The Billionaires Ex Wife

chapter 26- ...

Song- last exit to freedom (highly reccomend listening to it)

The bed was soft. Comfortable. The sheets where light and gentle against katherines skin. She lay up waiting.

Her family gathered around in the small room. This was it and she knew it.

She looked at the faces of those who had stuck by her the last couple of months of her life. The people she tried to protect from the pain. But now they know. Now they are feeling it probably one hundred times stronger. She felt guilt Rippling through her body stinging her more than the cancer had.

She smiled at her mother. The woman who birthed her.  The one who Looked after ella when she needed a break or had to go to work or had her secret appointments. The woman who raised her single handed. "Mom please look after my baby. Make sure her dad doesn't forget to lift her from school, make sure he gives her a balanced meal and no junk food, make sure she knows i love her. And please make sure my husband doesn't fall apart" she held her mothers hand between hers. Her old wrinkled skin felt rough against katherines soft moisturised hands. Her mother nodded. She couldnt bring herself to say anything. "I love you mom and I loved daddy too"

Katherine looked over to her best friend lilly and smiled at her the pain in her eyes was evident but she smiled through it like she had been doing the last few months of her life. "Well girly, this is it now you have to fight them men of yourself" she chuckled a little but frowned when she saw a tear slide down lillys cheek. Her heart broke into a thousand little peices as she saw her bestfriend in tears. "Lilly dont cry we are bitches for life and after. I love you. Make sure that my baby girl remembers me. Ill always be with her and you" lilly bent down embracing katherines frail body in her arms. She hated this she knew this part would be the hardest goodbyes always where for her.

Katherine looked at both of the saunders standing tall beside lilly. She had grown so used to seeing thier smiles everyday. They took her as thier own from the moment james introduced them to her and for that she would be forever grateful. "Sandra, casper i want to thank you for letting me part of your family. I dont have a big family and you made me feel at home. Enveloping me in love each and every day. I have learnt so much from being in your company and have grown to love you more each day that goes by. You gave me your handsome son. Whom i fell in love with at first sight. You are such a strong couple with so much love to give. And im so glad to have been part of your lives. Look after your devilish son make sure that liquor cabinet is never used and Make sure that he does the washing up or gets a maid either one will work" they all chuckle lightly remebering that one day james did the washing up for katherine and the results being a new washing machine and a flooded utility room.
Casper bent down and kissed her on the cheek. Whispering in her ear

"Thank you for all you have done for my son we will forever be in debt to you. You made him smile again. You are and always will be my daughter" katherine looked into the older mans eyes and nodded with a smile on her face. James watched her face lit up as she smiled it always did. He watched as his mum wept for katherine laying on the bed in a hospital gown. He was still in shock it was all too sudden and the pain he felt spreading from his chest throughout his body, tensing his muscles and restricting his breathing was deepening with every word his beautiful wife spoke.

Katherine turned to look at him his chest tightened again as thier eyes met. She reached out a frail arm beckoning him over. He rose quickly and rushed to her side. Sitting beside her on the bed. She rested a cold, cooling hand on his cheek and he unconsciously nuzzled closer to it.

"I love you james saunders. I have from the moment i laid eyes on you walking into your office for work placement. You stood looking out your window arms positioned behind your back. I loved you when ella was born, you gave me a child i worried i would never have.i loved you when i saw you again after five years standing in the meeting room of the law firm. I love every cell of you every chromosome and every hair on your body. You are my husband and you treat me like a queen. Well mostly." She hated this sappy stuff when she watched movies. But now she was saying it it didnt feel as cheesy. This was her accepting her fate. And she wanted no needed him to accept it too.

He looked at her his dark eyes tearing up, so where katherines they where  both fighting the tears.

"Katherine why not tell me sooner?" He asked. The thought of her keeping this from him for so long was tearing him appart

"Because i love you. I didn't want to stretch out your pain." Her answer was simple but spoke in volume.

Her gaze fell to the blonde bombshell nestled in her grannys arms. "Ella. Mommy loves you. She loves you so much. She doesn't want to leave you but she has to ok. I want you to look after auntie lilly and daddy and granny. Be a good girl and i promise you i will be with you every step you take. And some day mommy will see you again. Hopefully it won't be for years and years to come but ill be counting the days."  Ella looked at katherine her eyebrows furrowed. She understood what katherine meant. The word death was too strong to harsh. So she tried to skip around it.

Elena stood holding ellas hand and a tissue in the other she wiped away her stray tears
"Elena you have been amazing to my family. Looked after my husband when i was gone for too long. You are the second mother to my baby girl I will forever be in debt to you. Take care of yourself i love you"
Katherines heart had always grown when she thought of the kind hearted woman who cared not for herself but for thier family as a whole.

She had left the explanations they seeked unspoken but hoped they could understand why she didn't tell them sooner. Why would she want to to hurt the people she cared about?

She took a deep breath and spoke to them all as a group. "I love you all. Stay together as a family. Help eachother, support eachother and know i will be with you all in everything you do. Watching over like your guardian Angel. Take care of my baby. All of life is an act of letting go, but what hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye. This is my goodbye to you. Until we meet again"

With that the room drew silent as they watched katherines eyes flutter shut. James watched her hand that was still resting on his cheek, fall to the bed. And the machine monitoring  her heart let out a low beep as his wifes heart flat lined. He looked at katherine laying peacefully at rest. It was then the tears came. She was gone.

He felt his mother wrap her arms around him but he sat on the bed staring at her features lifeless  wishing her eyes would open again. Wishing she would sit up in the bed and give him one last kiss but she didn't. She lay. Skin cold motionless. His world came crumbling  around him. He broke.

His wife was gone.

The doctor came in with a sorrowful look on his face. He was speaking but james wasnt listening. Arrangements needed to be made. The doctor left after giving his condolences. The family huddled together in a group  hug. All mourning their loss.

Ella looked around at her daddy and granny at thier sad faces. She looked at her sleeping  mommy and spoke.

"Its ok daddy mommy is our guardian Angel now and you have me"

Authors note

I'm so glad that you have stuck around to the end. There are a few more chapters to come so stay alert for them but I want to say thank you for supporting my story. I understand its a sad chapter but there is more to come xx