Dear Ex-wife Marry Me

Stella lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, when she heard the commotion outside. The clock blinked 3:00 AM.

Suddenly, Dave burst into her room, yanking her out of bed. "The Moore family has found us! We can't stay any longer. We need to get to the airport now. By 8 AM, we'll be on a flight, and we won't be setting foot in North America for at least six months."

Groggy but alert, Stella quickly got ready. Before leaving, she sent a message to Beck.

"Beck, 7 AM, JFK Airport. Can we meet one last time?"

She hesitated on the last words, feeling a bit vulnerable, but she sent it anyway.noveldrama

Beck had been getting up early lately. Last night, he hadn't slept at all. When Stella's message came through, he glanced at it briefly, set his phone aside, and headed to the bathroom.

After freshening up, he decided to go for a swim, indulging in the solitude of the early morning. Half an hour later, as he toweled off, a housekeeper approached.

"Sir, you've had three missed calls."

Beck glanced at the time; it was almost 7 AM. The missed calls were from Stella. He hadn't reached out to her in over a year.

His phone buzzed again. He answered it reluctantly.

"Are you not coming?" Stella's voice was soft, almost pleading.

Beck rubbed the towel over his dripping hair. "There's nothing left to say between us."

Stella gripped her phone tightly, her voice barely above a whisper when she spoke again. "When did you wake up last night? Did you know I'd drugged you?"

Beck paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Stella sighed, her tone softening. "Beck, I'm leaving, and I won't be back for half a year. I just wanted to see you."

Despite everything, despite the child they lost-something Dave had always insisted was a reason not to let herself be sentimental-Stella still found herself drawn to Beck. Just hearing his voice stirred something deep within her.

"No need for goodbyes, Stella. I didn't tip off the Porter family about your whereabouts. Consider that a mercy."

Otherwise, she might not have been able to leave North America.

Stella fell silent, the depth of his disdain sinking in.

Beck was about to hang up when he heard her voice again, softer still.

"Beck, I sabotaged your wedding on purpose. You've probably done a DNA test by now and know that child wasn't yours. Our child didn't make it. I carried him for so long without feeling him move, hiding at the border without the means for a check- up. I thought he'd survive. But when he was born, he was already gone. It hurts so much, and maybe telling you will ease that pain."

Beck had known the woman from a year ago was Stella, but he never imagined she was pregnant. He certainly hadn't expected her to hide out near the border after finding out.

The child was gone?

He gripped the phone, his throat tight, words failing him.

"Beck, it was my mistake, trying to hold onto something that wasn't mine. I've come to terms with it, but the child-that's a wound that won't heal. If you feel even a hint of emotion, it might make it easier for me to bear."

Beck, almost automatically, began dressing, intending to ask her to wait a few more minutes, but the line had already gone dead.

"Stella!" he called out, quickly pulling on his shoes and grabbing his keys. He rushed out the door, heading for the airport.