SHE'S MINE! Stolen By Desire

Ashley's fingers trembled as she dialed her husband's number for the third time. The baby in her arms let out another weak, pitiful cry, his tiny body burning up against her chest.

"Come on, Alex, pick up..." she whispered, bouncing him slightly, hoping to soothe him.

The phone rang. Once. Twice. Five times.

No answer.

Her heart pounded as she redialed.

Nothing.

Tears pricked her eyes. She pressed the phone harder against her ear, willing him to answer.

The baby whined softly, his body limp in her arms, his little hands barely moving. Fear clawed at her throat.

Ashley pressed the call button again, desperation making her reckless.

Still nothing.

She wanted to scream. To throw the phone against the wall. But she didn't have time for that. She had to get her baby to the hospital.

Her gaze darted around their tiny apartment. No car. No one to call for help. The world outside was eerily quiet, too late for pedestrians, too early for morning traffic.

She swallowed hard, pulled a thin blanket over her son, and ran.

The night air hit her like ice, but she barely noticed. Her bare feet slapped against the pavement as she sprinted down the nearly empty street, the cold biting at her skin.

Her eyes scanned frantically for a taxi, a passing car, anything.

But the road was empty.

"Please, someone..." she choked out, voice breaking.

The baby let out another weak whimper. Ashley's chest tightened with terror.

Then blinding headlights.

She barely had time to react before a black luxury car came speeding toward her.

Her feet froze. Panic gripped her body.

The car screeched to a halt inches away from her.

Ashley's breath hitched as she staggered backward, clutching her baby like a lifeline.

The driver's door flew open, and a man stepped out.

Tall. Powerfully built. Dark hair slightly tousled, as if he had just run his fingers through it. His sharp, chiseled features were illuminated by the streetlights, casting deep shadows over his face. Dressed in an expensive black suit, he looked completely out of place on this deserted road.

He was breathtaking. And he was furious.

"Are you insane?" His voice was deep, commanding. "You could've gotten yourself killed."

Ashley barely heard him.

"Please," she gasped, holding up her baby. "He...he's burning up. I need to get to the hospital."

His gaze flickered to the child in her arms. In an instant, his entire demeanor changed.

The frustration vanished, replaced by something else, concern.

Without another word, he reached for the car door and pulled it open.

"Get in," he ordered.

Ashley hesitated for only a second before climbing in, cradling her baby close. The man shut the door behind her before rounding the car and sliding into the driver's seat.

The engine roared to life.

The car sped off, cutting through the night like a silent savior.

Inside, the air was thick with tension.

Ashley glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her fingers tightening around her baby's small form. Who was this man? And why was he helping her?

She didn't have time to think.

Every second counted.

The drive to the hospital was swift and smooth, the man's hands steady on the wheel. He didn't speak, but she could feel his gaze flickering toward her every so often.

When they reached the emergency entrance, he didn't just stop the car he got out with her.

He took long strides to the hospital doors, holding them open as she rushed inside.

"Someone help us!" Ashley called out, her voice breaking.

A nurse ran forward. "What happened?"

"He has a high fever," Ashley choked out. "He... he's not responding like he should."

"Come with me." The nurse ushered her toward a nearby doctor.

Ashley turned, her lips parting to thank the man who had helped them...

But his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen, his jaw tightening.

His entire demeanor shifted again... his expression hard, unreadable.

"I have to go," he said abruptly.

Ashley blinked. "Wait-"

But before she could say another word, he turned and walked away, his broad figure disappearing into the night.

And just like that, he was gone.

Ashley watched the mysterious man disappear through the hospital doors, his commanding presence leaving behind an odd void.

She didn't even know his name.

But she had no time to dwell on it.

Ashley's fingers tightened around her phone as the call went straight to voicemail, again.

Her throat burned, her breath unsteady. Where was Alex?

She dialed once more, silently praying he'd answer. But all she got was the same lifeless beep.

Her baby was burning up, fighting for his life, and Alex... he was nowhere.

The waiting area felt unbearably cold. Her body shivered, though she wasn't sure if it was from the hospital's air conditioning or the fear clawing at her chest.

A nurse walked past, but Ashley barely noticed. Her gaze was locked on the emergency room doors, unmoving, unblinking.

Then her phone vibrated in her lap.

Her heart jumped. Alex.

But when she glanced at the screen, her stomach dropped.

Mia.

Ashley hesitated before answering. "Mia..."

"Ash, what's going on? You sound terrible."

Ashley squeezed her eyes shut. "It's my baby. He's in the ER."

