Hell Hath no fury like a billionaire's Ex
Chapter 120: Shattered Glass

Chapter 120: Shattered Glass

Diane’s POV

There was a crowd of people gathered around what looked like an accident scene, their silhouettes illuminated by the flashing lights of approaching emergency vehicles. But it was the familiar shape of a car...a car that looked devastatingly like Noah’s...that made my heart stop.

"Stop the car," I commanded, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Ma’am?" my security detail asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"STOP THE CAR!" I screamed, panic rising in my throat.

The driver immediately pulled over, parking directly opposite the accident scene. My hands were shaking as I fumbled with the door handle, my pregnant belly making it difficult to move quickly. The moment I stepped out, the full horror of what I was seeing hit me like a physical blow.

Noah’s car had flipped completely over, its roof crushed against the floor. The front end was mangled beyond recognition where it had collided with another vehicle. Glass and metal debris were scattered across the road like deadly confetti.

And there, lying motionless on the ground beside the wreckage, was Noah, with some people who I guess had successfully help pulled him out of the wrecked car.

"NOAH!" I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat with such force that it felt like my vocal cords might snap. "NO NO NO NO!"

I tried to run toward him, but my security detail immediately caught me, their strong arms wrapping around my shoulders as I fought against their hold.

"Ma’am, please, you need to stay back," one of them said urgently. "Let us handle this."

"That’s Noah!" I sobbed, my legs threatening to give out beneath me. "That’s my Noah! Oh God, please no!"

Two of my security guards rushed forward, dropping to their knees beside Noah’s still form as they asked the two people to step aside let them help. I watched in terror as they checked for a pulse, their movements professional but urgent. One of them began CPR compressions while the other tilted Noah’s head back to check his airway.

"Come on, come on," I heard one of them mutter under his breath.

The seconds stretched into eternity. My babies seemed to sense my distress, moving frantically in my belly as if they too were crying out for the man who had become such an important part of our lives. I pressed my hands against my stomach, trying to calm them while my own world was falling apart.

Then, like a miracle, Noah began to cough. It was a weak, raspy sound, but it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. His eyes fluttered open, unfocused and confused, but alive.

"Noah!" I cried out, fresh tears streaming down my face—tears of relief this time instead of despair.

My security team quickly but carefully lifted Noah from the ground, supporting his weight between them as they carried him toward our car. He was conscious but clearly weak, his head lolling against one of their shoulders.

"Hospital," I said urgently as they helped him into the backseat. "We need to get him to the hospital now."

I climbed in beside Noah, cradling his head in my lap as gently as I could. His face was pale and there was a cut on his forehead, but his eyes found mine and held them.

"Diane," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Shh, don’t try to talk," I said, stroking his hair. "You’re going to be okay. We’re getting you help."

As we sped toward the hospital, I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers and called Joan.

"Diane?" she answered on the second ring. "How did the dinner go?"

"Joan," I said, my voice breaking. "Noah’s been in an accident. We’re on our way to the hospital."

"What?" Joan’s voice rose in alarm. "What happened? Is he okay?"

"His car flipped over," I said between sobs. "He was unconscious when we found him. Joan, I don’t know how bad it is."

"I’m coming to the hospital right now," Joan said immediately. "Which one?"

"General Hospital on Fifth Street," I replied.

"Wait," Joan said, confusion evident in her voice. "Diane, wasn’t Noah supposed to be on a business trip? Why was he even in town?"

The question hit me like a punch to the gut, and fresh guilt washed over me. "It’s all my fault, Joan," I said, my voice dissolving into sobs. "It’s all my fault. I should have listened to you. I shouldn’t have gone on this dinner. At least we wouldn’t be in this situation now."

I could hear Joan’s sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. "Diane, listen to me. This is not your fault. Accidents happen. Focus on Noah right now, okay? I’ll be there in twenty minutes."

