Together Alone...!?

| C H A P T E R S I X T E E N |

"True love exists, and it's powerful enough to blind someone and make them foolish"

Henry's PoV:

When my kids were born, I was happy. So happy that all my employees got a raise and the whole hospital was filled with balloons. The thing is, we were expecting triplets. But when the doctor asked Maria to push again I was confused. I held her hand as she looked ready to pass out.

After what seemed like ages, I finally saw a tiny bundle who the nurse handed over to me. I gasped to see that it was a girl! All that I could do was to gape at her and smile.

Maria laughed and said that she now had some competition. But no. These two were my life. And my sons? They are the best that I could ever ask for, but for me Athena was my sunshine.

For all those years only I have known how much I suffered. On one side my wife was laying unresponsive on the hospital bed and on the other, I was made to believe that Athena had something to do with it.

My sons grew up just fine. Oh who am I kidding, they are a mess. Athena was the binding glue of the group. But having lost her, they lost the light in their eyes too.

I know that I neglected her. And way too badly. But I love her. I can't help but scream and groan at how big of a fool I was. How could I believe someone else over my daughter?

But my heart broke completely on the day when she said she was getting married. Married? My girl was so big! Wasn't I supposed to walk down the aisle and threaten her husband to look after her? Wasn't I supposed to act like a cringe dad and shed a few tears about how little she was?

Gone. Everyone and everything that I cared about just collapsed. And because of whom? That bastard who I trusted. Blood indeed is thicker than water. But I was foolish enough not to trust my daughter.

But now everything is gonna change. He will pay and I will bring back my daughter and my wife will recover. It's my promise to myself.

I was still thinking when suddenly Jace came in with a relieved yet confused expression on his face.

"What's the matter?" Woah! I didn't expect him to hug me and much less to cry. Okay now I am worried.

"Jace what happened? You are scaring me." After what seems like ages he uttered the words for which I was holding on for since ages.

"She's awake, Mom's awake!" My eyes were wide and I am sure that even I had tears in my eyes.

We immediately rushed to the hospital and I found my other two sons at the reception and we all exchanged glances as of to say 'is it real?'

Now standing before the door that I've been practically living alongside my wife, my hands grew heavy and I was afraid to open the door. How will I explain about me being a failure? How will I tell her about how I abandoned Athena?

Derek placed a hand on my shoulder and nodded encouragingly. Somehow with great effort, I finally managed to open the door.

The scene I was met with was quite different than what I imagined. I always thought I would be beside her when she woke up. But here she was standing near the window with her back facing towards us.

"Maria" was all I could whisper before my eyes started watering and my sons started sniffling while Jace choked back sobs.

I wasn't sure if she heard me but the moment she turned towards me I was sure that she was pissed. Great. Get ready for my funeral.

She took slow steps towards us with the same expression and I am sure my sons back away by a foot. Cowards. Leaving me to face her wrath. I walked forward trying to hug her but she did not hug me back.

I stood there with a hurt expression on my face. Jace tried next but I am pretty sure that he now started full on ugly crying because she did not let him either. The same happened to my other two sons.

Wow. This is next level pissed. I open my mouth to say something but she just shut me up with a glare. A glare dangerous enough to piss some of the biggest criminals.

She turned to face the window and took a deep breath. "I want a divorce". With that the rest of my heart broke too.

My eyes were full of tears and my sons? They were all gaping. "Maria, listen to me once".

She turned back with full force "what do you want me to listen about? The way how you treated Athena because some bastard filled something against her in your head? The way how you all neglected her? The way how she broke bit by bit? Or do you wanna explain how she got married?" She was breathing heavily and all I could do was lower my head in Shame.

"We know we made mistakes mom, and trust me there is nothing more harsh that you can say than what we are telling ourselves. But I promise you, we will bring her back. Treat her like the princess she deserves to be." By now Elijah was taking a few steps towards her.

She looked conflicted. But by the look in her eyes, I knew she missed us. I took a deep breath and hugged her, this time she didn't push me away. Instead she wrapped her arms around me and stared sobbing.

There I was. Finally getting somewhere close to happy, Now all I had to do is get my princess back.