A sharp inhale. "What? Oh my God. Is he okay? What happened?"

"He has a fever. It... it was so high, Mia. I couldn't get a car. I had to run into the street looking for help." Her voice broke. "I tried calling Alex. He didn't answer."

Silence. Then Mia's voice turned cold. "Where is he?"

Ashley bit her lip. "I don't know."

Mia muttered something under her breath, but Ashley barely heard it.

"I'm coming," Mia said quickly. "Which hospital?"

Ashley gave her the name, her voice hoarse.

"Hold on, okay? I'll be there soon."

The call ended, leaving Ashley alone with her thoughts.

She glanced at the ER doors again, heart pounding.

A memory surfaced, Alex's excitement when he first found out she was pregnant. The way he held her close, whispering how much he loved her. How he promised to always be there.

Where was that man now?

Her fingers trembled as she redialed his number.

Ring.

Ring.

Voicemail.

Tears blurred her vision.

And still, she refused to believe he wouldn't come.

He had to come.

He loved them. He had to.

Didn't he?

Ashley sat motionless in the cold hospital chair, her hands clasped tightly together as if holding herself together. The minutes stretched endlessly, each one heavier than the last.

The emergency room doors remained closed. No news. No updates. Nothing.

Then hurried footsteps.

Ashley lifted her head just as Mia burst into the waiting area.

"Ashley!" Mia's voice was laced with worry as she rushed over, immediately crouching in front of her.

Ashley's lip trembled. The moment she saw her best friend's concerned face, the dam broke.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Mia... I don't know what to do."

Mia grabbed her hands. "I'm here, okay? What did the doctors say?"

Ashley shook her head. "They... they haven't come out yet." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Mia's jaw clenched. "And Alex?"

Ashley swallowed hard, glancing at her phone. No missed calls. No messages.

"He hasn't called back."

Mia exhaled sharply, anger flashing in her eyes. But before she could say anything, the doors to the ER finally swung open.

A doctor stepped out, his expression unreadable.

Ashley shot to her feet, gripping Mia's hand for support. "Doctor, my baby, how is he?"

The doctor hesitated. That hesitation made her stomach drop.

"I'm very sorry, Ma'am..." The doctor's voice was gentle, but the words shattered her world. "We did everything we could."

Ashley's breath caught.

The room tilted.

Everything around her blurred.

"No..." The word barely left her lips.

Mia's grip on her tightened. "No, no, no-"

The doctor sighed. "His fever was too high for too long. His small body couldn't handle it."

Ashley's knees buckled. If Mia hadn't been holding her, she would have collapsed.

This wasn't real. This couldn't be real.

She had just held him. He was warm in her arms. He was-

A strangled sob ripped from her chest.

Mia pulled her into a tight embrace, whispering, "I'm so sorry, Ash... I'm so, so sorry."

But nothing reached her.

Her world had just ended.

Ashley's body went numb.

The doctor's words echoed in her head, but they didn't make sense.

We did everything we could.

No.

That wasn't right.

Her baby was still here. He had to be. He had just been in her arms, warm and breathing. He was fighting. He was-

Her knees buckled again, and this time, Mia held her tightly.

"Ashley-"

"No," Ashley choked out, her fingers clawing at Mia's arms. She struggled against her grip, her breath coming in quick, ragged gasps.

"I need to see him."

Mia's arms wrapped around her tighter. "Ash, please-"

"Let me go, Mia!" Ashley screamed, fighting with everything she had.

Her nails dug into Mia's skin as she pushed forward, her only thought to reach her baby.

The doctor stepped forward. "Mrs. Carter-"

"Don't say that to me!" she snapped, her voice breaking. "Where is my son?! Take me to him!"

Her body trembled violently, tears blinding her as she tried to move past them.

Mia's arms were like steel around her. "Ashley, listen to me," she whispered, voice shaking. "You don't have to see him like that. Please."

But Ashley wasn't listening.

All she could think about was the warmth of her baby against her chest, the way his tiny hands curled around her finger when he was scared.

She needed to hold him. To feel him. To wake him up.

"Let me go," she sobbed, her entire body trembling with grief.

The doctor sighed, his face drawn with sorrow. "We'll take you to him."

Mia's arms loosened.

Ashley staggered forward, her heart slamming against her ribs.

Her baby needed her. He was waiting.

The doctor led her down the hall.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

The world around her blurred, the only sound her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Then the door.

The doctor pushed it open.

Ashley stepped inside.

And her entire world shattered.

Her son lay motionless on the hospital bed, his small body covered in a white blanket.

No movement.

No breath.

Nothing.