We arrived at the hospital, and the medical staff immediately took over. They placed Noah on a gurney and began wheeling him toward the emergency room for evaluation. I tried to follow, but a nurse gently but firmly stopped me.

"Ma’am, I need you to wait here while we examine him," she said kindly. "We need to check for internal injuries and bleeding. You can see him as soon as we’re finished."

My security detail helped me to a chair in the waiting area, and I collapsed into it, my hands protectively covering my belly. The babies were still moving restlessly, as if they could sense the chaos around them.

True to her word, Joan arrived within twenty minutes, her face flushed and her eyes wide with worry. She rushed over to me, immediately pulling me into a hug.

"What happened?" she asked urgently. "Tell me everything."

I filled her in on finding Noah at the accident scene, watching him being resuscitated, the terrifying moments when I thought I might lose him. Through it all, I kept blaming myself, saying over and over that this was my fault, that I couldn’t bear to lose him.

"Diane, stop," Joan said firmly, gripping my shoulders. "You did not cause this accident. Do you hear me? This is not your fault."

But I couldn’t stop the guilt from consuming me. If I hadn’t gone to dinner with Liam, if I hadn’t insisted on meeting him despite everyone’s warnings, Noah wouldn’t have come back from his business trip early. He wouldn’t have been on that road at that moment.

After what felt like hours but was probably only forty-five minutes, a doctor approached us. My heart leaped into my throat as I stood to meet him.

"Are you here for Noah Hemsworth?" he asked.

"Yes," I said breathlessly. "Is he okay?"

The doctor smiled, and I felt my knees nearly buckle with relief. "He’s going to be fine," he said. "He has some bruising and a mild concussion, but no internal bleeding and no broken bones. He’s awake and asking for you."

"Thank God," I whispered, tears streaming down my face again.

"You can see him now," the doctor continued. "But try to keep the visit calm. He needs rest."

Joan and I, along with my security detail, made our way to Noah’s room. When I opened the door and saw him sitting up in the hospital bed, looking tired but very much alive, I couldn’t hold back my tears.

I rushed to his bedside, settling carefully in the chair next to him while Joan took the couch across the room. I reached out to touch his face, needing to reassure myself that he was really okay.

"You scared me," I said softly, my voice thick with emotion. "You scared me so badly, Noah. I’m so sorry this happened. I should never have gone to that dinner. I put your life at risk."

I moved to wrap my arms around him, but he winced in pain, and I immediately pulled back.

"Sorry," I said quickly. "I forgot about your bruises."

Noah smiled sheepishly despite his obvious discomfort. "It’s okay. I’m tougher than I look."

"What were you even doing back in town?" I asked. "I thought your business trip wasn’t supposed to end until tomorrow."

Noah’s expression grew more serious. "The meeting finished earlier than expected, and I didn’t want to waste any more time there. I took the next available flight home because I didn’t trust what Liam might do at that dinner."

He paused, his jaw tightening. "I was going to call you, but I wanted to surprise you. Remember how you joked about wanting me to be your personal bodyguard? I thought I’d show up and actually do it."

My heart clenched at his words. He had come back early to protect me.

"When I got to the restaurant and saw Liam holding your hand like that, refusing to let you go..." Noah’s voice trailed off, and I could see the pain in his eyes. "It broke my heart, Diane. And those things he said, claiming you as his wife, talking about your children..."

"Noah," I started, but he continued.

"I confronted him in the restroom," he said, his voice growing harder. "He actually tried to attack me first. But I left my signature on his face—I guess he didn’t get the message from our first encounter, so I reminded him again with my fist."

I thought about Liam’s swollen jaw and split lip when he’d returned to the table, and pieces clicked into place.

"I love you so much, Diane," Noah said, his voice growing soft again. "I don’t want any harm to come to you. But seeing him hold your hand, seeing him refuse to let you leave with me... it made me question everything."

His eyes met mine, vulnerable and uncertain. "Are you still in love with him? Because I love you enough to respect whatever decision you make, even if it destroys me."

