Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M
Chapter 106

Emma.

"I don't know what to do, Molly," I tell her, almost in tears." They're so mad at me right now."

Mom and Travis have refused to pick up my calls or even talk to me. After the disaster at the get-together, I haven't seen them or talked to them.

Travis ignored me, and mom kicked me out of the house the moment the small function was over. It had been awkward as hell. Absolutely no one talked to me. It was like I didn't exist. Was this how Ava felt in the past? It fucking stinks.

"I kept telling you to tell them the truth, but you never listened." Molly's voice brings me back to the present.

She was right. Every time she mentioned that topic, I would shut it down before she even got a word out. The moment I learned of my pregnancy, she begged me to tell them, but I refused. She's been trying for the past eight years. It never worked because I never listened to her. Sometimes I would even get mad. We would argue and then end up not talking for days.

"I know," I whisper tiredly.

I haven't been able to sleep. I had so much going on in my head that it was difficult for me to replace peace and sleep.

"No, you don't. I don't think you understand the kind of pain you've caused not only your family but also Gunner and Calvin. A child is a blessing, yet you treated yours like he was an omen. You hid his existence like he was nothing. I still don't understand why you did that or how you managed to do it in the first place.

It was easy, honestly. I didn't want a child in the first place. It was so easy to continue as if he didn't exist and to forget about him because I never wanted him. People give up their babies every day, so I don't know why everyone is all up in my ass because of Gunner.

"I don't need a lecture, Molly. I need a solution on how to make my family forgive me so we can forget about everything and move on," I ground out through clenched teeth.

"Do you even fucking hear yourself? You don't want a lecture, but that's exactly what you're getting," she fires back. "I've supported you in a lot of things, but you know Gunner and Cal are the only ones with whom I never agreed to what you were doing to them. You're my friend and I'm going to call you out and say that you're a nasty bitch for how you've been treating your own son."

"You know very well I never wanted him, Molly. I was only ever supposed to carry Rowan's child. No one else's."

Why couldn't they just fucking understand? Is it a must that I love Gunner simply because I brought him into this world? It's not his choice that he was born, and it's not my fault that I feel the way I feel about him.

"Well, guess what? Your precious Rowan has a child with someone else, and from the looks of things, he's not planning on having any kind of relationship with you, meaning your dream of having a family with him will remain nothing more than just a damn dream." she snaps.

I deflate immediately. Rowan wants nothing to do with me, more so now that he knows about Gunner.

Ava has managed to make me look like the devil to her angel. She's the caring and loving mother, while I'm the evil bitch who doesn't want her own son. She has managed to ruin my perfect image. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut?

"I love you, Emma, with all my heart, but I am glad that Ava exposed the truth. It's time for you to grow up and take responsibility. Gunner needs his mother. You've tried running away from this for a long time. It's time for you to stop and do what you're supposed to do. It's time you acknowledge that you're a mother"

The thought of that brings a certain kind of panic inside me. I didn't want to think of that. I didn't want to let go of my dream of being with Rowan. I stay quiet as I fight her words in my head.

"Emma?" she calls.

I know her; she wants me to agree. She wants me to tell her that I'll think about it, but I don't want to.

I'm saved from answering her when a knock sounds on my door.

"I have to go, Molly. There is someone at the door" I tell her in a hurry as I walk towards said door.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing, Em. This..."

I hang up the phone before she can finish her sentence.

Opening the door, I'm surprised to replace mom on the other side. She wasn't smiling, but hope still bubbles inside me. She doesn't wait for an invitation; she just walks in.

"I'm going to make this short," she says, and all the hope that I had a moment ago shrinks and dies.

I close the door and face her. Looking at her, I fight my tears when I notice the angry fire dancing behind her eyes.

"I want to meet my grandson. I expect you to properly introduce him to me," she begins. "You're also going to acknowledge him as your son and part of the Sharp family. You're going to establish a bond with him, get to know him, and you're going to include him in your life. Am I understood?"

I stare at her wide-eyed. She couldn't be serious, right? Was she really going to force me to get to know him?

"You can't be serious, Mom. I don't want to know him!" I shout, appalled by the idea.

I've regretted him since I learned I was pregnant, so how could I turn around and try and build a life with him?

The flicker of fire I had seen in mom's eyes turns into a blazing inferno. She raises her hand, and I react too slowly. The smack on my face leaves me confused for a while. Still not able to understand what just happened.

I place a hand on my cheek and look at her in disbelief. She has never slapped me before. Never.

"You listen to me and listen well; I'm going to give you one chance to fix things with your son and the man you cruelly used and discarded, or I swear to you, Emma, I will disown you. Mark my words. You continue down the path you're walking, and I'll consider you dead to me." She pauses, before continuing.

"I know my behavior towards your sister may have contributed to your reasoning. It was wrong of me to ignore her and treat her like she didn't exist. I regret it every day and I won't let you make the same mistake. Fix what you've broken"

She doesn't give me a chance to say anything before she walks past me, opens the door and leaves. I'm left standing staring at the spot she stood a few minutes ago.

The ultimatum she gave me keeps playing in my head. Either get to know Gunner or lose my family. I know my mother and she doesn't give out empty threats. I no longer had a choice.

Why did Ava have to replace out the truth?

My heart hardens as I think of her, and fury fills me.

Fuck. I hate that bitch. She should have just kept her fucking mouth shut.