Ashley let out a strangled cry as she rushed to him, falling to her knees beside the bed.

"No, no, no, baby, wake up," she sobbed, shaking his tiny shoulders. "Mommy's here. I'm here. Please, open your eyes."

She cupped his face, her tears falling onto his cold skin.

Too cold.

Her baby was always so warm.

Ashley gasped, rubbing his little hands between hers, trying to bring back the warmth. "Baby, please," she whispered desperately.

But there was no response.

No tiny hands clutching her fingers.

No small cries reaching for her.

Only silence.

A deep, aching silence that crushed every part of her.

Mia's broken sobs filled the room behind her, but Ashley barely heard them.

Her hands shook as she bent down, pressing her forehead against her son's.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

Her tears soaked his skin, her body wracked with pain that no words could ever describe.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

She was supposed to protect him.

But she had failed.

And now... he was gone.

Ashley let out a soul crushing scream, grief swallowing her whole.

Mia wiped her tears with trembling hands, watching Ashley crumble before her. She wanted to be strong, to pull Ashley away from the devastating scene, but how could she?

Ashley's cries tore through the room, each sob a knife to the heart. She clung to her baby, rocking him gently, whispering apologies between broken gasps.

"Baby, it's okay... Mommy's here... I won't leave you..." Her voice was barely above a whisper, yet filled with unbearable pain.

Mia couldn't take it anymore. She turned away, pressing a fist against her mouth to stifle her own sobs. This wasn't fair. None of it was.

A nurse quietly entered, standing near the door with sympathetic eyes. "Mrs. Carter... we-"

Ashley flinched. "Don't," she choked out, tightening her grip around her child. "Don't you dare take him from me."

Her voice was raw, filled with a desperation Mia had never heard before.

The nurse hesitated, looking toward the doctor, but Ashley wasn't ready. She would never be ready.

Mia stepped forward, her voice barely steady. "Ash... I-"

"Don't." Ashley shook her head violently. "I just need a little more time. Please, just a little more."

Her shoulders shook as she pressed a kiss against her baby's forehead. "You're still warm," she whispered. "Maybe if I hold you long enough, you'll wake up. Just a little more, okay? Mommy will make it better."

Mia's chest ached. She couldn't let her stay like this. "Ashley..." She crouched beside her, reaching out. "Sweetheart, we-"

Ashley let out a strangled sob, her hands fisting the fabric of her baby's blanket. "I should have tried harder, Mia. I should have done something. Maybe if I ran faster... maybe if I had gotten help sooner-"

"No," Mia said firmly, grabbing Ashley's face between her hands. "You did everything you could. Do you hear me? You fought for him." Her own tears blurred her vision. "This is not your fault."

Ashley shook her head, eyes distant, lost. "Then why did I lose him?"

Mia had no answer. No words strong enough to ease this kind of pain.

The doctor stepped forward, voice gentle. "Mrs. Carter, we understand your grief, but..." He exhaled heavily. "It's time."

Ashley's entire body went rigid.

"No," she whispered. "No, I-"

Mia braced herself as Ashley started shaking again, her entire world breaking apart right in front of her.

"I can't let go," Ashley sobbed. "I can't-"

Mia hugged her tightly, both of them crying into each other's shoulders. "I know, Ash. I know."

And then, after what felt like an eternity, Ashley finally loosened her grip.

Her baby was gently taken from her arms, and the second the warmth left her hands, she felt it-

The emptiness.

The unbearable, soul crushing emptiness that told her nothing would ever be the same again.

Ashley stood frozen at the entrance of their home, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on her like a crushing force. She had barely stepped inside when Alex's sharp voice cut through the silence.

"Where have you been?" His tone was laced with accusation. His arms were crossed, his stance rigid. "Sleeping outside, huh? Are you cheating on me now?"

The words hit her like a slap.

Ashley blinked, her vision blurring as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Cheating?

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She had spent the night drowning in grief at Mia's apartment, curled up in a cold, unfamiliar bed, shattered beyond repair. And the first thing her husband asked her wasn't about their child.

Not once had he mentioned their son.

Her body trembled, the sheer heartbreak of it all making it hard to breathe.

Alex scoffed at her silence, stepping closer. "What? Nothing to say? You disappear all night and come back looking like this?" He gestured at her... her wrinkled dress, the dark circles under her swollen eyes, the lifelessness in her expression. "You're a mess, Ashley. Do you know what people would think if they saw you like this?"

A broken sob escaped her lips.

"Do you even care?" she whispered. Her voice was hoarse from crying, from screaming, from grieving.

