Something Gained: A Billionaire Romance

Chapter: 56

ELENA

"Dad, I can't." I whined. Water has always scared me. That's precisely the reason I was twelve and still didn't know how to swim. This summer I was going to learn, I vowed. But now as I sat by the pool with Dad, I was backpedaling pretty fast.

Dad smiled. "You can, sweetheart." I was immediately shaking my head in disagreement.

He sighed before stepping into the pull. "Don't be afraid. I'm here, aren't I?"

"But I'll drown."

"No. You won't." He outstretched his hand for me to take. I took it, stepping in. "I'll always get you." He looked into my eyes and I believed his words more than anything in this world. We both dipped in but just as our heads were under water, I felt my grip on his hand loosening. He was drifting away and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't grasp his fingers.

"Dad?" As soon as I opened my mouth to scream water filled in. So much water. I couldn't breathe. I knew I was drowning but Dad wasn't here. "Dad!" My eyes shut and the water was pulling me into its depths.

I surrendered.

The faint sound of steady beeping reached my ears. A time bomb? I thought I died once? I was drowning and—The moment I peeled my eyes open, the bright white light forced me to shut them. There was some shuffling to my right before a warm calloused hand grabbed mine. Blinking, I adjusted to the light.

"Do you hear me, Love?" A very worried looking Rylan stared at me. The familiar warmth in his orbs filled me with an immense sense of comfort. But that was short lived.

I was reminded of everything.

Dad—he died—and then blood— There was so much of it!

I was breathing fast, panic hitting me. I think I heard Rylan curse out before holding my face between his hands. He forced my head towards his face.

"Look at me. Elena, look at me!" I did, I looked at him through the sheen in my eyes. "Count with me, come on. One...two...three..."

"Four." My breathing turned normal as we counted till ten. He pushed some of the hair back from my face. The worry, the thoughts were still overwhelming me.

"Call the doctor." His brows immediately dipped down in heavy concern. He nodded at the nurse who got the instruction before his eyes again found my face.

"What's wrong?" I gulped looking at his assessing gaze.

"I want to know if—if our baby's fine." As soon as the words left my mouth, his hold on me weakened. It wasn't confusion on his face, shock would have been a better word.

"You knew." It came out of his mouth like a statement. Not a question, not even an accusation. Just a statement. Still I felt the need to explain.

"I was going to tell you, I had planned something for today but then—" I cut myself off swallowing down the pain. It took a few seconds to be able to speak. I shoved the tears off my face before looking up at him.

"This wasn't how I imagined it would be but...we are having a baby, Rylan, you and me." He shut his eyes in anguish and swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. That didn't look close to whatever I had expected to see on his face. His face held a tormented expression.

"You— you're not happy." I observed, dejectedly. Did he not want a child? Something broke in me at the thought. Dad's death was tearing my insides apart. This baby was like a ray of hope for me. I couldn't just afford—

My thoughts took a violent hault. I would've done anything to change the direction they were heading in. I was in a hospital gown. My eyes traveled to the IV drip attached to my forearm.

I had fainted.

There was blood. Blood trickling down my thighs.

My head snapped up.

"Why was I bleeding, Rylan?" I asked, my voice coated with dread. "What happened?" Rylan's eyes flashed with pain, an excruciating amount of it. He turned his head away before he heaved out a sigh.

"Our baby!" My voice trembled, a sob forcing its way out through my constricted throat.

"What the fuck happened, Rylan? What did the doctor tell you!?" The masochist in me demanded. It was crystal fucking clear but still I had to hear it from his mouth, I had to hear the words or I could probably find a way to convince myself otherwise.

Rylan looked at me, deep into my eyes. His jaws clenched hard enough making the muscles on either side tick.

"You had a miscarriage."

RYLAN

Elena's head swayed back a little like she had taken a physical blow. The moisture that had gathered in her eyes now rolled down in fat teardrops. Her eyes found the doctor that had stepped in just a few seconds ago, probably searching for confirmation.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

A shaky inhale followed. She let go of her grip on my shirt, letting the hand slowly fall to her side. Emotional breakdown, a panic attack, a violent episode, I was expecting anything. Anything but this.

Elena leaned back, letting her head rest against the bed. Not a speck of any emotion whatsoever on her face. She stared outside the window, her eyes scarily blank.

She looked fucking broken!

My gut clenched at the realization. Not even in my dreams had I imagined witnessing her like this. Without hope. Lost.

While Elena was unconscious, I had spent that time figuring how it was gonna turn out. I knew I wasn't gonna tell her about this baby and let Elena grieve her father's death. Keeping such a big thing from her probably wasn't the best idea out there but I would've fucking done it. Even if that earned me her resentment. I would've accepted it all if that meant she would get some time to recover from one heartache before she drowned in another.

Her knowing about the pregnancy changed everything. I couldn't save her from the torment and that brought her here— crushed, lifeless.

"You're not alone, Love." She made absolutely no movement which showed that she was listening. But I knew she was. I grazed my knuckles against her cheek.

"We'll get through this."