33. I want us to get back together
Sophia's POV:
By the time we reached the hospital, the doctors immediately took Lily for a check-up.
She was asleep, her tiny face flushed with fever. After examining her, the doctor informed us that she had a very high temperature. A few more tests were also being conducted to ensure that everything was alright.
The doctor looked at us and said, "She's very young. The sudden shock and stress she went through may have triggered the high fever. The sleeping drug she was given has also affected her body. We'll keep her under observation for now."
I nodded silently.
Finally, Lily was shifted to a private hospital room, where she lay sleeping peacefully on the bed, an IV drip attached to her tiny hand.
The doctor gave us a few more instructions before quietly leaving the room.
The five of us-me, June, Adrian, Evan and Oliver-stood around Lily's bed, our eyes fixed only on her.
After a few moments of silence, Oliver spoke.
"I should leave now."
I turned towards him.
"Thank you so much, Oliver. You literally saved my daughter."
He smiled faintly.
"Come on, Sophia. You've already thanked me so many times, and I've already replied just as many times."
He shrugged lightly.
"That's what friends do for each other."
A small smile appeared on my face.
"Okay... bye."
"Bye."
With one last glance at Lily, Oliver quietly walked out of the room.
A few moments later, Adrian spoke up.
"I'll have to go to the police station. There are still a few formalities left."
Evan nodded.
"I'll come with you."
Within minutes, both of them left as well.
Now it was just me...,
June...
And Lily.
I slowly sat beside her bed and gently brushed the loose strands of hair away from her forehead.
A relieved smile spread across my face.
Finally...
My baby was with me.
Safe.
Right in front of my eyes.
After a long silence, I looked towards June.
"June... I'll have to get a hundred percent custody of Lily now."
My voice was calm, but firm.
"I can't afford to leave my daughter with Adrian anymore."
June nodded in agreement.
"Yeah... we'll have to speak to the lawyer."
She paused before continuing,
"And honestly, Sophi... I think your chances of getting full custody have increased now. Vanessa-Adrian's girlfriend-tried to harm Lily so it might prove that she is not safe with Adrian. And about finances , I believe very soon you'll have a job too."
I simply hummed.
My gaze never left Lily's peaceful face.
"But... I don't know."
My voice grew softer.
"I think if I take Lily away from Adrian... she'll start hating me again."
June frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
"Like she did before... when I tried to separate her from Vanessa."
June gently held my hand.
"Sophi... the situation is completely different now."
"She's seen Vanessa's true colours herself. Of course she won't hate you because of that."
I slowly shook my head.
"No, June."
"It's not Vanessa."
A tear slipped down my cheek.
"She'll hate me for separating her from her father."
I lowered my eyes.
"The life Adrian can give her..."
I looked around the private hospital room before looking back at Lily.
"...is far better than anything I'll ever be able to provide."
"My daughter will keep asking me why she has to live away from her father."
"Why her parents don't stay together."
"Why she can't have the family every other child has."
June squeezed my hand reassuringly.
"I know she's still little, Sophia... but I think it's time."
"You'll have to explain everything to her."
"You'll have to tell her that what her father did to her mother was wrong."
"And I know Lily... she'll understand."
I gave her a helpless smile and slowly shook my head.
"No, June..."
"It's not as easy as it sounds.
"
"My daughter has grown up seeing a completely wrong version of marriage.
"
"Since childhood..."
"She has never seen her parents talk like husband and wife.
"
"She has never seen them laugh together.
"
"She has never seen them love each other. "
I looked down at Lily.
"Instead..."
"The image of love in her mind..."
"...is Adrian and Vanessa and they were not married they were just friends infront of her."
I let out a shaky breath.
"It's all so complicated."
Another tear rolled down my cheek.
"I was such a fool."
"I sat there for five whole years..."
"...and wasted my life."
Unable to stop myself anymore, I gently held Lily's tiny hand in both of mine.
My little daughter...
I looked at her innocent sleeping face, my heart breaking all over again.
What was her fault?
----------------------------
Adrian's POV:
I was on my way back to the hospital after completing all the formalities at the police station. Evan had left for home from there itself.
