Divorced: I Married My Enemy

Chapter 6

Isabella's POV

The morning light streamed through the windows, harshly after a night of almost no sleep.

It painted the hospital room in shades of pale gold, illuminating the sterile white walls and the tired faces of my family members who had refused to leave my grandfather's side.

I had spent hours at the hospital, watching nurses and doctors move in and out of my grandfather's room, checking monitors, adjusting medications, speaking in hushed tones that I pretended not to hear.

The beeping of the machines had become a strange lullaby, rhythmic and constant, a reminder that he was still with us.

But I was glad that my grandfather was alive. And stable, according to the doctor, he was already showing signs of improvement, and all thanks to Alexander.

Even thinking his name sent a shiver down my spine, a part fear, part something else I couldn't quite name. He had paid the hospital bills without hesitation.

And he had saved my grandfather's life, and now, in just a few hours, and I would become his wife. The thought made my stomach churn with a mixture of dread and reluctant gratitude.

I was still dwelling in my little thoughts when the ward's door cracked open, snapping me out of it.

I immediately turned my gaze to the direction of the door, and I saw the doctor walk into the ward fully.

He was a middle-aged man with kind eyes and a warm smile, the kind of doctor who genuinely cared about his patients.

"You all slept here last night?" The doctor asked, as he stared from me to my grandmother, and sister.

"Yes, doctor, we just couldn't leave his side," my grandmother responded, with a low and polite voice.

Her hands were wrapped around my grandfather's, as if she could will him back to consciousness.

"I already told you that he is fine now, and he will wake up soon," the doctor said, while I swallowed hard.

"Yes, but we still can't leave his side," my grandmother told him, but I laughed inwardly.

That was just a lie that she had come up with. The truth is, we didn't have a house, and that was why we all slept in my grandfather's ward last night.

The chairs had been uncomfortable, but it was better than the alternative of sleeping on the streets.

"I understand you, ma, but I think it's high time you all go back to the house and get a change of clothes at least," the doctor said politely.

His eyes flickered to me, and I wondered if he could see the exhaustion etched into every line of my face.

"You are right, doctor, we will do that soon," she responded with a smile plastered on her face.

It was a smile that didn't reach her eyes, a smile that hid the desperation simmering beneath the surface.

I watched as the doctor moved closer to my grandfather, whose eyes were shut, and examined him for a while. He checked his pulse, listened to his breathing, shone a light into his eyes.

"Is he okay, doctor?" I asked after he was done with his examination, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, he is totally fine now," he responded politely.

"But why hasn't he woken up yet?" The question burst out of me before I could stop it, laced with frustration and fear.

The doctor took a deep breath and smiled softly. "That's because he needs a lot of rest. But trust me, he would be awake soon."

"Okay then, I hope so," I said, while he just nodded and smiled as he made his way out of the ward, leaving just us again.

The silence that followed was heavy, with unspoken worries. My grandmother's gaze found mine, and I knew what was coming before she even opened her mouth.

"Isabella, did Daniel say we could come back to the house now?" she asked, with a low but firm voice.

Immediately my heart started to beat rapidly, knowing where this question of hers was going to lead.

"Grandma..." I started, but the words died in my throat.

"Isabella, why aren't you saying anything?" She asked, her gaze still fixed on mine, as she wrapped her hands around my shoulder. Her grip was gentle but insistent, demanding an answer I didn't want to give.

I took a deep breath, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. "The truth is, he didn't say we could go back to the house," I managed to say, with sweaty palms.

My grandmother's face fell, confusion and disbelief warring in her eyes. "But he paid the hospital bills, so I thought you have told him about your pregnancy and you both have fixed everything?" she asked, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"No, Grandma, the truth is..." I was saying when my cellphone started ringing.

The sound was jarring in the quiet room, and I immediately reached for it. An unknown number flashed on the screen and I hesitated for only a moment before answering.

"Hello, where are you?" Alexander's voice came from the other end, making me freeze, my feet going numb.

"Hello, Isabella, are you there?" He asked, snapping me out of it.

"Y-yes, I'm here," I managed to say.

"Okay, so please answer my question, it's almost 9am," he said. His voice was still low but firm as usual, the voice of a man who was used to being obeyed.

