Celina woke with a start to the insistent sound of the doorbell. The ring was sharp, repetitive, almost impatient. She jumped out of bed, still dazed, her hair tousled, eyes squinting under the dim glow of the bedside lamp. Night had fallen—dark, silent, broken only by that relentless chime shattering the quiet of her apartment.“Coming…” she muttered, voice hoarse from hours of heavy sleep.She shuffled down the hallway, bare feet dragging against the cold floor. When she opened the door, Zoe stood there, hands planted on her hips, wearing an expression equal parts outrage and mischief.“Finally!” Zoe exclaimed, barging in without waiting for an invitation. “I was about to give up. Thought something tragic had happened in here.”“Sorry, Zoe…” Celina rubbed her eyes, still groggy.“I don’t even need to ask. That face says it all.” Zoe dropped the bags she carried onto the couch. “You have no idea how many times I called!”“I must’ve passed out… I don’t remember a thing after lying dow

Zoe widened her eyes and burst out laughing.“My God! I wish I’d seen the boss’s face at that moment! Can you imagine Mr. Handsome all twisted up, squirming like some Mexican soap opera?”Celina laughed out loud, a genuine laugh — the first real one of the night. Zoe, still chuckling, added:“Girl, I’m with you till the end. I didn’t walk into that bathroom that day for nothing. Fate had already written our meeting, our friendship. You’re not alone. You’ve got me, those beautiful babies… and the hot Gabriel, right?”Zoe laughed again, swirling her glass, already feeling the wine in her veins.“But the alcohol is definitely doing the talking now.”Celina covered her mouth, laughing harder.“He is hot, I’ll give you that, but… I love someone else.”Her voice softened as her gaze fell to the floor.“But I’m moving on without Thor. The babies are mine alone. This is a new cycle. For us.”Zoe raised her glass enthusiastically.“Then let’s toast to that!”Celina picked up her glass of juice

After reading Tatiana’s reply, Celina locked her phone screen and pressed it against her leg, taking a deep breath. She was ready. Or at least, that’s what she wanted to believe.She rose from the chair lightly and walked to the sink, finishing the rest of her guava juice in one long sip. Unlike the bitter coffee most people clung to in the mornings, she preferred something softer. That sweet juice had become almost a ritual—a way of holding on to the girl she once was.She brushed her teeth again, checked her reflection in the mirror, tightened the messy bun, retouched her eyeliner, and smoothed the rose-colored lipstick across her lips.Back in the bedroom, she reached for her caramel leather handbag—the one she used on quieter days. Inside were the essentials: wallet, documents, tissues, nausea medicine, and a backup lipstick. She scanned the room once more, as if to see whether anything there could still hold her back. Nothing did.In the kitchen, she picked up her phone and insti

Celina rode the elevator down with her heart racing, her steps unsteady, as if her legs could no longer carry her weight. When she pushed through the revolving doors of Brown & Associates, daylight struck her eyes, forcing her to shut them for a brief moment. The air outside felt lighter than the suffocating tension she had just left behind on the upper floor.The sharp sound of her heels echoed on the sidewalk as she walked away from the building. Her chest still heaved, her breath short and uneven. She felt like she had just escaped an ambush. Pressing a hand against her chest, she tried to steady her breathing.“Calm down, Celina. Breathe. This is exactly what he wants—he wants to unravel you.” She whispered the words to herself, as if repeating them could restore her control.The city rushed on around her, indifferent, while inside she was chaos. Her mind spun in a storm of thoughts:César is watching my every move… He knows about the babies… What now? What if he tells Thor? What

Celina unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside with slow, deliberate movements. The silence of the place clashed with the storm swirling inside her. She dropped her bag on the couch, sank into the cushions with a weary sigh, and reached for her phone. Quickly, she typed a message to Gabriel:"I’m home."She locked the screen and placed the phone on the coffee table. Then she stood, walked into the kitchen, pushed the window open to let in some fresh air, and filled a glass of water. Leaning against the counter, she stared at the sky, streaked with heavy gray clouds. The overcast view mirrored her perfectly. Every word Tatiana had spoken still echoed inside her, each phrase a mirror exposing wounds she hadn’t dared face even in herself.Back in the living room, she opened the balcony doors and returned to the sofa. Picking up her phone again, she noticed Gabriel had already replied:"On my way."And then Zoe:"Girl, how are you? Don’t forget you still need to turn in that