01
“Did you see Mr. Greene’s face when I mentioned the donation?” Celeste’s voice cut through the air, bright and
animated. Xavier’s eyes flicked to her in the rearview mirror.
“He probably didn’t know how to handle you,” he chuckled. “You’ve got that charm, Celeste.”
I swallowed the rising frustration, my hand rubbing my seven–month belly absentmindedly. “Maybe I should take
over the next charity event,” I said, trying to sound casual.
Xavier barely looked at me. “You’ve got enough to handle the pregnancy, Lyra. Celeste’s got the personality for
these things. She knows how to make people like her without even… trying.”
The words stung. It felt like a slap to the face. Celeste giggled, clearly pleased. I bit my lips…
Until the impact came out of nowhere.
A deafening crash. Xavier swerved violently, and the car skidded. My seatbelt jerked loose, and I was thrown forward as the airbag failed to deploy. My head slammed against the dashboard, and I barely registered Celeste’s
scream before darkness took over.
When I came to, pain was the first thing I felt. It clawed at every nerve in my body. My vision blurred, and the
sharp scent of blood and gasoline filled my nose.
“Celeste! Are you okay?”
Xavier’s voice cut through the haze, frantic and loud. I tried to move, to speak, but my body wouldn’t obey.
“I’m… I’m fine,” Celeste replied, her voice shaking. “Just a scratch.”
“Thank the Moon Goddess,” Xavier murmured. “Stay still, I’ll check you.”
I wanted to scream, to call out, but all I could manage was a weak gasp.
“X–xavier!” I rasped.
His head snapped toward me, his face pale but… not worried. “Lyra, you’re awake.”
Relief wasn’t in his voice–it was exhaustion. Like checking on me was just another chore. He didn’t rush to my side. Instead, he turned back to Celeste, gently inspecting her arm.
“Let me get you out of here first,” he said softly to her.
Tears blurred my vision. “Xavier, I’m-” My words broke off into a sharp cry as pain shot through my abdomen.
“Don’t move,” he said curtly, barely sparing me a glance.
Celeste hesitated, looking between us. “Xavier, she-”
“She’ll be fine,” he snapped, cutting her off. “I need to get you out. You could be in shock.”
The betrayal stung more than my injuries. My husband, my mate, was prioritizing my sister over me–over our
child.
Am I not that important?
The paramedics arrived moments later, pulling me from the wreckage. I couldn’t stop shaking, clutching my stomach, silently praying that my baby was okay.
Hours passed in the hospital before I was told the truth.
“Mrs. Nightshade,” she began gently, “I’m so sorry. We did everything we could, but…” She hesitated, then continued, “You lost the baby.”
The world tilted, and I clung to the sheets as if they could anchor me. “No,” I whispered. “No, no, no!”
“I’m so sorry,” she repeated. “There’s… more.”
I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to know. But she pressed on, her voice shaking with sympathy.
“Your injuries were severe. There was significant damage to your spine and reproductive system. I’m afraid… you won’t be able to carry children again. And…” She hesitated, glancing at my legs, “You may not regain the ability
12:53 PM
Banished and Betrayed, But She Walked Agam–And Rejected Him
The words echoed in my head. No baby. No future children. No ability to walk. I wanted to scream to cry. But the
tears wouldn’t come.
Xavier arrived later, his face shadowed with guilt–or maybe disappointment.
“How is Celeste?” I asked bitterly before he could speak,
“She’s fine,” he said quickly. “Just a scratch.”
Of course, she was.
“How are you feeling?” he finally asked.
How was I feeling? Broken. Empty. Devastated. But I forced a small smile. “I’m alive.”
“That’s what matters.” His jaw tightened, and he looked away. “The doctor told me. I’m sorry, Lyra.” His voice lacked warmth, and I knew then that he wasn’t truly sorry–not for me.
The days that followed were worse than the accident itself. Xavier visited me out of obligation, but his heart wasn’t in it. He avoided looking at me for too long, and when Celeste came by, his mood would brighten.
I overheard them once, standing outside my hospital room.
“You shouldn’t blame yourself, Xavier,” Celeste said softly. “It’s not your fault.”
“It is,” he replied, his voice heavy. “If only I’d reacted faster. If only…”
They didn’t know I was awake, listening. He didn’t say if only I’d saved Lyra. No, his regrets were for Celeste, the
unscathed beauty who had stolen his attention long before the crash.
Lying in that hospital bed, I realized I had lost more than my baby and my health. I had lost my husband, too–and
maybe, I had never truly had him to begin with.
