Chapter 151 — Between Two Shores The days passed in the blink of an eye, and life was beginning to settle into a new rhythm at the Medina-Acosta home. It was a different rhythm, marked by the heartbeat of a newborn, by hours of fitful sleep, and by that sacred silence that settled in whenever Zoe or Lili managed to rest. The house exuded tenderness, exhaustion, and, above all, a love that spilled over into every daily gesture. Guillermo, with his twenty-day medical leave—a benefit the new regulations had designed so that parents could truly be present—had been completely transformed. He devoted himself unreservedly to caring for Lili, Zoe, and Julia as well. He changed diapers with unexpected patience, arranged pillows under his wife’s back so she could breastfeed without pain in her leg, and took the early morning shifts as if sleep weren’t necessary. “I never thought a cup of coffee at three in the morning would make so much sense,” he told her one night, as he helped settle Zoe b

Chapter 153 — Burning DoubtsNight had fallen over Montevideo with a thick silence, the kind that seemed to hide things no one dared to name. The city lights streamed through the window in faint streaks, as if even the outside world were afraid to look too closely.Sofía tossed and turned in bed.Once.Twice.Beside her, Adrián slept with the peace of mind of someone who believed his life was in order. He breathed evenly, one arm stretched toward the spot where she was no longer lying. The sheet rose and fell calmly, oblivious to the fire burning just inches away.The phone lay on the nightstand.Dark.Silent.Waiting.More than once, she was on the verge of reaching for it. Picking it up. Breaking that invisible barrier that still separated her from the truth.She imagined the gesture.The screen lighting up.A name.Irina.A chill ran up her spine.She didn’t do it.She stayed still, eyes open in the darkness, breathing in that old fear that had returned without asking permission. T

Chapter 155 — Irina’s ShadowThe morning had begun like any other. Adrián got up early, dressed with the calmness of someone who believed he had everything under control, and yet he felt a strange twinge in his chest when he kissed Sofía. She looked at him with a weary tenderness, and he smiled at her, convinced that his nerves were nothing more than the weight of the wedding preparations.“That’s it,” he told himself. “She’s anxious about the church, the guests, the dress, the details… nothing else.”He kissed Ayden on the forehead and hugged him a few seconds longer than usual. The boy babbled something, and Adrián felt the world settle into place for a moment. But as soon as he stepped out of the house, the unease returned. A strange tingling in his chest, a weight in his stomach.At the office, he tried to distract himself with paperwork, quick meetings, that mechanical rhythm that had always saved him from thinking. But he couldn’t get what lay ahead out of his head. He knew he h

Chapter 157 — The Ring on the Table Sofía walked into the hotel lobby with her head held high, her steps steady, and her heart in pieces. Adrián looked at her. “Sofi, what are you doing here?” Sofía didn’t answer. She walked as if she were stepping onto a battlefield. The murmur died down, as if someone had turned an invisible knob. A couple froze with their cutlery mid-air. A waiter stopped with a tray. Some eyes darted toward Adrián and Irina’s table, anticipating the clash. Irina looked up. Adrián followed a second later. Sofía reached the edge of the table with a dangerous calm. That calm wasn’t peace: it was control. Adrián stood up quickly. “Sofi…” She looked at him without blinking. “Sit down.” The order, low and cold, made Adrián hesitate. Adrián sat back down. And out of pure reflex, out of that absurd need to “do something” when everything falls apart, he grabbed the water pitcher. He poured himself a little. Not because he was thirsty. Because his hands were s

Chapter 159 — Between Doubt and Life There was nothing solemn about that night in the hospital room. The monitor tracked Sofía’s heartbeat, and the sound was steady—almost irritating in its regularity. Outside, nurses’ footsteps came and went as if the world were still the same. But for the Castells, the world was no longer the same. The doctor had walked in with the envelope of test results in his hand, reviewed the reports, and looked up. “Well, I have news. Congratulations, Sofía. You’re pregnant. It’s still very early, only a few weeks. Everything looks fine.” There were no hugs. No smiles. She didn’t respond. She just leaned back against the headboard as if she needed support. She stared at the ceiling, as if demanding an answer from it. How did this happen? I’m on birth control pills. The doctor explained the checkups, the vitamins, and the need for monitoring because of her history with her previous pregnancy. Then he left. The door closed. Sofía brought her hands