Billionaire Ex-husband's Baby

Chapter 41 - My Mother

When Ethan and Olivia were in the car, it took him a while to start the engine as he had rested his head against the steering wheel to have a moment to himself.

The confrontation with Ms Hudson was going to take him a while to get over as it was still fresh in his mind.

Then, he fastened his seatbelt and sighed, asking Olivia to give him directions. He was in for a surprise when he learned that he only needed to drive to her house, the same one he despised and the thought of it took him a while to drive as he remembered every word he had ever said about it.

When they arrived, they found Helena standing outside since she had been waiting for them from the time Olivia had called.

When they stepped out of the car, Ethan walked ahead of Olivia, making it difficult for her to catch up once again.

When he heard her low grunts from behind, he looked back and noticed the distance between them, so he waited and when she was close enough, he held onto her hand then walked even faster.

"Where is she?" he asked as he walked past Helena to get inside, then stopped.

Helena chuckled several times as she brought her hands together, but frowned at the pain he could see in his eyes.

Still, she guided the way and when they got to the bedroom door where Martha was and Helena pushed it open, he saw her in bed all covered up and his heart began to race, hesitant to step inside as the regret for all he had ever done and said to her became more obvious.

"I shouldn't be here," he said. "I can't do this."

Olivia gently squeezed his hand, assuring him that she knew his reason but it didn't matter since it was in the past.

Still filled with regret but with a little bit of courage, he let Olivia's hand go to step inside alone and approached the bed.

"Helena?" asked Martha, looking around like she could see her.

He sat beside her, their resemblance making his heart race even faster, but he could also see that she wasn't in her best state of health and he remembered just how short she had to live.

"It's me," he said softly, sinking his fingertips into the blanket with guilt.

"It's you. I know you," said Martha with strain in her voice, forcing herself to sit up with excitement. "You've come to see me. Since I came here, you don't come to see me anymore."

He covered his mouth, holding in the urge to burst into tears. His mother's love was always there and at that moment, for him, it explained the strange feeling he had on the night he was once disgusted by her touch when she had asked why he didn't go to see her anymore.

"I've been thinking about you," she said, the strain in her voice only getting worse each time she spoke.

"You have?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes." Her response made her strain her voice the hardest, then she coughed.

As soon as he saw her cough, he covered his mouth again to hold in a stronger urge to burst into tears as he remembered the time when he had sent her away from his house to return to the streets and she had already started coughing by then and he did nothing about it.

Wanting to let him have his moment with her, Olivia and Helena just stood by the door, tears running down their faces.

When he reached for Martha's hand, she instantly gave him a smile as a tear rushed down her cheek. "This feeling," she said. "I know this feeling. It feels like-"

"Mom," he said with a shaky voice.

"My son?" She froze for a second, then held onto his hand tighter with the little energy she had.