The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife-Chapter 88: First Visit

Dr. Myers stood at the foot of the bed, flipping through Claire’s chart one last time before looking up at Cassidy and Clara with a calm, reassuring smile.

"Well," he said, closing the chart gently, "Claire’s doing well. There are no signs of infection, no fever, no unusual swelling around the wound. The stitches are clean, and everything looks as expected."

Cassidy nodded, her eyes fixed on him.

"She’s able to eat, talk, and use the bathroom on her own," he continued. "That tells us she’s strong enough to continue recovering at home."

Clara stepped forward. "I’ve got the supplies ready for changing her bandages."

Dr. Myers smiled. "Good. You both already know how to handle the dressing and give her medication, so just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Make sure the wound stays clean and dry, and don’t hesitate to come back if anything seems off."

He paused for a moment and added, "And with that said, she’s officially cleared to go home today."

Claire practically bounced in bed when she heard the news. "I can really go home today?" she asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Dr. Myers chuckled. "Yes, you can. You’ve done great, Claire. I’ll see you again in three to five days for a follow-up. We’ll check the healing and decide when to take out the stitches."

Claire turned to Cassidy, beaming. "We’re going home!"

Cassidy smiled and brushed a hand gently over her daughter’s hair. "Yes, baby. We’re going home." freewebnσvel.cøm

Now, the room was filled with quiet activity. Cassidy packed up Claire’s things, Clara folded the blanket they had brought from home, and Zeke stood near the window, watching them in silence. Soft light filtered through the glass and cast a warm glow across the room.

Claire sat on the edge of the bed in her hoodie and leggings, her feet dangling as she clutched her favorite rabbit to her chest. She looked happy, though a trace of tiredness still lingered in her eyes.

Zeke stepped closer. "You ready to go, champ?"

Claire looked up at him and grinned. "Yeah. But I’m gonna miss this bed. It moves up and down when I press the buttons."

Everyone chuckled softly.

Zeke watched quietly, his hands in his pockets, until Cassidy glanced up at him.

"Thank you for everything," she said, her voice low but sincere.

He met her gaze. "Of course. Anytime."

Claire reached for Zeke’s hand. "Will you still come visit me at home?" she asked.

Zeke blinked, caught off guard. Then he slowly smiled. "If it’s okay with your mom," he said, glancing at Cassidy.

Cassidy hesitated, just for a moment.

Then she nodded.

"Yes," she said softly. "It’s okay."

Claire’s eyes lit up when she heard Cassidy’s response. "Yay!" she cheered, squeezing Zeke’s hand. Then she looked up at him with hopeful curiosity.

"Are you coming too? To my house?" she asked.

Zeke glanced at Cassidy, just to be sure, then turned back to Claire with a gentle nod. "Yeah, I’ll come with you."

Claire beamed, clearly pleased.

Zeke smiled too, though more quietly. "Besides," he added, "it’s a good chance for me to see where you live."

Claire hugged her stuffed rabbit tightly. "I want to show you my room!" she said excitedly. "And my children’s books. And my window, it has the best view."

Zeke smiled at her enthusiasm. "I can’t wait to see it," he said, his voice warm. "You’ll have to give me the full tour."

***

They left the hospital not long after, the afternoon sun casting a soft glow over the city.

Since Cassidy had been staying at the hospital for days and hadn’t brought her car, they all went home in Zeke’s. He offered without hesitation, and Cassidy, though a bit unsure at first, had agreed.

Claire sat in the backseat with Clara, hugging her stuffed rabbit. Cassidy took the front seat beside Zeke.

As soon as the car started moving, Claire’s voice piped up from the back, filled with curiosity.

"Do you know where my house is?" Claire asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Not yet," Zeke replied with a gentle smile. "You’re going to show me."

Claire pouted thoughtfully. "But I don’t know the way," she said. "You have to ask Mommy."

Zeke chuckled, glancing at Cassidy. "Good thing she’s sitting right here, huh?"

Cassidy gave a small smile, her voice soft. "I’ll guide you."

Claire leaned back against her seat, satisfied. "Okay. Just don’t get lost. My bunny gets carsick."

That made Clara laugh, and even Cassidy let out a quiet chuckle.

Zeke smiled to himself as he turned onto the main road. "Then we better drive extra carefully."

When they arrived at Cassidy’s apartment, Zeke pulled the car into the parking area and turned off the engine.

Zeke stepped out first and opened the door for Cassidy, then helped Clara get Claire out of the car. But when they reached the building entrance, he slowed his steps, unsure. He stayed a few paces behind, his hands casually tucked into his pockets, eyes flicking up toward the apartment building.

Cassidy noticed.

She turned to him, her voice gentle. "Do you want to come up?"

Zeke hesitated for half a second. "Can I?"

Cassidy raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. "Didn’t Claire promise she’d show you her room?"

Zeke’s lips lifted slightly, the uncertainty in his eyes fading. "Right. She did."

"Then of course," Cassidy said simply. "Come in."

As they stepped inside Cassidy’s apartment, Zeke took a quiet moment to look around.

It wasn’t bad. Simple. Clean. Lived-in. Not as luxurious as the apartment they used to share when they were married, but there was a certain warmth to it. Soft light filtered through pale curtains. A small shelf in the corner held picture books and toys. The scent of lavender lingered faintly in the air.

Before he could take in more, a small hand grabbed his.

"Uncle Zeke! Here!" Claire tugged eagerly at him, her face glowing with excitement. "Let me show you my room!"

Zeke chuckled, letting her pull him along. "Lead the way, boss."

Claire led him down the short hallway with determined little steps, still holding his hand tightly. She pushed open the door to her room with a dramatic flourish.

"This is it!" she declared proudly.

Zeke stepped in behind her, taking it all in. The room was small but colorful, soft pink walls, a little bookshelf stuffed with children’s books, and a bed covered in a blanket with stars on it. Plush animals were lined up neatly along the pillows, as if they were waiting for roll call.

Claire ran over to them. "This is Sparkle. You already know her," she said, picking up her stuffed bunny. "And this is Mr. Turtle, Lila the lion, and Pancake the bear, he has a birthday hat. And that’s Bubbles. She’s shy."

Zeke crouched down beside her, smiling. "You have a lot of friends."

Claire looked at him curiously. "Do you have a lot of friends too?"

Zeke paused, then gave a small shake of his head. "Not as many as you."

Claire blinked, then smiled brightly. "That’s okay. You can play with mine."

Zeke let out a soft laugh, touched by how easily she said it. "I’d like that," he said, his voice quieter this time.

Claire nodded seriously and handed him Sparkle. "You can hold her first. She likes new people."

Zeke accepted the bunny with both hands, as if it were the most important job in the world. "Hi, Sparkle. Thanks for letting me visit."

Claire giggled. "She says you’re welcome."

***

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on (f)re𝒆web(n)ovel.com