Chapter 58: Unbreakable

Chapter 58: Unbreakable
Haden

"Family of Joella Stevens?"

Everyone sprang to their feet.

Stella surged forward first, eyes wide and frantic. "How is she?"

The doctor, a tall man in dark blue scrubs, gave a solemn nod as he took a clipboard from the nurse beside him. “The bullet ricocheted and struck a major artery. Time was on your side. If you'd arrived even a minute later, we’d be having a very different conversation.”

He glanced at Stella, his tone softening. “You’re the mother?”

Stella nodded quickly, her hands twisting nervously at her waist.

Then his eyes shifted to me. “And you’re the fiancé?”

I nodded once, sharply.

He handed the clipboard back to the nurse and gestured for us to follow. “You two, come with me.”

“Wait!” Jacob’s voice rang out behind us. “When can we see her?”

The doctor paused. “She’s still asleep. She lost a significant amount of blood and will be extremely weak for the next few days. Physical therapy will be necessary, but we’re optimistic she’ll regain full mobility in about six months. Once she is awake and a little more healed, she can have more visitors.”

He turned back to Stella and me and gave a nod, then walked briskly toward the large white double doors.

We followed silently, the air thick with unspoken fear and hope. The doors opened into a quieter wing. He led us to an elevator, pressed the button for the eleventh floor, and didn’t speak again until the doors opened.

This was the ICU. But not like the rest.

Unlike the sterile, fluorescent chaos of the main hospital, this area felt... different. Private. Secluded. The lighting was soft and warm, casting a golden hue against the walls painted in rich neutrals. Accents of dark wood and bronze gave the space the appearance of a high-end hotel rather than a medical facility.

We moved down a quiet corridor until we stopped in front of a door marked with a discreet, gold-plated number 3.

The doctor turned to us, lowering his voice. “As of now, only the two of you are approved for visitation. Ms. Stevens needs uninterrupted rest. She underwent four blood transfusions, and though we were able to remove the bullet, it caused more internal damage than we initially expected. Her left arm will be immobile for a while. We’ll begin therapy in six weeks.”

I swallowed hard. “Is she awake?”

He shook his head. “Still unconscious. She’ll be in pain when she wakes, and we’ll do our best to keep her comfortable. However, our options for pain management are limited.”

Stella’s brows pulled together. “Why?”

The doctor hesitated. Then gently, he said, “Ms. Stevens is six weeks pregnant.”

Stella gasped, her hand flying to her chest.

The world tilted around me.

Pregnant.

My heart stuttered in my chest, a sharp breath catching in my throat. A fierce mix of awe and sorrow surged inside me. Happiness, because Ella was carrying my child. Regret, because I’d brought them both into this nightmare.

And nearly lost them.

“It’s still early in the pregnancy,” the doctor began, his voice even but cautious. “But I believe the baby will be okay. We’ll need to monitor both of them closely. That level of blood loss takes a toll on the mother and the child. The next few weeks are critical. Your fiancée and your child… they’re both very strong.”

I gave a stiff nod, barely able to respond. Stella reached out and placed her hand gently on my shoulder. When I looked at her, her eyes were glassy with emotion. One tear traced its way down my cheek before I could stop it.

“Oh, Haden,” she murmured, pulling me into an embrace. Her arms wrapped around me with the kind of comfort only a mother could give. “Are those happy tears or sad ones?”

I exhaled shakily. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “Of course I’m happy. And a part of me, deep down, knew. But to find out like this…” I turned toward the doctor. “Does she know?”

He nodded, the corners of his mouth quirking into a faint smile. “She does. And she left you a message.”

I blinked. “What is it?”

“She told me to tell you she’s still not having eight kids.” His smirk grew. “Then she rolled her eyes and went back to sleep.”

A laugh burst out of me, quiet but genuine. Stella chuckled too, wiping at her cheeks.

That’s my girl. Even half-conscious, Joella still found a way to ground me, to make me smile when everything felt like it was falling apart. She probably knew I was blaming myself. That was her way of telling me not to.

“Can we see her now?” I asked, my voice barely holding back the urgency.

