Chapter 4 The man she married

Alex's face finally crumpled, and for the first time, Ashley saw tears welling up in his eyes. He swallowed hard, his shoulders tensing before his expression broke into something raw.

"I swear, Ashley, I didn't mean to ignore you," his voice trembled, and his fingers clenched into fists before he dragged them down his face in frustration. "I... I was working. I didn't know. If I had known-" His breath hitched, and a tear slipped down his cheek. "I would have been there. I should have been there."

Ashley's chest ached at the sight. Was this real? Was he finally realizing the depth of what they had lost?

He reached for her again, slower this time, like he was afraid she'd pull away. His warm hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over the tear-streaked skin. "I know I failed you." His voice cracked. "I should have picked up the phone. I should have been home. I should have-" His shoulders shook, and he shut his eyes as more tears spilled. "I should have protected our son."

Ashley's lips trembled.

For so long, she had waited for him to see her, to understand her pain, and now, here he was broken, regretful, and finally showing the emotions she had begged him for.

He pulled away suddenly, wiping his face with the back of his hand before grabbing a glass of water from the table. "Here, drink this," he murmured, gently pressing it into her hands. His touch lingered on her fingers as if grounding himself in her presence.

Ashley hesitated but took a small sip.

"Let me take care of you, baby," Alex whispered, guiding her toward the couch. He brought a blanket, draping it over her shoulders before sitting beside her. "You need to rest. I'll be here."

For the first time in days, her body relaxed slightly under his touch. Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe it was the desperate need to hold on to something familiar. She let him wrap an arm around her as her head rested against his chest, his steady heartbeat thumping against her ear.

The next day, the stone was laid for their child.

Ashley stood frozen, her fingers curling into the fabric of her dress as she stared at the freshly carved headstone.

Bright Donovan

Her chest tightened.

The name she had whispered with so much love, now engraved in cold, lifeless stone.

Tears slid silently down her face as a soft breeze rustled the trees. The world moved on, but for her, time had stopped.

A familiar voice cut through her grief.

"Ashley."

She turned, her body stiffening as she saw her mother approaching.

Her mother's expression was unreadable, but the moment her gaze landed on Ashley's face, something flickered in her eyes disapproval, sadness, or maybe something more.

Ashley braced herself, she swallowed the lump in her throat as her mother came closer, her heels clicking against the pavement. The older woman's expression was carefully composed, but Ashley knew that look, the tight lips, the scrutinizing gaze, it always came before a lecture.

Her mother's eyes flickered to the grave, lingering on Bright's name for a brief second before shifting back to Ashley. She let out a small sigh. "Such a tragedy..." she murmured, her voice void of the raw grief that still suffocated Ashley.

Ashley's fists clenched. She wanted... needed her mother to hold her, to say something, anything that could ease the unbearable weight in her chest. But instead, the next words nearly shattered her.

"You should be careful, Ashley. Your husband is already under so much stress."

Ashley's breath caught. Careful?

Her mother placed a hand on her arm, her grip firm. "This is a difficult time for both of you. Alex is doing his best, he's a good man, providing for you, keeping everything together. I know he wasn't there when it happened, but men handle grief differently."

Ashley blinked, her body going cold. Was she really saying this?

Her mother continued, her voice soft but edged with something sharper. "This is a marriage, Ashley. A real marriage. Not a fairytale. You can't just fall apart whenever things get hard."

Tears burned Ashley's eyes. Fall apart?

She had lost her child. She had run through the streets, clutching Bright's fevered body in her arms, sobbing for help while Alex had been nowhere. And now, she was supposed to be careful? To worry about his stress?

Her mother's fingers squeezed hers gently. "I know you're hurting, darling. But you have to be strong. For your husband. For your family."

Ashley yanked her hand back, the motion so sudden that her mother's eyes widened slightly.

"Strong?" Ashley whispered, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.

Her mother exhaled, shaking her head. "I know you don't want to hear this right now, but think about what you have. You have a roof over your head, security, a husband who-"

"A husband who wasn't there when our child died!" Ashley's voice cracked, grief and anger lashing out like a storm.

For a moment, her mother's expression flickered, was it regret? Guilt? But it was gone too quickly, replaced with practiced indifference.

"Marriage is about sacrifice," she said firmly. "And love isn't perfect. Do you think I had it easy with your father? I endured, Ashley. For you. And look at where we are now. Alex is a good man. He provides for us, for me too. You think you'll have that kind of security if you just walk away?"

Ashley sucked in a sharp breath.

And there it was.

Her mother's dependency on Alex. The unspoken truth that leaving him wouldn't just be her decision, it would have consequences for everyone.

She turned away, unable to look at her mother any longer. The pain, the exhaustion, the betrayal clawed at her chest like an open wound.

Bright was gone.

Her mother wasn't on her side.

And Alex?

Alex still had his arms around her, still whispering apologies, still acting as if love was enough to erase what had happened.

Ashley closed her eyes, and for the first time, she wondered if this was all her life would ever be... a cycle of pain, guilt, and endurance.