Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 205

Chapter 205: Second Chance
As soon as Ivy reached the hospital, she rushed inside, her heart pounding as she searched for Emma. Claire had already told her where to go, and she didn’t waste a second.

The sterile smell of antiseptic filled her nostrils, but she barely registered it. All she could focus on was getting to Emma.

Then, she saw her.

Emma sat in a corner of the waiting area, her body trembling, her face buried in her hands. Her shoulders shook violently with silent sobs, her entire frame looking so small, so fragile, so utterly broken.

Because of the weight of guilt pressing on her, she had excused Alex and everyone else after Chris arrived so she could catch a moment.

“Emma…” Ivy called softly, her voice thick with emotion.

Emma’s head shot up at the familiar voice, and the moment her tear-filled eyes met Ivy’s, a choked sob tore from her throat. She stood abruptly, and Ivy barely had time to brace herself before Emma threw herself into her arms.

Ivy held her tightly, wrapping her arms around her best friend as if she could physically hold her together. Emma clung to her like a lifeline, her sobs breaking the silence of the hallway.

“Ivy…” Emma choked out between gasping cries. “I—I killed him. Jake is dead because of me!”

Ivy’s grip on her tightened. “Emma, no—”

“Yes!” Emma’s voice was raw with anguish. “If I had just left Alex, if I had stayed away, he wouldn’t have had to do all the thing he did or even involve Vanessa. Vanessa wouldn’t have tried to kill me and Jake wouldn’t have had to take that bullet! I—I caused this! I should have—”

“Stop it.” Ivy pulled back just enough to look her in the eye, cupping her tear-streaked face. “Emma, listen to me. You did not kill Jake. This isn’t your fault. Stop blaming yourself, Em. None of this is your fault.”

Emma shook her head violently. “But it is! If I—”

“I don’t want to hear you say that again.” Ivy’s voice was firm, unwavering. “You’re blaming yourself for something that was never in your control. Jake made his choice, Emma. He jumped in front of that bullet himself. You didn’t push him. He knew there was a hundred percent chance he might not survive it but he still did it, anyway. How is that your fault?”

Emma whimpered, shaking in Ivy’s grasp. “But why? Why would he do that for me after everything? I don’t even talk to him.”

Ivy exhaled, brushing damp strands of hair from Emma’s face. “I don’t know. Maybe because he finally realized the weight of everything he did to you. Maybe he knew that words would never be enough to atone for all the pain he caused you. Maybe… just maybe, this was his way of making peace with everything. His way of trying to make things right.”

Emma let out a strangled sob, her fingers clutching Ivy’s arms like she was afraid to let go. “But I don’t want him to atone like this. I don’t want him to die for me. It’s too much, Vee.”

“I know,” Ivy whispered. “But Emma, you have to stop blaming yourself. It’s okay to mourn him. It’s okay to feel hurt. But don’t turn that into self-hatred. Jake chose to save you. And if there’s anything you can do to honor that choice, it’s to forgive—not just him, but yourself. Forgive yourself and accept that he choose to do it. He didn’t want you to die for something that wasn’t even your fault. If you ask me, I think he wanted to take responsibility for all the pain and anguish he caused you.”

Emma’s cries softened, but the pain in her eyes remained. “How do I do that, Ivy? How do I forgive myself when my heart feels like it’s breaking knowing that someone is dead and that someone could’ve been me? How do I forgive myself knowing I’m living by the mercy of someone I was supposed to hate for life? Maybe what I have with Alex is the reason all of this is happening. Maybe if I hadn’t fallen for him and had insisted on honoring our contract—”

Ivy pulled her close again, stroking her hair soothingly. “What are you saying, Em? Don’t you know that love—real love—is never something to be blamed? It is pure, Em. Your love for Alex didn’t cause this. Don’t let this tragedy make you doubt what you have with him. Jake made his choice, and now, you have to make yours. You have to choose to live, Emma. You have to choose to stop carrying the weight of something that was never your burden in the first place. You have to make the most of this second chance given to you or would you have preferred you died, leaving Alex to mourn you? You should be grateful, Em. Make the most out of this life.”

Emma sobbed against her shoulder, her fingers curling into Ivy’s shirt. “I don’t know if I can.”

“You can,” Ivy whispered. “And I’ll be right here to remind you every single time you forget.”

They stood there, holding onto each other, letting the raw grief settle between them. Emma wasn’t okay—not yet—but Ivy would make sure she wouldn’t drown in her own guilt. She would be there, just like she always had been.

After a long moment, Emma slowly pulled away, wiping her tear-streaked face with the back of her hand. Her eyes were red and swollen, her body still trembling, but Ivy could see that some of the weight had lifted—just a little.

Ivy squeezed her hands gently. “Come on, let’s go back. I’m sure Alex must be worried about you now.”

Emma hesitated, her gaze flickering toward the hallway. “I don’t know if I can face them right now,” she admitted in a whisper. “I feel so… broken.”

Ivy brushed a tear from Emma’s cheek. “You don’t have to be strong right now. They’re your family, Emma. They love you. Let them be there for you the way you’d be there for them. And you should also remember that Jake was their family. They’re in pain as much as you are. You have to be there, Em.”

Emma swallowed hard before nodding. Taking a deep breath, she turned toward the hallway, leading to where Alex and the rest are and Ivy walked beside her, making sure she wasn’t alone.

As they stepped back into the side of the waiting area Alex were, the first thing they saw was Alex. He was pacing near the chairs, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his entire posture radiating tension.

His face was pale, his expression unreadable, but the moment he saw Emma, his entire body stilled.

Claire was seated on one of the chairs, her hands clasped together tightly. Chris was next to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, whispering something soothing as she sniffled quietly.

The moment Claire lifted her gaze and saw Emma, fresh tears welled in her eyes. “Emma…” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Emma bit her lip, guilt flashing across her face once more. But before she could even say anything, Alex was already moving.

In just a few strides, he reached her and pulled her into his arms. “Emma,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

Emma stiffened for a second before melting into his embrace. She buried her face in his chest, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks.

Alex held her close, his grip strong, as if he was afraid she’d slip away. “I’m here,” he whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Hearing him, Ivy’s question gnawed at Emma’s insides. What would he had done if she had been the one dead? Would he had been able to pull himself together? Perhaps, Ivy was right and what she needed was to make the most of this life. Emma thought as she held on tightly to Alex.

Ivy turned her attention to Claire and Chris. Claire was staring at Emma with so much emotion in her eyes, as if seeing her alive was both a relief and a reminder of the cost. Chris continued to comfort her, whispering reassurances as he rubbed gentle circles on her back.

Ivy walked over and sat beside Claire, squeezing her hand. “We’ll get through this,” she said softly. “All of us.”

Claire sniffled, nodding as she squeezed Ivy’s hand back. “I just… I can’t believe he’s gone. I know he cost us so much pain but it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Chris exhaled deeply, his jaw tight as he looked at everyone. “None of this feels real.”

A heavy silence settled over them, the weight of grief pressing down on all of them. But even in the midst of sorrow, they were together. They had each other.

And no matter how broken they felt right now, they would help each other heal and make sure they don’t just remember the evil Jake did but the good he did in his last moments.