Alex frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Her hands clenched into fists. "Do you even care, Alex?" she asked again, her voice rising, thick with raw pain. "Do you care where I've been? Do you care why I've been gone? Do you care that our-"

Her breath hitched, the words catching in her throat.

She couldn't say it. Couldn't force it past her lips.

But Alex didn't even notice. He just rolled his eyes. "You're being dramatic. Whatever it is, we'll deal with it later. I just got back, and I don't have the energy for this."

Whatever it is...

Ashley felt something inside her snap.

A hollow, aching laugh bubbled up from her throat, bitter and broken. "You don't have the energy?" She shook her head, her nails digging into her palms. "Our son just-" Her voice cracked, and she sucked in a shaky breath. "Our baby is gone, Alex. Gone."

For a moment, the room fell into silence.

Alex's brows furrowed, his lips parting slightly. "What do you mean?"

Her chest heaved. "I mean he's dead, Alex!" she screamed, tears pouring down her face. "While you were off doing God knows what, I was running through the streets in the middle of the night, trying to save our son! And you-" She pointed at him, her entire body shaking. "You didn't answer my calls. You didn't even know. And now-" A strangled sob broke free. "Now, he's gone."

Alex blinked, his face unreadable. For a second, she thought... hoped that maybe he'd finally feel something. That maybe the reality of their loss would hit him the way it had shattered her.

But then, he sighed.

"Shit," he muttered, running a hand down his face. "This is a mess."

Ashley stared at him, her vision swimming with disbelief. A mess?

"Our baby just died, and that's all you have to say?" Her voice was eerily quiet now, dangerously calm.

Alex exhaled heavily. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? But screaming at me isn't going to change anything." He rubbed his temples as if he were the one exhausted, as if he were the one who had been suffering. "I'll handle the funeral arrangements. Just... don't cause a scene, alright?"

Ashley felt the floor tilt beneath her.

Don't cause a scene?

Her chest tightened, rage and agony swirling into something dark, something unbearable.

She had just lost the only piece of happiness she had left in this world.

And her husband, the man she had sacrificed everything for... cared more about keeping up appearances than the fact that their child was gone.

Ashley took a shaky step back, wiping her tear-streaked face, her breath shallow as she stared at Alex in disbelief. His face twisted into something resembling guilt, but his eyes, those cold, indifferent eyes held none of the pain that was drowning her.

"I'm sorry, Ashley," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was caught up with work. You know how demanding things have been for me lately."

Her nails dug into her palms. Work?

She had spent the entire night sobbing into Mia's arms, mourning the tiny life she had carried, and he had been too busy with work?

"You... you were caught up with work?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, shaking with raw emotion.

Alex stepped closer, reaching for her, but she flinched away. He let out a slow breath, lowering his hand. "Ashley, you know I don't mean it like that." His voice softened, coaxing. "You know how much pressure I'm under. I'm doing everything for us, our family. I didn't ignore your calls on purpose. I just-" He exhaled, shaking his head. "I didn't think it was that serious."

A bitter laugh bubbled from her throat, tears spilling freely down her cheeks. "You didn't think it was that serious? Our child is dead, Alex!" Her voice cracked, but she didn't care. She wanted to scream. To break something. To make him feel even a fraction of the unbearable pain clawing at her insides.

Alex sighed again, stepping back as if she were the one being unreasonable. "I know you're hurting, okay? But what do you want me to do now? We can't bring him back, Ashley. We just have to move forward."

Move forward?

Her body trembled with the force of her devastation. How could he say that? How could he act like this was something they could simply move on from?

"You should rest," he continued, his tone now laced with forced patience. "You're exhausted, and I don't want you making decisions while you're emotional. We can talk about the funeral later, but please, Ashley..." His voice dropped, smooth and familiar, wrapping around her like a noose. "Don't let this break us. We need each other now more than ever."

Her breath hitched.

The way he said it, so calm, so reasonable, made her chest tighten. She had seen this before, this careful manipulation, the way he twisted things so she'd be the one feeling guilty.

If she pushed him away now, she would be the problem.

If she kept crying, she'd be "too emotional."

If she lashed out, she would be the one ruining their marriage.

Ashley sucked in a sharp breath, the weight of his words pressing down on her like a crushing force. This was how it always went. No matter how much he hurt her, he made her question if it was her fault for not understanding him.

"I know you're upset," Alex murmured, stepping closer again. "And I hate seeing you like this, baby." He reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his touch light, almost affectionate. "But we're in this together, okay? We always have been."

A fresh wave of tears burned her eyes.

Together?

She had never felt more alone.