Dear Ex Wife, Please take me back novel Chapter 37

ATHENA

My heart pounds too fast, too loud.

The room feels smaller, the air thick. The sound of rushing fills my ears, deafening, drowning out every other noise. I squeeze my eyes shut, but the feeling doesn’t go away.

I can’t move.

I can’t think.

I can’t…. Stand.

“Breathe.”

The deep voice cuts through the panic, anchoring me for a fleeting second. Then, warm hands grip my arms, steady but firm. I flinch, my entire body trembling.

“Athena, please breathe.”

The command is laced with a plea. I shake my head, gasping, clawing at my chest like I can force air back into my lungs. Tears prick my eyes as I try to focus my vision.

“I..t….it's hard, Alex.” I croak out.

His hands tighten around me, pulling me against him. “Look at me.”

I can’t.

The air is too thick, too heavy.

The water is still there.

Watching.

Waiting.

Wanting to swallow me whole once again.

“Damn it, Athena.” His grip shifts, his palm pressing against the side of my face, forcing me to turn toward him. “You’re safe. Breathe with me.”

Safe.

That word doesn’t make sense.

I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling something hot slide down my cheek.

A tear.

Then another.

His forehead presses against mine, his breath steady, controlled.

“In,” he whispers.

I try.

“Out.”

My chest shudders as I force myself to mimic his breathing, slow and measured. His fingers trace gentle circles on my back, grounding me, pulling me away from whatever invisible force had wrapped around my lungs.

Minutes pass.

The bathroom isn’t suffocating anymore. The air isn’t thick. The water isn’t…

I swallow hard, my muscles still tense, but the worst has passed.

I don’t know how long we stay like this.

Me, pressed against him, shaking, broken, but eventually, I manage to pull away.

I don’t look at the bathtub.

His hands drop from me, but he doesn’t move. He watches, his green eyes unreadable, something flickering behind them.

I wipe my face quickly, embarrassed by my reaction.

“I'm sorry…… I don’t know what happened.”

A beat of silence.

Then, his voice is quiet.

“You don’t have to apologize.”

I force a weak nod, pushing myself up. My legs are unsteady, my body exhausted from the panic that had gripped me so violently.

“I’ll take a shower,” I mutter, unable to meet his gaze.

He hesitates, then says,

“I'll join you.”

My eyes widen, and I'm sure they're about to jump out of their socket, “What? No.”

“Athena, I've seen you naked before if that's your concern.”

I pause. That statement sounds awfully familiar.

“I've fucked you and I wasn't impressed.” a voice speaks in the back of my mind.

I can't help but wonder if Alex had said that to me.

Is our marriage that bad? If it is then why did he help me through my panic attack?

The thought unsettles me.

I exhale loudly, forcing my voice to sound unaffected.

“Are you not attracted to me?”

His hands pause for a fraction of a second before he lifts his gaze, his green eyes meeting mine. Something dark flickers in them, something unreadable.

Then, his lips curve slightly, his voice calm, almost amused.

“Is that what my cock says?”

My breath catches, and instinctively, my gaze drops.

Oh.

Oh.

Heat rushes to my face as I take in the very obvious, very hard evidence of his arousal.

So, he does want me.

Then why—

“Then why haven’t you done anything?” My voice is quiet, hesitant. “I’m your wife.”

A tense silence fills the space between us.

Then, without a word, Alex reaches over and turns off the shower.

He grabs a towel and wraps it around me, his movements as careful as before.

No urgency.

No hunger.

Just… restraint.

Then, just as silently, he lifts me effortlessly and carries me back to my room, setting me on the bed.

I open my mouth to say something, anything, but he steps back, his face unreadable.

“I'll prepare you something to eat. What would you like?” He asks.

“Anything.” I respond.

He nods and walks away, leaving me staring after him, confused and aching in ways I don’t understand.