DEAR EX-WIFE: IT'S PAYBACK TIME

CHAPTER 3

RYAN

I threw quick glance at her, while slicing the apple. The doctor requested I feed her fruit when she wakes up. She was out of danger, plus the tubes were removed with only the oxygen mask. She was tucked comfortably against her pillow, her black hair packed into a loose bun, she was clothed in a pink hospital gown that was bigger than her, it practically swallowed her, her blue eyes peered around while she meddled with her fingers.

"Daddy." She spoke, her voice sounded a little weird through the mask, but I dared not to say. She looked better than yesterday. "I found this necklace." She pulled out her oxygen mask. "Did mummy come?? Is it my birthday gift?" She squealed happily.

"Yes." I lied. It was the only way to keep her healthy and happy. Plus I couldn't tell her the whole truth, I couldn't let her see her mother as a bad person or begin to hate her

"Really??. Mummy came?" Her eyes widened in excitement.

"Yes, she did."

"But I didn't see her."

"Well.. she came and she stayed with you still dawn. She even sang you your favourite lullaby. But something came up, so she left this morning, but she said she is coming back."

"Really??." She asked, gaping at me.

"Yes, she got an urgent call from the company. She didn't want to leave, but I told her to. It would be bad for her if she didn't go, plus her boss might scold her, and you don't want that, do you?" She shook her head. A little smile made its way to my lips.

She couldn't move her fingers yesterday and today she moved her head.

"She was here with you all night."

"I slept too long; otherwise, I would have seen mummy." She murmured.

"You don't need to be sad, sweetheart. Mummy will still come back."

"That's what you said before, but she only came when I was asleep."

"But she did come. All you have to do is listen to the doctor, take your medicine and become stronger than you are now."

"And mummy will come?."

"Yes." I approached her. "She will come with so many gifts." I helped her with her gift, placing it around her neck. "My sweetheart, looks so beautiful. Like an angel." She giggled happily.

"Thank you, Daddy, and you too. You...you look like a prince." I doubt it. Two days in this hospital, running around nothing taking a single drop of water, I managed to take a bath at the hospital, and changed into a simple black top and jeans, which Rosa bought. She insisted I tidied up, saying I would fall sick, plus I couldn't stay with her, Jasmine, with a dirty body. I took a bath, washed my hair and packed it back. I was clean and free to be around, my sweetheart.

"Good morning, Mr Ryan." Rosa beamed, stepping into the room, her eyes widened when she saw Jasmine.

"Supergirl??!! Is that you??." She fake-grasped. "Where is Supergirl, and who is this little, cute damsel?"

"It's me, Grandma."

"Supergirl??. It's you." Jasmine laughed, nodding cutely. "You look cuter and beautiful. Like an angel."

"Daddy said the same thing."

"Well, he is not wrong." She bridged the distance between them, nose kissing her.

"You look like a princess. And here I thought your superpower was only being strong, I never knew you had the power to be moreeee" she emphasised with her hands. "... beautiful."

"Really??."

"Would I lie to you??."

"Nope."

"Good you know."

"Grandma, look, Mummy came and gave me this."

"Your mummy??"

"Yes." Rosa drifted her gaze to me as I nodded slightly confirming her words.

"Mummy gave me this necklace, isn't it cute?"

"Yes, it is and it looked more beautiful around such a sweet and beautiful girl like you."

"Thank you."

"I will be taking her out now, she needs fresh air," Rosa said, pulling out the wheelchair at the side.

"Supergirl! Do you want to see the garden??"

"Wait...I can leave?? Daddy," she turned to me. "Can I?"

"Sure, sweetheart," I assured her while Rosa worked on shifting the drip stand to a movable one. With that, I carried Jasmine off the bed and into the chair.

"Yay!!. Bye, daddy." She waved while Rosa wheeled her out.

I took my time, arranging her bed, covering her apples as I made my way out. I needed the doctor's opinion on the drugs. The drugs were going to be delivered by 6 pm today. I needed to get a test done on it before I gave her the first dosage to avoid complications, the drugs might be too heavy for her or destroy her organs.

I shook the thought off.

There were a lot of possibilities, but I couldn't take the risk. I took a right turn just to bump into someone.

"I'm so..." My words halted as the man smirked.

Marco??. What the fuck was he doing here??.

I ignored, ready to leave before he called out.

"I heard about your daughter, I'm so sorry. Tsk..bad things do happen to good people. How is she? Your wife said she had a minor attack"

Minor attack??

"She is fine now.” I suppressed the urge to punch it off his face.

"If you need anything, you could always ask me.”He added with a cheeky smile.

I scoffed.

“After all, your wife is so busy, she doesn’t have much time to look after you two. It wouldn’t do for a husband to keep bothering her, right?”

He let out one of those fake laughs that people made when they were about to say something embarrassingly cute, unfortunately there was nothing cute about whatever he was about to say.

“Oh, by the way, she’s been buying me all these supplements lately—says they’re good for my health. Not cheap, you know? If you ever need some, just let me know. I mean, we’re practically family, aren’t we?”

I shuddered in disgust as he kept ranting on. Who the hell is ‘family’ with you?!

“Then, what are you doing here today? That fancy stuff didn’t help, huh?”

“Oh, sorry, I forgot you’re not a single dad, so you probably have no idea how exhausting it is to take care of a kid all by yourself—feeding them, putting them to bed, keeping them happy.” he puffed out a sigh.

"It's so tiring, sometimes I neglect my health, but thanks to your wife. She is really a good woman. She is always worrying about me, it's always "Mac, have you eaten?Mac, are you okay? Mac, are you sleeping well?"

I knew he was trying to bait me, to whine out a reaction from me. Little does he know that I don't care. I stopped caring when she left our daughter for his son.

"...And she is the one that bought me here?"

That gets my attention.

"She said I have been sleeping poorly, she insisted I come, neglecting her tight schedule." He placed his hand on my shoulder, patting it slightly. I shoved it away almost immediately.

"You really got a good wife. Not everyone is blessed with such a hardworking, successful and caring wife." He laughed.

"And sometimes I can't help but feel envious. You are one lucky man, my brother."

I wasn't his brother. God forbid it.

“Then, thank you”,I forced a hollow polite smile, ready to walk out —afraid that if I stayed any longer, I’d end up ripping him apart.

"Sir!!." A nurse screamed rushing towards us. She approached us, her face flushed, coloured in fear.

"What happened?"

"It's your daughter."

"What?"

"Your daughter got into a fight with a kid downstairs."