Chapter 49

POV - Raquel

I opened my eyes slowly, as if my eyelids weighed too much. The first thing I heard was a constant beeping, accompanied by other mechanical sounds, regular and cold. The smell of disinfectant invaded my nostrils and I immediately understood where I was: a hospital.

I felt my body heavy and numb, as if it weren't part of me. My throat burned, my abdomen hurt and my head seemed to float in a sea of clouds. I tried to move my hand and then noticed that some fingers were clinging to mine with great force. I barely turned my head and saw him.

Eduard.

He was sleeping in the chair, leaning toward me, with his forehead almost touching my arm. He had deep dark circles, a beard covering his face and his clothes were wrinkled, as if he hadn't had the chance to change in days. The way he held my hand told me everything: he had been there the whole time, taking care of me and fearing to let me go.

A tremor ran through my lips before I could formulate the question, almost in a whisper:

"My baby...?"

He woke up suddenly, as if he had been waiting for those words. Our eyes met and I saw how they filled with tears. He caressed my face with both hands, trembling.

"He's alive, Raquel. Our son is alive," he said with a broken voice, and my heart stopped for an instant before accelerating again.

I saw him take his phone out of his pocket and show me an image. There, in an incubator, a small baby slept with a little hat on his head and flushed skin. My eyes filled with tears. A feeling of relief ran through me from head to toe.

"He's beautiful..." I whispered with a soft voice.

Eduard kissed my forehead and held my hand tightly.

"He's strong, like his mother. He needs time, but the doctors say he's stable. You just need to focus on recovering, love."

Tears began to fall down my cheeks. I had imagined this moment so many times, seeing him in his father's arms, and yet guilt invaded me. I almost lost him... we almost lost him.

I didn't have much time to delve into my thoughts, because the door opened and the room began to fill up. Mariana was the first to enter, she ran toward me and hugged me carefully, crying. Then came Celeste, followed by the triplets, and finally Antonio.

"Mom..." said Mariana between sobs, stroking my hair. "I thought I would never hear you again."

"I'm here, daughter," I could say with a still weak voice, hugging her with all my strength.

Gabriel and Gael threw themselves into my arms, crying too, and Gabriela, although she tried to be strong, ended up hiding her face in my chest. Antonio stayed a little further away, with a serious expression and bright eyes.

"We're all here because we love you, mom," he finally said, surprising me by looking at Eduard for an instant before adding, "And although I don't like to admit it... it shows that he does too."

My heart stopped for a moment. Antonio, always so protective, was giving in. I nodded silently, my eyes filled with tears. Celeste was the one who broke the atmosphere as usual. She sat on the edge of the bed, took my hand and smiling said:

"My God, woman, you were leaving us and you still have the face of feeling guilty. Stop being dramatic, you survived everything, even Carolina. You're stronger than you think."

I began to laugh through tears, and that mixture of laughter and crying filled the room. For the first time in a long time, I felt peace: we were together, alive and complete.

The hours that followed were a parade of hugs, kisses and words of encouragement. The doctors came in several times, explaining that the hemorrhage had been serious and that I needed complete rest. They warned me that the following days would be crucial, but I was already out of immediate danger. Still, I couldn't stop feeling anguish. When the room emptied and only Celeste remained with me, I broke down.

"Celeste... what if my body fails again? What if I don't resist?" I asked her through tears.

She looked at me intently, with the look of a friend who understands my soul better than I do myself.

"Look, Raquel. You're alive. Do you understand what that means? God gave you another chance. Stop thinking about what could go wrong and focus on what you have now: your children, that beautiful baby, and a man who would do anything for you. Don't ruin this with fears that only exist in your mind."

I said nothing. I just nodded as she hugged me.

That night, when everyone had left, Eduard stayed with me. The room was dark, lit only by the soft moonlight coming through the window. He took my hand and kissed it with a devotion that made me shiver.

"Raquel," his voice broke. "I was about to lose you. You don't know what I felt seeing you pale during childbirth... I swear I would have given my life to save you."

Tears returned to my eyes.

"I also thought I was going to die, Eduard. But I only thought about seeing your face, about seeing our son in your arms. I couldn't leave without that."

He leaned down and hugged me tightly, as if he needed to make sure all this was real.

"I don't want you to feel fear again, do you hear me?" he whispered near my ear. "You don't need to be strong. I'm here, and I don't plan to leave. Never."

I closed my eyes and let myself be carried away by what he was saying. For the first time in weeks, I began to think that maybe, just maybe, fate was offering me a chance to be happy.

When Eduard finally fell asleep beside me, I remained awake, looking toward the window. The moon rose splendidly over the city, shining like a beacon in the darkness.

My heart, although full of fear, also filled with a new determination.

"I don't know how much more time life will give me. But while I breathe, I will fight. For my children, for that baby who needs me, for this love that came when I least expected it. I won't give up. Because now I have something to lose, and that makes me stronger than ever."

And with that silent promise, I closed my eyes, clutching Eduard's hand, sure that, whatever happens, I would never face the darkness alone again.