"I'm still in the hospital with my grandfather," I managed to say, as I swallowed hard.

"Okay, I'm coming to pick you up now," he said, and disconnected the call before I could say anything else.

I stared at the phone in my hand, my mind racing. This was it, the moment I had been dreading and anticipating in equal measure.

"Isabella, was that Daniel? And what did he say if it was him?" My grandmother asked me with a hopeful gaze.

The hope in her eyes made my chest ache. She still believed Daniel would come to his senses, that he would take us back, that everything would return to the way it was.

But I knew better. "It's not Daniel, and I need to go somewhere right now," I said, standing up from my seat.

My legs felt weak, my body heavy with exhaustion. But I couldn't afford to rest.

I made my way into the bathroom in my grandpa's ward and had a quick bath, the cold water shocking my senses awake. I scrubbed at my skin as if I could wash away the dread that clung to me like a second skin.

When I came out, my cell phone beeped with a message. I grabbed it without any hesitation and read the message: I'm here. Don't keep me waiting.

I turned to my grandmother. "Grandma, I will be right back, but please take care of Grandpa," I said, and turned to leave the ward.

But she stopped me before I could take any further steps. "Isabella, where are you going?" She asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.

I turned to meet her gaze. "I will explain everything to you when I return, Grandma. Trust me," I said.

She stared at me for a long moment, searching my face for something I wasn't sure I could hide. Then she nodded, her shoulders slumping with resignation.

"Be careful," she whispered.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and made my way out of my grandfather's ward.

As I walked down the stairs in the hospital, I could feel my heart pounding with each step. The sound echoed in the stairwell, a drumbeat of anxiety that grew louder with every floor I descended.

I couldn't believe that I was actually doing this right now. But I didn't have a choice. And all of this was because of Daniel. If he hadn't betrayed me, I wouldn't have made this mistake.

But is it a mistake? A small voice whispered in the back of my mind. He saved your grandfather, maybe this isn't a mistake, maybe this is salvation.

I pushed the thought away, I couldn't afford to think like that. I finally walked out of the hospital, the morning sun blinding. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the light, and then I saw him.

Alexander was standing beside a black car in the parking lot, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. He waved to me immediately he noticed me, grinning from ear to ear.

That grin made my stomach flip. It was too confident, too knowing, as if he could see right through me and knew exactly how terrified I was.

I took a deep breath and walked closer to him. "Are you ready to be married?" He asked, while I took a deep breath.

"I don't have a choice here," I responded, while he just chuckled. The sound was low and warm, and it sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine.

For a moment he just stared at me, his dark eyes sweeping over me with an assessment that made me feel exposed. I resisted the urge to wrap my arms around myself, to hide from his penetrating gaze.

"Anyways, you look tired. Didn't you sleep well?" He asked, while I just took a deep breath.

A part of me actually wanted to just rant out everything to him, but I composed myself.

"I didn't sleep much," I managed to say, while he stared at me.

"Why?" He asked, his eyes narrowed.

"I was at the hospital all night," I responded.

"Did your grandfather's condition get worse?" He asked, his gaze meeting mine.

"No, not at all. He is better, but just that he hasn't woken up yet," I explained, while he released a breath he was holding.

"Okay, that's a relief, but you shouldn't have stayed up so late. You are pregnant, remember," he said, reminding me of something I didn't want to think about, especially not right now.

"Yes, I know, and you don't have to remind me," I said, my face twisting into a fake frown.

"I won't have to if you just do the right thing," he said, while I just watched him as he continued. "I don't know how you see this baby, but this baby is very important to me, and the safety of my baby matters."

"The baby doesn't belong to you alone, so I care about the baby too. Just drop the lecture already," I told him.

He nodded, before speaking again. "Get into the car, We can't afford to be late," he said with a soft but firm voice, as he opened the car door for me.

I got in, the leather seat cool against my back. The car smelled like him woodsy and expensive, a scent that was quickly becoming familiar.

The car drove off, and I couldn't help but feel my heart beating rapidly as we approached the magistrate's office.

This is it, I thought. I'm officially getting married to my enemy, and there's no turning back now.