Maybe he’d realized—
No.
He arrived holding Paola’s hand.
She smiled politely.
As though we were discussing business instead of destroying a marriage.
He placed a folder on the table.
“I want a quick divorce.”
I opened it.
The terms felt less like paperwork…
And more like punishment.
I would surrender the house.
Receive minimal financial support.
Accept conditions regarding future custody.
Then I found one sentence that made my stomach turn.
If DNA proved the baby wasn’t his…
I would reimburse him for every major marital expense during our marriage.
I stared.
Then laughed.
A dry.
Broken.
Exhausted laugh.
“So…”
“You want me to repay eight years of groceries?”
“The electricity?”
“The detergent?”
“The years I ironed your shirts?”
Paola shifted uncomfortably.
Diego frowned.
“Don’t make this ugly.”
I looked directly at him.
“You already did.”
Alone
The hardest part wasn’t losing my husband.
It was realizing I’d lost him long before he packed his suitcase.
People don’t abandon someone they love after a single conversation.
They’ve already been leaving…
One small step at a time.
My First Ultrasound
I refused to let fear steal this moment.
That morning I wore my favorite blue dress.
Brushed my hair carefully.
Applied lipstick with shaking hands.
Not because anyone would see me.
Because I needed to remember I still mattered.
Dr. Salinas greeted me warmly.
“Did anyone come with you today?”
“My husband thinks this baby belongs to someone else.”
She didn’t ask questions.
She simply nodded kindly.
“Let’s meet your little one.”
The Heartbeat
The examination room dimmed.
Cool gel touched my stomach.
The monitor flickered.
For several seconds…
Nothing.
Then…
Movement.
Tiny.
Fragile.
Perfect.
A heartbeat filled the room.