Chapter 72: Giana’s Awakening
Morning sunlight spilled through the hospital blinds, soft and golden. The sterile quiet of the room was broken only by the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor. Giana stirred, her lashes fluttering open, and for a moment she thought she’d dreamed everything — the car, the fear, Pablo’s arms around her, the doctor’s voice.
But then she turned her head and saw the hospital bracelet on her wrist, and it all came rushing back.
Seven weeks.
Pregnant.
Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, flat beneath the thin blanket. It didn’t feel real.
On the table beside her, her phone buzzed. A flood of messages blinked across the screen — mostly from her mother, one from Mike checking in, and one unknown number with a short, sharp line that made her blood run cold.
“Congratulations, Miss Ortega. The world will know soon enough.”
Her pulse spiked. There was no signature, but she didn’t need one. Whoever had been following her — whoever had taken those photos — knew.
Her fingers trembled as she locked the phone and set it face down, pressing a hand to her forehead.
The door opened softly, and she looked up to see Pablo step inside. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in days — his tie gone, sleeves rolled to his forearms, his expression shadowed but relieved the instant he saw her awake.
“You’re up,” he said softly, coming to her side. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “And… confused.”
He brushed a hand through his hair, his usual confidence cracked by worry.
“You’re being discharged today,” he said. “The doctor just left your chart with me. They want you on bed rest for a few days — and to take things easy.”
She nodded slowly, her eyes studying him. “You look worse than I do.”
He gave a small, exhausted laugh. “Probably.”
She hesitated, then spoke carefully. “Pablo… I got a message. Someone knows. About the baby.”
His jaw tensed. “Let me see.”
She handed him the phone. He read the message, eyes darkening. “Carina,” he muttered under his breath. “It has to be.”
Giana frowned. “Carina? Who is—”
“My ex,” he said quickly, then sighed. “I’ll explain everything, I promise. But right now, I need you somewhere safe. Away from whoever’s watching you.”
He paused, meeting her eyes. “I want you to move in with me.”
Her breath caught. “Move in with you?”
“Yes.” His voice was low but urgent. “To the Villa. It’s private, secure. Joseph and Gloriana live there. There are guards, cameras, staff I trust. You’ll be safe there.”
She blinked, trying to process the flood of words. “Wait — Joesph and Gloriana how could she face them?”
He nodded, hesitating just long enough for her heart to twist. “Giana… there’s something else I haven’t told you.”
She stared at him, the dread in her chest growing. “What?”
He took a slow breath, as if bracing himself. “I’m not just Pablo Garcia. My full name is Pablo Garcia — Crown Prince of Isla Isabella.”
The words landed like a blow.
For a moment, she just stared at him. “You’re… a prince?”
“Yes.”
She sank back against the pillows, her pulse roaring in her ears. “Oh my God.”
“I didn’t want you to find out like this,” he said quickly. “I wanted to tell you when things were calm. But everything’s spiraled out of control — the photos, the threats, Carina’s involvement—”
She cut him off with a trembling laugh. “So I’m… pregnant with a prince’s baby. And there are threats. And people watching me.” She pressed her hands over her face. “Pablo, this sounds like something out of a movie.”
“I know,” he murmured, sitting on the edge of her bed. “But this is real. And I need you to trust me.”
“I do,” she whispered, lowering her hands. “But… what about Gloriana? I don’t want to just show up and—”
“She loves you,” he said gently. “You’ve already seen how much she loves you, remember? She adores you.”
Her breath hitched.
He nodded.
“I know it’s a lot,” he said softly. “But please, Giana. I can’t protect you from a distance. Whoever sent that message — they’re getting bold. If anything happened to you or our baby…” His voice broke. “I couldn’t live with that.”
She looked at him — really looked. The tension in his shoulders, the dark circles under his eyes, the unspoken fear trembling beneath his calm.
“Pablo,” she said carefully, “I haven’t even told my mother or Mike about you. They don’t know anything. And now—”
“They’ll understand,” he said quickly. “We’ll tell them together, when you’re ready. But I need you to come with me today. Please.”
Her heart ached with the weight of it all — the whirlwind of truth, fear, and something deeper she couldn’t name. She wanted to go home, to her quiet bedroom, to normalcy. But that life wasn’t safe anymore.
She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, then opened them again. “All right,” she said softly. “I’ll go.”
Pablo exhaled, a rush of relief breaking through his tension. He reached for her hand, pressing it gently to his lips. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she murmured. “I have no idea what I’m walking into. And I’m free to change my mind if I want to…”
He smiled faintly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “You’re free to do as you please but you will never be without an escort. And you’ll also have a villa full of family. A chance to keep you safe. And… a future we’ll figure out together.”
She tried to smile back, though her stomach fluttered with nerves. “Just… promise me one thing, Pablo.”
“Anything.”
“No more surprises.”
He chuckled softly, though his eyes betrayed a trace of guilt. “I’ll do my best.”
As the nurse entered to finalize her discharge papers, Giana glanced out the window. Down below, a sleek black car waited in the hospital’s roundabout drive — and beside it, two men in dark suits stood watching the entrance.
A chill ran down her spine.
Pablo noticed her tense and gently squeezed her hand. “They’re with me,” he said quietly. “You’re safe now.”
But as they left the hospital together — his hand firm around hers — Giana couldn’t help but notice how much is changing now that the truth is out. She couldn’t help but wonder how safe anyone could truly be when the world suddenly felt unfamiliar and new.