Chapter 1 — The Night They Couldn’t Ignore
Chapter 1 — The Night They Couldn’t Ignore
The apartment felt different after that moment.
Not because anything in the room had changed, but because Diego could no longer pretend it was just “pregnancy fatigue.”
That night, he didn’t sleep.
He sat on the edge of the bed, watching Mariana breathe like each inhale required permission from her own body. Every few minutes, the faint beeping of the portable monitor broke the silence, reminding him that their baby was still there—still fighting.
At around 3 a.m., Mariana finally spoke.
“Diego…”
He immediately leaned in.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Diego shook his head slowly.
“Don’t apologize. Just tell me everything.”
Her eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling.
“They said I need constant monitoring,” she said. “If I move too much, the pressure can cause complications. The hospital wanted me admitted full-time.”
Diego exhaled sharply, like the truth physically hurt.
“But I refused,” she added.
That made him freeze.
“Why?”
Mariana turned her head slightly toward him.
“Because I saw you counting groceries last month,” she said quietly. “Because I know how much you’re already carrying.”
Diego looked down at his hands, the same hands that fixed broken air systems in half-empty buildings just to pay rent.
“You thought saving money was worth risking both of you?” he asked.
No anger in his voice—only disbelief.
Mariana closed her eyes.
“I thought I was being strong.”
A long silence followed.
Then Diego stood up.
May you like
He didn’t argue. Didn’t lecture.
He simply said, “Pack a small bag.”
