CEO's Regret After I Divorced-Chapter 388 EPILOGUE PART1

Author’s POV

Morning light filtered through the half-open blinds of the hospital room, inching across the floor and casting a soft glow on the pure white walls. The air smelled faintly of antiseptic, so quiet that the only sound was the steady, gentle beep of medical equipment humming in the background.

Serena sat by the hospital bed, having kept watch all night.

The scrapes on her body and the wound on her forehead had been treated, and the doctor had repeatedly emphasized that she needed rest too. But she’d only nodded, then stubbornly stayed, never leaving his side for a moment. Her hand remained clasped around Ryan’s, as if letting go even a little would turn the past three years of misplaced time, the recovered memories, and the car crash that had nearly taken everything away into an unrealistic nightmare once again.

Now, the morning light finally fell on Ryan’s peaceful face.

His forehead was wrapped in gauze, his shoulder and arm immobilized. His complexion was still pale, but far better than when he’d been wheeled into the emergency room the night before. Back then, Serena had run alongside the stretcher, covered in blood, with only one thought in her mind—she could never lose him again.

She’d already lost him for three years.

Fate couldn’t be cruel enough to take away the second chance she’d finally fought to get.

She leaned down, gently brushing her fingers over the prominent knuckles on Ryan’s hand, her eyes growing warm. Now that her memories had returned, many emotions that had been buried deep in her consciousness surged forth. The sweetness, quarrels, dependence, and deep love she’d once thought she’d never experienced were now clear enough to sting. She remembered their wedding, the light he’d kept on for her late at night, and the first time she’d pressed his hand to her belly after finding out she was pregnant—how his eyes had reddened with excitement, yet he’d pretended to be calm, saying, "Don’t worry, I’ll learn to be a good dad."

He hadn’t just burst into her life out of nowhere.

He’d always been there.

She’d just forgotten.

The man in the bed twitched his fingers slightly.

Serena’s breath caught, and she looked up at once.

A few seconds later, Ryan slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, as if he couldn’t tell reality from a dream. But when his gaze finally settled on her face, those gray-blue eyes froze.

"...Serena?"

His voice was hoarse, as if he’d just struggled back from a long, dark night.

Serena’s throat tightened, and her eyes reddened almost instantly. She leaned down, pressing her forehead gently against the back of his hand, tears falling uncontrollably.

"It’s me," she whispered. "Ryan, it’s me."

Ryan stared at her quietly, as if still不敢相信 what he was seeing. After a moment, he lifted his uninjured hand, his fingertips brushing her cheek so softly, it was almost a tentative touch.

"You remember everything?" he asked.

Serena nodded through her tears, but a small smile slowly tugged at her lips—a smile filled with the relief of finding something lost, and the long-overdue ache of regret.

"Everything," she said softly, but clearly. "From the first time we met, to our wedding, to Rancy... I remember it all."

Ryan looked at her, the emotions he’d suppressed all night finally flickering in his eyes. He didn’t speak right away; he just stared at her, as if he wanted to etch her current appearance into his memory, to make sure this wasn’t a post-anesthesia hallucination, or one of the countless dreams he’d had on sleepless nights that always ended in disappointment.

"And you’re still willing to sit here," he finally said quietly, with a hint of barely noticeable self-mockery, "which is kinder than I expected."

Serena was stunned by his words, and then her tears flowed even harder.

She knew he wasn’t blaming her. On the contrary, behind that understated sentence was all the unspeakable grievance and despair he’d felt over the past three years. She’d pushed him away time and time again, looked at him with the coldest of stares, and even when he’d been closest to the truth, she’d thought he was just an ex-husband who couldn’t let go of his obsession.

But all he’d ever wanted to bring back was his lost wife and child.

"Don’t say that," she said, squeezing his hand tightly, her voice trembling. "Ryan, I’m sorry... I know it’s too late to say this now, but I have to. I’m sorry I forgot you, forgot our past, and even stood on the side that hurt you when you were at your most painful."

Ryan stared at her in silence, then let out a soft sigh.

"If I really blamed you," he said, "I wouldn’t have looked for you for three years."

Serena’s tears spilled over even more.

Ryan looked at her red eyes, and his heart softened completely. He used his thumb to gently wipe the tears from her cheeks, his voice low enough to break.

"Stop crying. The doctor said you have a mild concussion too. If you keep crying, I’ll start to worry you’ll end up in a checkup before me."

It was meant to tease her, but Serena cried even harder. She couldn’t help but lean down, carefully avoiding his shoulder injury, and hugged him gently. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Ryan," she whispered against his ear, sobbing, "thank you for not giving up on me."

Ryan’s body stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed. He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against her hair, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his voice came out thick and hoarse.

"I never learned how to give up on you."

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door.

Serena turned around and saw Ethan, Zoe, and Maya standing outside. In Maya’s arms, she held two children.

Rancy was wearing a soft pink coat, her eyes still hazy with sleep, but they widened at once when she saw Serena and Ryan. Vivian stood beside her, still holding the little rabbit Rancy loved so much, her eyes a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

"Can we come in?" Maya asked, her eyes red but her voice smiling.

Serena’s heart warmed, and she nodded quickly.

In the next second, the two little ones ran in one after another.