Too Late For His Empty Regret

Audrey POV:

Ethan' s footsteps stopped, a sudden, jarring halt. His face, which had been soft and content moments ago, hardened into a mask of displeasure. He looked down at me, his eyes narrowed. "What did you say, Audrey?" His voice was cold, clipped.

"My home," I repeated, a new strength in my voice. "Take me to my parents' house. I want to go home."

He squeezed me tighter, his grip painful. "Don't be ridiculous. This is your home. Our home. And what about our son? Who will take care of him if you run off to your parents'?" He tried to inject concern into his voice, but it sounded hollow, manipulative.

"I'm taking our son with me," I stated, my voice firm despite the weakness in my body.

His eyes flashed with something I couldn't quite decipher-panic? Anger? He didn't say another word, but his grip on me tightened even more. His pace quickened, carrying me swiftly towards the exit.

"Ethan! Where are you going?" Kendall' s voice, sharp and demanding, cut through the night. She was running after us. But he didn't even glance back. He just kept moving.

Suddenly, Kendall screamed, a piercing, theatrical sound. "Ethan! Watch out!" She darted into the busy street, directly into the path of an oncoming taxi.

Ethan, without a moment's hesitation, hurled me from his arms. My head slammed against the sharp edge of a stone planter, a searing pain exploding behind my eyes. Blood immediately gushed, warm and sticky, down my face. Before I could even register the pain, a speeding motorcycle, swerving to avoid Kendall, clipped me. I was sent flying, my body a ragdoll tossed through the air. A blinding flash of light, then searing pain in my leg.

Through the blurry, agonizing haze, I saw Ethan. He had caught Kendall. He held her tight in his arms, stroking her hair. "My love, are you hurt?" he murmured, his voice thick with concern. Kendall buried her face in his chest, sobbing melodramatically. "Oh, Ethan, I thought I was going to die! You saved me!"

He kissed her, a long, tender kiss, right there in the middle of the chaos he had created. He had thrown me away. Again. He had chosen her. Again.

The pain in my head, my leg, was eclipsed by the agony in my heart. My love for him, which had stubbornly clung to life, finally shriveled and died. It was a cold, hard death.

Darkness consumed me.

I woke up in a sterile white room, the rhythmic beeping of machines my only companion. I was in the ICU. Days had passed. My head throbbed, my right leg was encased in a heavy cast.

Ethan was slumped in a chair beside my bed, his head resting on his chest, feigning sleep. His face was pale, stubble darkening his jaw. He looked tired. A pang of something akin to pity, quickly suppressed, stirred within me.

I remembered him as a boy, so vibrant, so full of life. His eyes, always sparkling with mischief. Now, they were shadowed with something ugly, something I no longer recognized. His face, once so beautiful, now seemed distorted, almost monstrous.

A soft sob escaped my lips, a sound I hadn't intended to make. His head snapped up. He blinked, his eyes widening when he saw me. "Audrey! My God, you're awake!" He lunged forward, grabbing my hand. "Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?" His voice was frantic, laced with a performative concern.

"This is all your fault," he accused, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Your ridiculous demand to go to your parents' house. That's what caused this accident."

My heart, already dead, felt nothing but a cold void. He was blaming me. For his choice. For his betrayal.

"It was your mistress who caused it!" I choked out, my voice raw. "She threw herself into traffic!"

The mention of Kendall's name made his face snap shut. His eyes hardened. "Don't you dare speak about Kendall like that!" he spat, his voice laced with venom. "She was terrified! She's delicate! You're the one who's always so dramatic, so hysterical. She's been nothing but a sweetheart, a true professional. You need to learn from her, Audrey. She's graceful. You're just… a mess."

Tears streamed down my face, hot and furious. The injustice, the sheer audacity of his words, was suffocating.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, for God's sake, stop crying. Always crying. Kendall never cries. She handles her emotions. You should try it. Be like her. Dignified." He stood up, pacing the small room. "You know what? I'm going to release a statement. A public apology from you to Kendall. For accusing her, for being so… unkind."

My vision swam. My head throbbed. I couldn't breathe. My heart monitor shrieked, the red lights flashing wildly.

Ethan' s phone buzzed. He snatched it up, his face breaking into a wide smile. "Kendall, my love! Are you alright?" He walked out of the room, his voice fading as he spoke sweet nothings to her. "I'm coming. I'm on my way."

He left. I was alone. Again. The monitors shrieked louder. Nurses rushed in. The last thing I saw was the terrified faces of the medical staff before darkness consumed me once more. I was being rushed to the ER. No one was with me.