The doctor nodded. “Yes. But she needs rest. If she’s asleep, let her sleep. No loud noises, no questions, just let her heal.”

“Understood.” I didn’t waste another second. I stepped around him and gently pushed open the door, Stella close behind me.

The room was quiet, serene, touched by the soft hum of machines and the faint scent of antiseptic. And there she was.

My Ella

Lying in the center of the bed, her body looked small beneath the white sheets, fragile. Even asleep, she glowed. Her skin was still radiant, impossibly so considering what she’d endured. Her arm was swathed in thick bandages, a painful reminder of how close I’d come to losing her. Her curls had been swept into a high, messy bun, a few tendrils escaping to frame her face.

I went straight to the small adjoining bathroom to wash my hands, my chest tight with nerves. When I returned, I sat beside her and gently took her hand in mine, careful not to disturb her. Stella moved to the other side of the bed, brushing her fingers softly across Joella’s cheek.

“My baby,” she whispered through trembling lips as tears welled up again.

Joella stirred.

Her lashes fluttered open, heavy and slow. Her gaze shifted to Stella first, a flicker of recognition lighting her eyes. Then she looked at me.

A soft, sleepy smile curved her lips.

And just like that, my heart forgot every fear.

She turned to her mother with a small, disapproving frown.

"Why hasn’t your wound been looked at?"

Stella scoffed and waved her off like it was nothing.

"I’m fine. I’m just happy you’re okay."

Ella shook her head, unimpressed.

"Please, Mom. Go get your head checked out."

"I will, I will," Stella sighed. "I just needed to see you first. To know you were alright."

"I’m okay," Ella said softly, pressing the nurse call button with a calm authority that reminded me she was strong, even now.

Moments later, a nurse appeared, a slender woman with platinum blonde hair and warm brown eyes. She smiled as she stepped into the room.
"What can I do for you, sweetheart?"

"Her head needs to be checked," Ella replied, motioning toward Stella.

The nurse’s smile didn’t fade. She gave Stella’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Yes, ma’am. We definitely need to get that wound cleaned and dressed."

She shot Ella a quick wink as she gently guided Stella toward the hallway.

"Let’s go take care of that, Mama Bear."

Once the door shut behind them, Ella’s gaze shifted to me. She scanned my shirt, the dried blood on my sleeves, the exhaustion etched into my face.

"You should take a shower," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

I smiled weakly. "I will."

The hoarseness in my reply made her frown. She squeezed my hand.

"You know it’s not your fault, right?"

I didn’t answer. Not because I didn’t hear her. But because I couldn’t say what she needed me to say. It would be a long time, if ever, before I could believe that.

Her fingers tightened around mine.

"Haden." Her voice was firm. "It’s not. I got out of the car after you told me to stay in."

I shook my head slowly, eyes cast down.

"Don’t. Don’t blame yourself." My voice was raw. "I never should’ve brought you into this world. I put you in danger again. I didn’t protect you. I didn’t protect the baby."

"Haden, you didn’t kn-"

"I did know!" I cut her off, my voice breaking. "I had a feeling. You were having cravings. I suspected there was a chance you were pregnant. And I still let this happen. I’m so sorry."

My chest tightened, the weight of guilt pressing down like stone. I leaned forward, resting my forehead in her hands, desperate just to feel her warmth.

She sighed, then gently lifted my chin.

"Baby, look at me," she said, her voice low and even. "I’m fine. The baby’s fine. We’re okay."

I nodded, barely. She studied me for a moment, then gave a soft, knowing smirk.

"I know you, Haden. You’re going to keep blaming yourself, and nothing I say will stop you. But hear this, I love you. That hasn’t changed. It won’t change."

I pressed a kiss to her hands, holding them against my mouth for a long moment.

"I love you too."

Her honey-brown eyes sparkled, the kind of sparkle that made it hard to breathe. The kind that reminded me why I’d fight through hell for her.

"Nothing can break us, babe," she whispered with a teasing edge. "I thought you knew that already."

I let out a soft, shaky laugh.

"You’re right. Nothing can break us."

And God help anyone who tries.