His redemption after our daughter’s death

Jane's POV:

“Bellaaaaaaa!” I scream at the top of my lungs as her little body, stained with blood, hits the ground.

The world around me fades as I hold her in my arms. I glance at the truck that just hit her—there's no number plate or anything to identify it.

“Mommy...” Her faint voice grips my heart with excruciating pain. I lift her small body and run toward my car, but she takes her last breath in my arms.

My steps freeze, and time seems to stop. Did I just lose my daughter?

“No, no. Baby, my sweetheart. Here is your Mommy. Sorry, please. Mommy got late. Don’t punish Mommy like this.” I shake her body, but there’s no movement. Fresh blood droplets roll down from her lifeless form.

My vision blurs with tears. “Bella, just get up. It’s not the time for a prank.” I kneel on the road. The rough asphalt hurts my knees, but it’s nothing compared to the agony in my heart as I hold my daughter’s body.

I hug her tightly to my chest. “Noooooooooo!” Just an hour ago, she was alive, breathing, giggling, and being mischievous. Now, she’s a memory. She won’t play in the backyard or demand ice cream anymore.

“God, please. Give her back to me. I will never trust anyone else with her safety. Pleaseeeeeeeee!” The air echoes the desperate cry of a mother holding her only daughter’s lifeless form.

...

~An hour ago~

"Ma'am, I'm leaving. Here is your medicine, and I’ve put food in the refrigerator. Once Bella comes home, you can heat it up in the microwave." I nodded at my maid, feeling weak from the fever that was plaguing me.

"Let me know how your husband is doing. Take care and bye," she said with a smile before leaving.

I looked at the wall clock. It was almost time to pick Bella up from school. I took my phone and sent a reminder message to Zack, my husband.

"Don't forget to pick up Bella, please." I said immediately.

"On my way."

It was Bella’s first month at school. Such a sweet and gentle girl. I admired her picture and waited for her tiny hands to wrap around me with love.

My eyes closed with exhaustion after they left, and my phone rang. Zack’s name appeared on the screen.

“Jane, I’m dropping Bella off halfway. Pick her up from there. I have an emergency and need to leave. Bye.” Before I could respond, he hung up. I rushed out. My daughter was too young to be alone there.

How irresponsible could he be? He can’t fulfill his fatherly duties for even one day. Earning money and paying bills isn’t enough, doesn’t he understand that? I started the car and headed out.

He might be the CEO of Smith Group, but there is life beyond that.

I reached the location after a 20-minute drive. It was horrifying, and I felt guilty for trusting Zack with our daughter.

I got out of the car, and Bella was standing on the opposite side of the road. Her smile widened when she saw me.

“Mommmyyyy!” she called out with a giggle and started to run toward me.

“Don’t run, baby. Mommy is coming to you.” I took a step toward her, but a high-speed truck was heading straight for Bella.

“Bella, move!” I ran to her, but the truck hit her and kept going.

“Bellaaaaaaa!” My world shattered in an instant.

...

“Did you file an FIR?” The hospital receptionist asks with concern, jolting me out of my memory.

“No, I didn’t have time,” I reply numbly, still holding Bella against my chest.

“Please, allow us to conduct a post-mortem before we issue the death certificate.” The doctor extends his hands to take Bella.

“No, she’s been hurt enough. I won’t let you do more. Can you finish everything without causing her further pain?” He nods sympathetically.

They proceed with their formalities, and my mind goes blank. What am I supposed to do now? How will I survive without the reason for my happiness?

My phone beeps, and I check it. It’s a confirmation message from Little Sunshine, confirming our summer vacation booking. My heart aches. I was going to surprise Bella with the trip today. Now, it’s an impossible dream. I never imagined I’d be hugging my daughter’s dead body instead of taking her on vacation.

The hospital staff give me sympathetic looks, but it does little to soothe the raging storm inside me. I feel a mix of sorrow and anger that threatens to consume me. The thought of having to live without Bella is unbearable. Every corner of our home will be empty without her laughter, every morning dull without her cheerful greetings.

“Ma’am, would you like some water?” a nurse offers, her voice gentle. I nod, unable to speak, and take the glass with trembling hands. The cold water does little to wash down the lump in my throat.

Tears roll down my cheeks, hitting the phone screen. “Ma’am, the formalities are done. We’ve informed the police about the accident.” I nod at the nurse and go to Bella.

Her body lies on the bed, covered with a white sheet. The moment I never imagined is now a harsh reality.

I place my hand on her head, now wrapped in a bandage, and kiss her forehead.

I should inform Zack. I take my phone to dial him, and a notification from Zack’s ex-girlfriend, Jessica, pops up. I click on it. A picture shows Jessica kissing Zack’s cheek while he closes his eyes in contentment. The caption reads, “I can’t express my gratitude toward Smith Group for the collaboration. Such a sweetheart the CEO is!”

My grip tightens on the phone. He left our daughter alone in the middle of the road to be with his ex.

“Why, Zack? Why did you do this to us?” I whisper, my voice breaking. I can’t believe that he chose his ex over our daughter. How could he? My mind replays every moment, every smile, and every giggle of Bella’s that I’ll never see again.

He doesn’t deserve to be a father. I glare at the post, feeling the world crumble around me. Holding my daughter’s dead body with one hand and the proof of my husband’s betrayal with the other, I am struck by a storm of emotions, with no way to survive but to endure.