CEO’s Regret After I Divorced (Serena and Ryan) novel Chapter 304

Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Ready to Go Home

Serena’s POV

I couldn’t tell how long I’d been out when consciousness started seeping back into my body. First came the sounds—beeping machines, hushed voices, someone crying softly. Then the sensation—a dull throbbing in my side and a sharper pain at the back of my head. The antiseptic smell hit me next, that unmistakable hospital scent.

My eyelids felt impossibly heavy as I struggled to open them. The fluorescent lights above were blinding, making me wince.

"She’s waking up!" Someone gasped—Maya’s voice, thick with tears.

I blinked several times, the room slowly coming into focus. My hospital bed was surrounded by people—Maya still in her wedding dress though it was wrinkled now, mascara streaking her cheeks; Ethan beside her looking shell-shocked; my brother Ethan Quinn hovering anxiously at the foot of the bed; and Ryan...

Ryan was right next to me, clutching my hand like it was his lifeline. His knuckles were white, face ashen, hair disheveled like he’d been running his fingers through it for hours. His normally immaculate suit was rumpled and stained with what looked horribly like blood—my blood.

"Don’t try to move," he said, his voice raw. "You’re okay. You’re going to be okay."

I tried to speak but my throat felt like sandpaper. Ryan immediately reached for a cup with a straw, gently holding it to my lips. The cool water was heaven.

"What happened?" I managed to croak out, though I was starting to remember fragments—Edward, the gun, pushing Maya and Ethan...

Maya’s face crumpled. "You saved us, Serena. That psychopath Edward was aiming for Ethan but you..." she broke off, unable to continue.

"The bullet hit you in the side," Ryan explained quietly, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. "And you hit your head on the sound equipment when you fell. You’ve been unconscious for about six hours."

"Edward?" I asked.

"In custody," Ethan Quinn answered, stepping closer. His eyes were red-rimmed too. "Security tackled him seconds after he fired. The police have him, and with attempted murder at a public event with hundreds of witnesses plus his previous stalking charges... he’s never seeing daylight again."

I nodded weakly, then winced as pain shot through my head.

"Don’t move your head," Ryan said immediately, his hand tightening around mine. "The doctor said you have a mild concussion."

"The bullet?" I whispered.

"Grazed your side," Ryan explained. "Missed everything vital. You were incredibly lucky."

Maya suddenly burst into fresh tears. "You could have died because of us! I’ll never forgive myself for—"

"Stop," I interrupted, my voice stronger now. "I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Not your fault. Never your fault."

Ethan pulled his sobbing bride gently against his chest, mouthing "thank you" to me over her head, his own eyes glistening.

The door opened and a doctor entered, clipboard in hand. "Ah, Mrs. Blackwood, you’re awake. That’s excellent. How’s the pain?"

"Manageable," I lied. Every breath felt like fire in my side.

The doctor wasn’t fooled. "I’ll have the nurse increase your pain medication. The good news is the bullet wound was relatively clean—it grazed your abdomen but didn’t penetrate deeply. No major organs were damaged. The concussion is mild, but we’ll keep you under observation for the next 24-48 hours to be safe." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"When can she come home?" Ryan asked, his voice tight with concern.

"Assuming no complications, probably in three days. The bullet wound will take a few weeks to heal completely, and she’ll need rest for the concussion, but there’s no reason she won’t make a full recovery."

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