HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 314

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**
**Chapter 314**

“Congratulations, the surgery was successful.”

The doctor’s voice, filled with relief, reverberated through the sterile corridor as he emerged from the operating room. The moment the words registered, Riana, Kate, Lydia, and Daven sprang to their feet, a mixture of anxiety and hope etched on their faces. Daven, who had been rooted to the spot, felt a surge of urgency build within him.

“How’s Althea?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper, each word heavy with concern.

“She’s safe,” the doctor replied, a weary smile breaking through the tension. “We managed to stop the bleeding. And the baby… it’s a healthy girl, weighing three kilograms.”

A tidal wave of emotion swept through the hallway, washing over them like a sudden storm. Kate erupted into tears, enveloping Riana in a tight embrace, both of them shaking with sobs. Lydia stood nearby, her hand covering her mouth, a faint smile mingling with the tears that brimmed in her eyes. Daven, however, bowed his head, eyes squeezed shut, his shoulders quaking slightly as he fought to contain the overwhelming relief and joy.

“Thank you, Doctor,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with gratitude. “Thank you for saving them.”

But amid the fragile joy that filled the air, an ominous truth lurked, inching ever closer—a truth that would soon shatter the delicate warmth they had just begun to feel.

Out of the shadows at the end of the corridor, Chris appeared, his face as pale as a ghost, his steps hurried and unsteady. Fresh from the airport, he looked like he had been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Riana… Daven… we need to talk.”

The gravity in his tone sent a chill through Daven’s chest. “What happened?” he asked, his heart racing.

Chris inhaled deeply, his gaze heavy with sorrow. “They found the wreckage of Chase’s plane off the coast of Izmir, Turkey. There were no survivors.”

Time seemed to freeze as Riana stood frozen in place, her face draining of all color. “What do you mean—no survivors?” she stammered, disbelief coating her words.

Chris lowered his head, unable to meet her gaze. “All one hundred eighty passengers and crew members… they’re gone.”

Riana’s voice cracked, desperation creeping in. “No! No, that’s impossible! They haven’t checked everything yet, right? Maybe—maybe someone—”

Before she could finish, Kate pulled her into a fierce embrace, holding her tightly as if to shield her from the unbearable truth. “Riana, stop…,” she whispered, her voice trembling but steady. “You have to be strong.”

Lydia’s gaze was fixed out the window, her mind racing as she tried to process the words. “So… Chase is really…”

Chris nodded slowly, his expression pained. “Yes. The search and rescue mission has been called off. From now on, they’ll only be recovering debris and remains.”

A heavy silence enveloped them. Daven stood motionless, his jaw clenched as he struggled to find the right words, but none came. From the recovery room, the faint, rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor echoed—a fragile sound of new life juxtaposed against the weight of a life that had just been lost.

“Althea doesn’t know yet, does she?” Lydia asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“No,” Daven finally managed to say, his tone low yet resolute. “And I don’t want her to. Not now. Not like this.”

Riana turned to him, her eyes swollen and red with tears. “But Daven, she deserves to know! Chase was her husband!”

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