDRO’S POV With rage burning, I walked out of the hospital. How dare she say those things to me? I had wanted to snap at her, but being a gentleman, I left. I had even set my pride aside, chasing after her, buying her food. And what had she done in response? Insulted me!

Fine. If she wanted to leave me, I’d give her what she wanted.

As I entered the hospital parking garage, Calvin rushed toward me. Then he looked behind me and seemed confused. “Mrs. Devonte is not coming home with us?”

“Don’t fucking mention that woman to me again! Do you know what she just did?”

He shook his head.

“I brought her porridge. Fucking porridge! The first time I’d ever brought a woman food. And she didn’t just refuse it, she insulted my generosity!”

“Mrs. Devonte refused your food?” he asked, his brow scrunched.

“Do I need to repeat myself?” With anger boiling, I could suppress the rage in my tone.

He quickly lowered his head. “N–No sir. That’s not what I mean.” He risked a glance. “It’s just that Mrs.

Devonte has never disrespected food and kindness.”

His praise for her angered me even more.

As I opened my mouth to snap at him again, he asked, “Sir, you didn’t buy shrimp porridge, did you?”

My brow furrowed. What an odd question. How would he know I bought shrimp porridge?

“Did you, sir?” he asked again.

I nodded. “Yes. Why do you ask?”

Calvin shook his head and sighed loudly. “Mrs. Devonte is allergic to shrimp, sir. Didn’t you know?”

I wanted to hide in shame for being such an idiot.