Chapter 10 - THE NIGHT THE BABY CAME
I called Elena before I called Mauricio.
Within minutes, hospital security had the message, prosecutors had been notified, and two officers were assigned outside Fernanda’s maternity floor.
Then I drove to the hospital.
Halfway there, I asked myself what I was doing.
This was my husband’s mistress.
The woman carrying the child conceived during my marriage.
The woman who had participated in a plan to manipulate me.
But another truth existed beside those facts.
Fernanda was frightened.
Her baby was innocent.
And whoever sent that message wanted fear to control us again.
I was done letting fear decide who I became.
Mauricio was in the waiting area when I arrived.
He looked stunned.
“What are you doing here?”
“Security.”
His expression softened.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Don’t turn this into something sentimental. I’m here because somebody threatened a pregnant woman.”
He nodded.
“Fair.”
Fernanda’s labor progressed slowly.
Police traced the flowers.
The order had been placed using a prepaid card.
But hospital cameras caught the delivery driver.
He was legitimate.
The order originated online.
Hours passed.
At two in the morning, I sat alone near a vending machine drinking terrible coffee.
Daniel texted.
You okay?
I had told him only that an emergency had come up.
I replied:
Complicated.
His answer came immediately.
Need anything?
No demand for explanation.
No jealousy.
No curiosity disguised as concern.
Just need anything?
I typed:
Coffee that doesn’t taste like melted tires.
Twenty-five minutes later, Daniel appeared carrying two cups.
I stared at him.
“How did you know which hospital?”
“You mentioned it during the call with your attorney before leaving the restaurant.”
“You remembered?”
“I remember things.”
That sentence hit harder than it should have.
He handed me the coffee.
“Do you want company?”
“Yes.”
So he sat.
I explained everything.
Not every detail.
Enough.
When I finished, he looked toward the maternity ward.
“That kid is going to have a complicated family.”
“You have no idea.”
“Maybe complicated doesn’t have to mean bad.”
I looked at him.
Before I could answer, Mauricio came running around the corner.
“It’s happening.”
I stood automatically.
Then stopped.
This was not my moment.
Mauricio seemed to understand.
“I just wanted you to know.”
“Go.”
He disappeared through the doors.
At 3:42 a.m., Fernanda gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
Lucía.
Six pounds, nine ounces.
Perfect.
Safe.
Mauricio came out crying.
I had never seen him look so terrified and joyful at once.
“She’s okay,” he said.
“Good.”
“Fernanda too.”
“Good.”
He hugged Daniel before realizing he had no idea who Daniel was.
Daniel looked at me over Mauricio’s shoulder.
I nearly laughed.
Mauricio stepped back.
“Sorry.”
Daniel extended his hand.
“Daniel.”
Mauricio looked at me.
Then at him.
Understanding dawned.
For one second, I expected jealousy.
Instead, Mauricio gave a tired little smile.
“Don’t screw it up.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
I said, “Mauricio.”
“What?”
“You have absolutely no authority to give relationship advice.”
For the first time in months, all three of us laughed.
It was strange.
Human.
Almost peaceful.
The threatening message was eventually traced to one of Sebastián’s former security contractors.
He claimed he had been paid months earlier to intimidate Fernanda if she cooperated.
Police arrested him before noon.
The threat ended.
But something else began.
Fernanda asked to see me.
I entered her room alone.
She held Lucía against her chest.
The baby was tiny.
Pink.
Completely unaware that adults had nearly destroyed one another before she took her first breath.
Fernanda looked exhausted.
“Would you like to hold her?”
I froze.
“No.”
Then Lucía made a small sound.
Something inside me cracked.
Fernanda whispered, “Please.”
I took the baby.
Very carefully.
Lucía opened her eyes.
I had spent years imagining motherhood.
Tests.
Calendars.
Disappointment.
Mauricio’s resentment.
Ofelia’s comments.
Holding Lucía should have hurt.
Instead, I felt something unexpected.
Relief.
This child had not stolen my future.
She had nothing to do with what adults had done.
I touched one tiny hand.
Her fingers wrapped around mine.
Fernanda began crying.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“I’m so sorry.”
I looked at her.
“Then raise her differently.”
“What?”
“Don’t teach her that another woman’s pain is the price of getting what she wants.”
Fernanda nodded through tears.
“I won’t.”
I handed Lucía back.
Outside, Daniel waited.
He didn’t ask what happened.
He simply walked beside me toward the elevator.
When we reached the parking garage, I stopped.
Then I kissed him.
He looked surprised.
“So much for no promises.”
“It was a kiss, architect. Don’t redesign the building.”
He laughed.
For the first time in years, my future felt open.
Not empty.
Open.
There was a difference.
But the legal battle was not finished.
Two days later, Elena called.
“Cárdenas wants a deal.”
“What kind?”
“He’ll testify against Sebastián.”
I gripped the phone.
“About my father?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
“What will he say?”
Elena’s answer came quietly.
“That Sebastián ordered him to keep Ernesto sedated enough that he couldn’t complete the option transfer before he died.”
I sat down.
“Did Cárdenas kill him?”
“He says no.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I believe cancer killed Ernesto.”
I exhaled.
Then she added:
“But I also believe they stole some of his final lucid days.”
That was the wound I had not prepared for.
Money could be recovered.
Companies could be rebuilt.
Signatures could be invalidated.
But time?
Nobody could return that.
I looked at my father’s photograph.
And for the first time since this began, I knew exactly what I wanted from Sebastián Ruiz.
Not his company.
May you like
Not his money.
I wanted him to sit in court and hear my father’s name spoken where everyone could hear it.
