Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Delivery Room
I stared at the unknown number on my phone until the screen dimmed.
For a moment, I convinced myself I didn’t need to open it.
I was exhausted.
My body was exhausted.
My mind was exhausted.
Maybe this was just another cruel game.
Another person trying to create more damage while I was lying in a hospital bed, terrified for my unborn child.
But something inside me wouldn’t let me ignore it.
Because the message didn’t sound like a threat.
It sounded like a warning.
I tapped the screen.
A second message appeared.
*“I know what happened between you and Daniela. I know why she was desperate to be in that delivery room. You need to hear the truth before your family controls the story.””*
My fingers went cold.
I looked over at Andrés.
He was sitting in the chair beside my bed, staring at the floor.
He looked broken.
Not because he was tired.
Because he was trying to understand how the people who were supposed to love me had become the people who hurt me.
“What is it?”” he asked.
I turned the phone toward him.
He read the messages.
His face hardened.
“Who is this?””
“I don’t know.””
“Did you give your number to anyone from the shower?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
He stood up.
“Then we find out.””
The door opened before he could say anything else.
A nurse stepped inside.
“Mr. Alvarez, only one visitor at a time.””
Andrés nodded.
“I’ll be right outside.””
I grabbed his hand before he walked away.
“Don’t leave.””
His eyes softened.
“I’m not leaving you.””
He kissed my forehead.
“I promise.””
When he left, I looked back at the phone.
The unknown number was still there.
Waiting.
I typed slowly.
*Who are you?*
The reply came almost immediately.
*Someone who should have told you the truth months ago.*
My heart started beating faster.
*About Daniela?*
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally:
*About the baby.*
I stopped breathing for a second.
The baby.
My baby.
My hand moved instinctively to my stomach.
The monitor beside me continued its steady rhythm.
A reminder that she was still there.
Still fighting.
I typed:
*What are you talking about?*
The response took longer this time.
*I can’t explain this through text. I need to see you.*
I almost threw the phone down.
“No.””
The word escaped before I even realized I had spoken.
I had spent my entire pregnancy trying to protect my peace.
And now everyone wanted something from me.
My sister wanted control.
My mother wanted forgiveness.
And now a stranger wanted access to my life.
No.
I typed:
*If you know something, tell me now.*
The answer came.
*Daniela has been telling people for months that your baby should have been hers.*
My entire body went still.
I read the sentence again.
Then again.
My brain rejected it.
It couldn’t be real.
It didn’t make sense.
Nobody could say something like that.
Not about a child.
Not about my child.
I typed:
*Explain.*
The reply:
*Ask your mother about the adoption paperwork.*
I dropped the phone.
The sound of it hitting the blanket was small.
But inside me, everything shattered.
Adoption paperwork.
Those words didn’t belong in my life.
Not here.
Not now.
The door opened.
Andrés walked back in.
“What happened?””
I looked at him.
I couldn’t speak.
He immediately came closer.
“Mariana?””
I picked up the phone with shaking hands.
“I need you to read this.””
He did.
And the color slowly drained from his face.
“What does that mean?””
“I don’t know.””
But deep down…
I did.
Not the details.
Not the reason.
But I knew there was something my family had hidden.
Because suddenly so many things from the past felt different.
The comments.
The jealousy.
The way Daniela always touched my stomach without asking.
The way she cried when we announced the pregnancy.
Everyone thought she was happy.
But now I remembered her exact words.
“I always imagined having a baby first.””
At the time, I thought it was sadness.
A harmless comment.
A little sister struggling with change.
Maybe I had been wrong.
The next morning, the doctor finally allowed me to sit up.
The baby was stable.
I was stable.
But the relief never arrived.
Because my mind was somewhere else.
With every heartbeat from the monitor, I kept thinking about one thing.
What had Daniela meant?
And why had my mother been hiding something?
Around noon, my mother came back.
Alone.
That surprised me.
Usually, she never let Daniela face consequences without standing beside her.
She entered the room carrying a small bag.
“I brought you some clothes.””
I looked at the bag.
“I don’t want them.””
Her expression changed.
“Mariana.””
“No.””
She sighed.
“You’re angry.””
I laughed quietly.
“Angry?””
My voice cracked.
“I almost lost my baby.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
“No, Mom. You don’t.””
She looked away.
That told me everything.
“You wiped my blood off the floor.””
The words hung between us.
My mother’s face changed.
“I was trying to keep everyone calm.””
“You were cleaning.””
“I didn’t want the family to panic.””
I stared at her.
“You were more worried about the floor than me.””
“That’s not fair.””
“No?””
My voice became louder.
“You protected Daniela before anyone even knew what happened.””
She sat down.
“She’s your sister.””
I shook my head.
“There it is.””
“What?””
“That excuse.””
My mother frowned.
“I’m not making excuses.””
“Yes, you are.””
I looked directly at her.
“You’ve been doing it our whole lives.””
She became quiet.
Because she knew.
She knew exactly what I meant.
“Mom…”
I swallowed.
“What is adoption paperwork?””
Her face changed instantly.
Not confusion.
Fear.
Real fear.
And that was the moment I knew.
The message was true.
My mother looked toward the door.
Then back at me.
“Who told you that?””
I felt a chill.
Not because she asked.
Because she didn’t ask what it meant.
She asked who told me.
“Answer me.””
She stood up.
“Mariana, you need to rest.””
“No.””
“Your hormones are affecting you.””
I almost couldn’t believe it.
After everything.
After the fall.
After the blood.
She was still trying to make me question myself.
“Mom.””
She stopped.
“Tell me the truth.””
Her lips parted.
Nothing came out.
Then she whispered:
“There are things you don’t understand.””
“Then explain them.””
She closed her eyes.
For a few seconds, she looked older.
Tired.
Guilty.
But then the guilt disappeared.
And the mother I knew returned.
The mother who protected Daniela.
“You need to let this go.””
My chest tightened.
“Let what go?””
She reached for the door.
“This family cannot survive another scandal.””
I stared at her.
Another scandal.
Not another tragedy.
Not another mistake.
A scandal.
My mother opened the door.
Then stopped.
Without turning around, she said:
“Ask Daniela why she kept the ultrasound pictures.””
The door closed.
I sat there frozen.
Ultrasound pictures.
Daniela had copies?
Why?
A nurse came in a few minutes later to check my vitals.
I barely heard her questions.
My mind was somewhere else.
When Andrés returned, I told him everything.
Every word.
His expression became darker with each sentence.
“We need answers.””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
But before we could decide what to do, my phone rang.
The unknown number.
This time, I answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a woman’s voice whispered:
“Mariana… I’m sorry I waited this long.””
I sat up straighter.
“Who is this?””
A shaky breath.
Then:
“My name is Sofia.””
I frowned.
“I don’t know any Sofia.””
“I know.””
Her voice broke.
“But Daniela does.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What does that mean?””
The woman was crying now.
May you like
And the next words changed everything.
“I was supposed to be your baby’s mother.””
