Chapter 76 Seventy Six
The drive to the hospital felt unreal.
Antonia barely remembered getting into the car. One moment she had been hunched over the café table, nausea rising in violent waves, Lucy’s voice sounding far away as she called for the check. The next, she was strapped into the passenger seat, Lucy’s hands steady on the steering wheel while traffic blurred past them.
Her heart wouldn’t slow down.
It pounded against her ribs like it was trying to escape, each beat loud in her ears. Her palms were clammy, her mouth dry, and beneath it all, an ache of fear wrapped tightly around her chest.
“My baby…” Antonia whispered, her hand pressed protectively against her belly.
Lucy glanced at her immediately. “Hey. Don’t go there yet.”
Antonia swallowed hard. “What if something’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong,” Lucy said firmly, though her grip on the steering wheel tightened. “You had a scare. Stress does that. We’re getting you checked. That’s all.”
Antonia nodded weakly, but her mind refused to cooperate.
Stress.
If only that word could cover the truth.
Her phone sat face down in her lap, silent now, but she could still feel its weight, like a ticking bomb she had foolishly ignored for too long.
By the time they reached the hospital, Antonia was shaking.
Lucy barely parked before she was out of the car, rushing around to help Antonia out. A nurse noticed immediately, guiding them into a wheelchair despite Antonia’s weak protests that she could walk.
Her legs felt like rubber anyway.
The bright hospital lights made everything sharper, harsher. The smell of antiseptic turned her stomach. As they wheeled her down the corridor, Lucy walked beside her, one hand resting firmly on Antonia’s shoulder.
“You’re doing great,” Lucy murmured. “Just breathe.”
Antonia tried.
In the examination room, things moved quickly.
Blood pressure cuff.
Questions.
A Doppler pressed to her belly.
Antonia held her breath as the nurse searched, panic clawing higher with every second of silence.
Then...
There it was.
A rapid, steady whooshing sound filled the room.
The baby’s heartbeat.
Antonia broke down instantly, sobbing with relief.
“Oh thank God,” she cried.
Lucy squeezed her hand hard, eyes shining. “See? Strong. Just like their mother.”
The doctor came in shortly after, flipping through her chart with a calm but serious expression.
“Antonia,” she said gently, “your blood pressure is quite high.”
Antonia’s heart stuttered again. “Is— is the baby okay?”
“For now, yes,” the doctor replied honestly. “But this level of stress isn’t something we can ignore.”
Lucy leaned forward. “What does that mean?”
“It means,” the doctor continued, “that I’d like to admit her for observation. Bed rest. We need to bring her blood pressure down and keep it stable.”
Antonia’s breath caught. “Admitted?”
“Yes,” the doctor said firmly but kindly. “You’re carrying a lot of stress, and pregnancy amplifies everything. For your safety and the baby’s, this is the best course of action.”
Tears slid down Antonia’s temples into her hair.
“I’ve been careful,” she whispered. “I really have.”
“I know,” the doctor said. “But emotional stress can be just as dangerous as physical strain. You need rest. Real rest.”
After the doctor left, Antonia lay back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling.
Lucy pulled a chair closer and sat beside her, brushing her fingers through Antonia’s hair gently.
“Hey,” she said softly. “You heard the heartbeat. That’s what matters right now.”
Antonia nodded, her throat tight. “I was so scared, Lucy.”
“I know,” Lucy said. “But you’re here. You did the right thing.”
Antonia turned her head slightly, eyes filling again. “What if all of this hurts my baby?”
Lucy shook her head firmly. “Stop. You’re not hurting your baby by being human.”
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of a monitor.
After a moment, Lucy straightened. “I need to make a call.”
Antonia stiffened. “Who?”
Lucy hesitated only a second. “Austin.”
Antonia’s eyes widened. “Lucy—”
“He needs to know you’re in the hospital,” Lucy said gently but firmly. “Especially if you’re being admitted.”
Antonia turned her face away, exhausted. “Okay.”
Lucy stepped outside the room, pulling out her phone. Antonia watched the door, her chest heavy with dread.
Austin.
What would he feel hearing this?
Guilt?
Fear?
She didn’t know anymore.
A few minutes later, Lucy returned, her expression unreadable.
“He’s on his way,” she said quietly.
Antonia nodded, closing her eyes. “Thank you.”
Lucy hesitated. “Antonia… there’s something else.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “What?”
Lucy sighed. “He’s not coming alone.”
Antonia’s heart dropped into her stomach. “What do you mean?”
Lucy chose her words carefully. “He told Priscilla. She insisted on coming.”
Antonia sucked in a sharp breath. “Priscilla?”
“And,” Lucy added slowly, “Sofia is with them.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“No,” Antonia whispered. “Lucy, no.”
Lucy moved closer, gripping her hand tightly. “I didn’t know until they were already on their way. Austin sounded… shaken.”
Antonia felt cold all over. “This is it,” she whispered. “This is how everything falls apart.”
Lucy crouched beside her bed, eyes fierce. “Listen to me. Right now, your only job is to stay calm for your baby. Whatever happens next, we handle it together.”
Antonia’s eyes filled again. “She sent me those messages today.”
Lucy nodded. “I know.”
“And now she’s coming here,” Antonia continued, her voice trembling. “To see me. To look at me. To connect the dots.”
Lucy exhaled slowly. “If she does, she does. But you’re not alone.”
Time crawled.
Nurses came and went. Antonia was settled into a private room, IV fluids dripping steadily, monitors quietly tracking her vitals. The doctor returned briefly, satisfied that her blood pressure was beginning to stabilize but insistent on continued bed rest.
Then footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Antonia felt them before she heard voices.
Lucy looked toward the door, her posture straightening.
The door opened.
Austin entered first.
The moment their eyes met, his face crumpled with concern. He crossed the room in quick strides, stopping short at the bedside, unsure if he should touch her.
“Antonia,” he said hoarsely. “What happened?”
She looked at him, really looked—at the worry etched into his face, the guilt shadowing his eyes.
“I got dizzy,” she whispered. “The doctor says it’s stress.”
Austin swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry.”
Behind him, Priscilla stepped into the room.
She froze at the sight of Antonia lying there, pale and fragile beneath white sheets.
“Oh, my dear,” Priscilla said softly, rushing forward. “What happened?”
Antonia forced a weak smile. “I just felt weak. You really don't need to worry.”
Priscilla reached for her hand gently. “You’re family. Worrying is my job.”
Then—
Sofia walked in.
She stopped just inside the doorway, her gaze locking onto Antonia with unsettling intensity.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The air felt charged, thick with unspoken truths.
Sofia’s eyes dropped briefly to Antonia’s belly, then lifted back to her face. There was no sympathy there. Only sharp focus.
Calculation.
Antonia’s pulse spiked.
Lucy shifted subtly closer to the bed, as if shielding her.
Sofia took another step inside.
And Antonia knew—
This hospital room was no longer a place of rest for her.