My heart started pounding.
She had said she was going to the temple that morning—what was she doing here?
We both avoided exchanging glances. Neither of them said anything. But one thing was clear: we were both hiding something from our husbands.
I thought to myself,
“Maybe he just came in for a check-up… or has a delicate health problem…”
But the real tragedy began when a young doctor came out of the office and shouted loudly:
—“Responsible family member of patient María Luisa Herrera — 12 weeks pregnant — please come and receive information.”
I felt my blood run cold.
María Luisa Herrera…
That was my stepmother’s name.
I stood up slowly, my throat dry, watching her stand up too. He no longer avoided my gaze… His eyes were now filled with panic.
As she walked towards the doctor’s office, she whispered nervously to the doctor:
“Please don’t say that out loud… I still don’t know how to explain it to my family…”
I couldn’t contain myself any longer.
I followed her.
But as soon as I entered the room…
The three of us — the doctor, my mother-in-law and I — remained completely motionless.
Because inside, sitting in the private waiting room…
There was a man.
And he wasn’t just any man.
It was…
My husband, Alejandro.
… my husband, Alejandro.
Time seemed to stand still.
I felt a buzzing in my ears. My heart was beating so hard it seemed to resonate throughout the room.
Alejandro looked up.
Her eyes pierced me… And then they remained fixed on their mother.
For a moment, the three of us remained completely still.
No one was speaking.
Nobody understood what was happening.
But one thing was clear…
No one here was innocent.
The one who broke the silence was the doctor.
—Are you responsible for the patient María Luisa Herrera?
Alejandro stood up slowly.
” Yes…
I turned abruptly towards him.
“Responsible?” Are you responsible for your mother?
My voice was trembling, but an inexplicable fear began to grow within me.
My mother-in-law intervened immediately:
“It’s not what you think…”
But he didn’t dare look me in the eyes.
The doctor looked at us, confused:
“Excuse me…” But because of certain complications related to the fetus, we need to speak directly to the person in charge.
I froze.
—Fetus…?
I looked at my mother-in-law, my voice breaking:
“Really… Are you pregnant?”
She did not answer.
He simply lowered his head.
And that silence… was the answer.
I watched Alejandro.
“Did you already know that?”
He clenched his fists.
“I knew… Two weeks ago…”
“Two weeks?” I laughed bitterly, “And you didn’t tell me anything? You left me to face all this alone?”
“I didn’t know how to tell you…”
“Or are you hiding something else?”
My question left him silent.
The atmosphere became heavy.
Continued on next page
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