Chapter One Hundred And Forty Seven

I stared at him, my pulse hammering in my ears.

Pregnant?

No. That couldn't be right.

"She's…" My throat felt like sandpaper as I forced the words out. "She's pregnant?"

The doctor nodded, his expression uncertain "With twins." He hesitated, then sighed. "One of them didn't make it. But the other… they're still holding on. Barely."

My chest tightened like a vice.

Twins.

Sofia was pregnant with my children.

And I had no idea.

I swallowed hard, my mind spinning. Even if I had suspected she was pregnant, there was no way she should be in her third trimester.

Not unless-

The realization hit me like a freight train.

I thought back to the last time.

Not recently. Not the night I lost control and did things I could never take back.

No.

Before that.

Months ago.

The night of my mother's birthday.

That was the only time it made sense.

I staggered back, gripping the wall for support as my stomach twisted. How had I not known? How had she kept it from me?

"Why didn't the pregnancy show?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor sighed, adjusting his glasses. "It's a cryptic pregnancy. Rare, but it happens. The signs are hidden, sometimes even from the mother herself. No weight gain, no obvious symptoms. Some women don't find out until they go into labor."

I could barely process his words.

Sofia had been carrying my child-children-this whole time. And I never knew.

And now…

Now she was fighting for her life.

And so was our baby.

The doctor's words barely registered through the storm in my head.

Sofia was pregnant. With twins.

One was already gone.

And now I had to choose?

"So," the doctor said, his voice cautious, "which one should we save?"

Something inside me snapped.

I lunged, grabbing the front of his shirt in my fists.

"Save both." My voice was raw, shaking with barely restrained fury. "You hear me? You save both of them."

His eyes widened slightly, but he remained composed. "We'll do everything we can. But if it comes down to-"

"No." I tightened my grip, my breathing uneven. "You're not choosing between them. You save both."

The doctor studied me for a long moment before nodding. "We'll try."

Try.

That wasn't good enough.

I let go of him, my hands shaking as he turned and rushed back through the doors.

I stood there, frozen.

Sofia.

Our baby.

They were in there, fighting to survive.

And there wasn't a damn thing I could do but wait.

I sank onto the nearest chair, elbows resting on my knees, my hands tangled in my hair. My chest felt like it was being crushed from the inside, every breath a struggle. The sterile scent of the hospital burned my nostrils, the too-bright lights making my head pound.

Minutes crawled by.

Then an hour.

Then another.

Every time a doctor or nurse walked past, my head snapped up, expecting-dreading-an update. But none of them stopped. No one looked my way.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

I should be in there with her. I should be the one fighting, not standing out here like a helpless fool.

The thought made my stomach churn. I had spent my life in control, always dictating how things played out. But this… this was the one thing I had no power over.

A soft voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Sir?"

I looked up sharply, my heart hammering. A nurse stood before me, her face gentle, careful. Like she was preparing to break me all over again.

"The doctor wants to see you."

I shot to my feet. "Is she-?"

"Come with me."

I didn't wait for more. My legs carried me down the hall, my pulse pounding with every step.

The doctor was waiting outside the operating room. His face was unreadable, but his hands were tense at his sides.

"Tell me," I demanded, my voice barely steady.

He let out a slow breath. "We managed to stop the bleeding, but it was close. Very close. She's weak, but she's stable for now."

The weight pressing against my chest lifted-only slightly.

"And the baby?"

The doctor hesitated.

A cold chill ran down my spine.

"We had to perform an emergency C-section," he finally said. "The baby is alive, but very premature. They're in the NICU, fighting, but… the chances are still slim."

My stomach twisted.

Alive.

But for how long?

I swallowed hard. "Can I see them?"

"She's still unconscious, but you can sit with her. As for the baby… we'll take you there after."

I didn't waste another second.

The moment I stepped into her room, everything else faded away.

Sofia lay on the hospital bed, pale, her face peaceful in a way that didn't match the war she had just been through. The monitors beeped steadily beside her, proof that she was still here. Still breathing.

I dragged a chair to her bedside, my fingers wrapping around her cold hand.

She had been carrying my child-our children-all this time. And I never knew.

Guilt clawed at my insides.

I should have known. I should have seen it.

I lifted her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss against her knuckles.

"You have to wake up, Sofia," I murmured, my voice rough. "I need you. Our baby needs you."

She didn't stir.

But I wasn't going anywhere.