Vanessa was now in police custody.
And today... I found out the truth.
She had been cheating on me.
The man we had seen with her was Charles.
He... he was her boyfriend.
The police had asked me if I wanted to meet Vanessa before they took her away.
I refused.
What was I even supposed to say to her?
When I had done the exact same thing to Sophia.
I cheated on Sophia too.
Of course this was bound to happen to me someday.
It was karma.
Sophia was such a pure soul...
And I never valued her.
My mind drifted back to the moment when she entered the hospital...
Wearing Oliver's clothes , I wished if they were mine.
That oversized grey hoodie...
Those loose black track pants...
They were much too big for her, yet somehow...
She looked beautiful.
No...
She had always looked beautiful.
I was simply too blind to notice.
My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
"Why, Adrian...?" I whispered to myself.
"Why did you do this?"
Not once...
Not even once in five years...
Did I ever offer her my own jacket when she felt cold, actually I never knew only when she felt cold and when not.
Not once did I care enough to notice whether she was comfortable or not.
I ruined my own life.
With my own hands.
But no...
Not anymore.
I have to apologize to her.
I have to bring her back...
Before someone else does.
Especially...
Oliver.
I could clearly see the affection in his eyes whenever he looked at Sophia.
The way he spoke to her...
The way he smiled at her...
The way he was always there whenever she needed someone.
Soon, I reached the hospital parking lot.
After parking the car, I walked inside and made my way to Lily's room.
As I entered, I saw Lily sleeping peacefully while Sophia sat beside her, gently holding her tiny hand.
She was alone.
June wasn't there.
The moment I stepped inside, Sophia turned to look at me.
Our eyes met for barely a second before she quietly looked away again.
I walked to Lily's bedside and sat on the stool placed on the other side of the bed.
I touched Lily's forehead.
Her fever had finally started coming down.
A wave of relief washed over me.
Maybe...
This was the right time to talk to Sophia about us.
I opened my mouth...
But the words refused to come out.
How was I supposed to begin?
How does a man apologize for destroying someone's life?
After gathering all my courage, I finally spoke.
"Sophia... I wanted to talk to you."
She slowly looked up at me.
"So did I, Adrian."
I looked around the room.
"Should we talk here?"
She glanced at Lily and immediately shook her head.
"No. Of course not. Lily will get disturbed."
"Let's go outside."
We quietly walked out of the room and stopped beside the large glass window. From there, Lily was still clearly visible sleeping peacefully inside.
Without wasting a second, Sophia spoke first.
"What did you want to talk about?"
She wasn't looking at me.
She was deliberately avoiding eye contact.
Her face was calm...
Cold...
Completely unreadable.
I swallowed.
"No... you can say it first."
She didn't argue.
Instead, she spoke in the same composed voice.
"Adrian... it's been more than a week since I sent you the divorce notice."
"You still haven't responded to it."
I froze.
She wanted to talk about...
The divorce.
She continued,
"And Adrian... I want Lily's full custody now."
"She's not safe with you."
I stared at her silently, almost zoning out.
In a low voice, I asked,
"You wanted to talk about... this?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"What else would I talk about, Adrian?"
I wanted to say...
About us.
But the words never came out.
Instead, I quietly replied,
"I thought you wanted to talk about Lily."
She looked through the glass window at Lily sleeping inside.
Then turned back towards me and with a worried look she said.
"You said you also wanted to tell me something , was it about Lily?"
"Did the doctor say something?"
I immediately shook my head.
"No... no."
"The doctor didn't say anything."
The worry on her face eased a little.
She looked at me again.
"So..."
"What did you want to talk about?"
This was it.
If I couldn't say it now...
I never would.
Before fear could stop me again, the words escaped my mouth.
"Sophia..."
"I want us to get back together."
Her eyes widened in complete disbelief.
For a moment, she simply stared at me.
Then, almost whispering yet sounding loud enough to shake me, she said,
"What...?"
"Adrian..."
"Are you even in your senses?"
"You want us to get back together?"
She pointed a finger between the two of us, her voice filled with utter shock.