I glanced over at Joan, who shrugged with a gesture that clearly said, ’I asked you the same question earlier.’

Taking Noah’s uninjured hand in both of mine, I looked directly into his eyes. "Noah, whatever feelings I had for Liam died the day he slept with my sister. I love you, and nothing is going to change my mind anytime soon." I leaned closer, lowering my voice to a teasing whisper. "Besides, have you seen yourself? You’re like a Greek god who decided to moonlight as a businessman. How could I possibly want anyone else when I have you?"

Noah’s cheeks flushed slightly, and despite everything, he smiled.

Before he could respond, and despite Joan’s presence in the room, I leaned forward and kissed him with all the passion and relief and love I had been holding back. It was deep and desperate and filled with everything I couldn’t put into words.

Noah’s eyes widened in shock before they fluttered closed. His uninjured arm came up to cup the back of my head, and I could feel his entire body responding to the kiss. Every wall, every guard he had built up melted away under the intensity of our connection.

"Ahem," Joan cleared her throat loudly. "Get a room, you two. And remember, I’m still here!"

We broke apart, both breathing heavily, and I began to laugh—a mixture of relief, embarrassment, and pure joy. Joan shot me a mock glare, but I could see she was trying not to smile.

I reached up and ruffled Noah’s hair affectionately. "Joan, would it be okay if Noah stayed with us while he recovers? Just until he’s feeling better?"

Noah immediately protested. "That’s not necessary. I can stay at my hotel. I don’t want to put you both through any stress. Besides, I’ll be going back to base soon, and I’m planning to travel with you anyway."

Joan nodded decisively. "Of course he can stay. Anything to make Diane happy. Besides, the house has been boring lately, and it would be good to have someone around to make it lively again—someone to make my friend happy, at least before you have to leave." She winked at me.

I felt my cheeks burn like a teenage girl who had just been caught staring at her crush.

Noah grinned, some of his usual charm returning despite his injuries. "Well, I think it’s time to get discharged. I’m feeling much better now that the queen has healed me with her true love’s kiss." He gestured dramatically with his uninjured hand.

The discharge process was relatively quick, and soon we were making our way out of the hospital. My security detail, who had been quietly observing everything, seemed genuinely relieved that Noah was okay. Over the time they’d known him, they had grown to respect and like him.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Hemsworth?" one of them asked as we walked to the car.

"Like I got hit by a truck," Noah replied honestly, "but grateful to be alive."

Another guard chimed in with a grin, "Well, at least now you know what it feels like to literally fall head over heels for someone."

Everyone burst out laughing, and even Noah couldn’t help but chuckle despite his soreness.

"What about your car?" one of the guards asked more seriously.

"Insurance will cover it," Noah replied. "It’s not a problem."

On the way back to Joan’s house, she suggested we pick up some takeout since none of us felt like cooking after the evening’s drama.

As we waited for our food order, I turned to Noah with a concerned expression. "I’m not sure you’ll be able to go on that dinner date with my family as we planned. I’d rather you recover fully before I introduce you to my father."

Noah nodded understandingly, then his expression grew more serious. "Actually, I have some news about that. I saw Guerrero while I was on the business trip. We talked at length, and some decisions have been made about the future of Synergy Sphere and about Liam."

My heart skipped a beat. "What kind of decisions?"

"You’ll be getting a call from Guerrero soon," Noah said with a slight smile. "Let’s just say lines are falling in pleasant places for you."

Despite everything that had happened, I felt a surge of hope and happiness. Maybe today hadn’t been all bad after all.

I had Noah safe in my arms, my babies were healthy and active, and it sounded like justice was finally coming for Liam.

As we drove through the night toward home, Noah’s hand in mine and my best friend beside me, I realized that sometimes the worst moments in life could lead to the most beautiful ones.

And sometimes, the people we thought we might lose turned out to be exactly the ones we were meant to keep forever.