Chapter 77 Chapter 26.2
When I arrived at the hospital, I immediately asked for my father’s room number. No one knew I had already flown back home, I hadn’t managed to call them after landing. I knocked softly before stepping inside.
“Heaven,” Anica gasped, rushing toward me. She wrapped her arms tightly around me. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home? We would’ve sent someone to pick you up at the airport.”
I shook my head.
“That wasn’t necessary. Hi, Mom,” I said, turning to my mother who sat at the edge of my father’s bed. She stood as soon as she saw me.
I hugged her tightly, holding her for the first time in almost two years. I heard her begin to cry, so I gently pulled away and ran a hand down her back to calm her.
“Sssshh, don’t cry, Mom. I’m here now. How’s Dad?”
She took a deep breath and wiped her tears.
“I missed you, my daughter. You were gone for so long. How are you? Are you really alright? I’m sorry we weren’t able to do anything for you back then.”
I offered a soft smile and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks. I knew they had suffered too when I did, they just never showed it.
“I’m fine now, Mom. You don’t have to worry about me. How’s Dad doing? What did the doctor say?” I asked, letting my gaze fall on my father, who was sleeping soundly in the bed.
“He’s getting better little by little,” she said. “He can talk to us now, but it’s still difficult for him. His speech was affected by the stroke. We’re not sure yet when he’ll be discharged. I also spoke with your former mother-in-law… she said their family will take care of your father’s medical bills since the stroke happened while he was at work.”
I sat down beside the bed and held my father’s hand. He had lost weight. I had been sending money regularly, my salary in Germany was far bigger, but Dad stubbornly refused to retire.
“Don’t let them discharge him too soon, Mom. He needs to recover fully, and the doctors know what’s best. Don’t worry about the hospital expenses, I’ll handle everything,” I said.
Just then, his eyes slowly fluttered open, and I immediately smiled.
“Dad? Do you recognize me?” I asked softly. Mom moved to the opposite side of the bed.
“H-Heaven… my daughter.” His voice was slow and slurred, his lips twisted slightly from the stroke, but hearing him say my name made my heart ache in the gentlest way.
I brought his hand to my cheek, holding it there for a moment. I knew how relieved he must have been to finally see me after such a long time apart. Eventually, he drifted back to sleep, and we stepped aside to the sofa.
“How are you? How’s life abroad? Which country did you end up working in?” Mom asked.
I lowered my gaze, swallowing hard. My family knew nothing about my life these past two years. They didn’t know where I lived or what really happened. They didn’t know about Daryl. I kept everything from them out of fear, fear they might accidentally tell Desmond.
“I’m okay, Mom. Work is good. I’m managing the Velasquez family’s businesses in Germany,” I said carefully. I was terrified to tell them the truth. What if they blamed me? What if they couldn’t understand?
“Desmond kept looking for you, Heaven,” Anica said quietly. “He went to the house almost every day. He begged us to tell him where you were, but we couldn’t, we didn’t know. He was crying, pleading. You never spoke to him after you left?”
I forced a small, empty smile.
He begged? He cried? He acted like the victim? After running to Macie the same night he thought our child died? He had the nerve to look for me?
“There’s no reason for us to talk anymore,” I said simply.
Mom took my hand gently.
“We never asked you what really happened. You both lost a child, Heaven. You were both grieving. You weren’t the only one hurting. But what truly pushed you to leave him?” she asked softly.
I inhaled deeply.
Anica’s eyes were on me too, waiting.
“The night I came home… that was the same night I found Desmond and Macie in one bed.”
Mom’s expression changed instantly. She pulled me into her arms, holding me tightly. My chest ached, but there were no tears left, only the dull heaviness of something long shattered.
“You are so strong, dear, to carry all that pain alone. I’m sorry we weren’t there for you,” she whispered.
I gave her a faint smile and shook my head as she pulled away.
“There’s something else I need to tell you,” I continued. “I know it was wrong to hide it from you, but I only wanted to protect my child.”
Both Mom and Anica frowned, confusion flashing across their faces.
“Your child? But… your baby has been gone for a long time,” Mom said slowly.
“Mom… Daryl really did lose his heartbeat. But maybe God took pity on me, because He gave him back. Mom Shiermy was with him at the morgue. She said Daryl suddenly cried, and the staff panicked. They called a doctor immediately, and he was rushed to the Neonatal ICU. He stayed there for weeks.”
I paused, feeling the memory tighten around my chest.
“Mom Shiermy kept it from me for three weeks. The day she planned to tell us that Daryl was alive was the day everything fell apart between me and Desmond. When I decided to leave the country, only then did she tell me the truth, that my son was alive and fighting for his life. At first I was furious. Why hide something like that? But when I realized how agonizing it must have been for her, waiting every single day not knowing if Daryl would survive, I understood. He had complications in his heart. His chances were uncertain.”
I swallowed, guilt washing over me again.
“I didn’t tell you because I was scared. Scared one of you might slip… and tell Desmond. He still doesn’t know Daryl is alive.”
Mom’s lips parted in shock.
Anica stared at me, wide-eyed.
For almost two years, I had kept the existence of my own child from them.
I looked down, unable to meet their eyes. What I did was unfair, disrespectful even. They were my parents. They deserved to know.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” I whispered. “I just… I was terrified. If Desmond and Macie learned that Daryl was alive, they might hurt him.”
Mom gently took my hand again, stroking it tenderly.
“You don’t have to apologize, my dear. I understand. We should be the ones apologizing. We weren’t there when you needed us most. And knowing that your child survived… that you both survived all those hardships…” Her eyes softened, voice trembling.
“I am so proud of you, my child.”