Billionaire, Let's Divorce!
Chapter 0425

AUTHOR'S POV

Right then and there, Amie's world crumbled around her.

"What do you mean she didn't make it?" Her eyes welled up as she gripped the doctor's coat. "Talk to me, doctor, tell me Amie will be fine."

"I'm sorry, Mrs Dennis," the doctor said, feeling sorry for the poor girl. She did not deserve what happened to her, especially not after what she had gone through.

"Ana," Dennis swallowed as he pulled her back as she refused to let go of the doctor's shirt.

"Let go of me," she yelled and pushed Dennis off her. "Go away."

Dennis was about to go back to her when the doctor put his hand up to stop Dennis. He flashed him a small smile, indicating that it was okay.

Slowly, Ana fell to the floor, her arms wrapped around herself, as she wailed. "No."

Then she shook her head. "No. Amie won't just leave me," she cried as she ran down the hallway.

Before anyone could stop her, she threw the door to Amie's room open. She ran to Amie's side and pulled the bedsheet off her body.

"Amie," she gently slapped her cheeks. "Amie wake up, mommy's here, Amie," she called repeatedly, her body trembling with her cry. Her tears dropped on Amie's face and the hospital gown that she still had on.

Even in death, Amie looked beautiful, peaceful. Finally at peace.

***

Eventually, Ana was forced to believe that her first child was dead.

She remained numb and mute as Dennis quietly drove her back home.

Repeatedly, Dennis glanced back at the passenger seat and wished that she'd see him, hand on each of the front seats as she stood and rambled on and on about what went on in school or wherever she had been even if they were aware.

***

In the days that followed, Dennis was left to care for Justin all alone. He fully put his managers in each branch of his bars in charge and also contacted his partners and clients to inform them about his unplanned break. His workers, clients and partners all sympathized with him. They told him to be strong and wished that Amie's soul would rest in peace. He smiled and thanked them all, but he was as shattered as Ana. Amie might not be his, but she and Ana meant the world to him. He works freaking hard because of them and now one of them is gone, never to return again.

The only reason why he was still standing strong was for Justin and Ana.

Though Ana has refused to talk to anyone. Since the day they returned from the hospital, she has locked herself in Amie's room, has refused to eat or step out for some sunlight.

Every morning, afternoon, and night, Dennis would go to the door, drop her meal-meals that always stay untouched-and try to talk her out of her grief.

"You can't forever hide yourself in there, babe. Justin needs you. Let's go through this together." But it was always as though he was talking to the door. Sometimes, he even wonders if she was still alive.

On the third day when he didn't hear

her still, his chest had grown taut as he ran to the back of Amie's room's window. Though the curtain was down, he was able to peep in. He calmed down when he saw her laid on the bed, curled around Amie's favorite painting; a portrait of Dennis, Ana, and herself.

He had grown even sadder as he remembered her saying, after she returned from the hospital. "When I get my new writing materials, I'll include Justin in our portrait."

The world was cruel, taking such a bright beautiful girl away. She was supposed to live long and donall the things she'd said she'd do with Justin. She didn't deserve to die.

Each time Dennis peeped through the small space in the window where the curtain had slightly parted, Ana was always aware. But she was too weary to stand up and close the curtains till there was no space for him to peep through. She wished he'd just go away with his words and food. The aroma of the food, Justin's distant cries, his ever soft comforting voice all made her feel even more miserable.

She wanted to be strong, to be there for Justin, she wanted to deal with this loss properly, but she couldn't.

The first day, the night of her death,

when she heard Justin's cry, she had

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tried but she just could not bring herself to step out. Even though everything reminded her of Amie she was terrified; what if she forgot about her? What if she forgot how her eyes creased slightly at the corner whenever she smiled or laughed? What if she could no longer see how her eyes lit up

whenever she painted? What if-

She had spent the first couple of days watching pictures and videos of her. She had been so happy and optimistic, even as young as she was. Eventually her phone's battery ran out on the first night.

Then she resorted to sniffing

through her things to keep how she

smelt alive in her memory, she

wrapped the vintage scarfs that she loved around her wrists and spread all her paintings before her, picture her poise and facial expression as she drew them.

It was so unfair, she thought as she remembered how hard she had fought to stay alive. How hard they'd all fought. Only for death to snatch her away from her.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when she heard a knock on the door.

"Babe? Ana, please."

She sighed and rolled into bed, covering up her whole body as she hugged Amie's favorite sweater-the oversized one that Dennis had gotten for her on her third birthday day-to her chest. "Okay, you don't have to come out if you don't want to. Just take the food and eat, please."

She sighed again. His words were distracting. All she wanted to think about was Amie. "Go away. I'm not hungry."

On the other side of the door, Dennis exhaled heavily. Justin squirmed in his arms and he instantly began to gently pat him back to sleep.

His gaze went from the food on the floor by the door to the doorknob, and he hoped, fervently, that this storm wouldn't ruin the only thing that had kept him sane all these while-his happy marriage and family.