Chapter 7 – What Is Born in Silence

Sofía didn’t look at her phone right away.

It lay on the counter, vibrating insistently.

She knew who it was. She even knew what it would say.

And still, she remained silent for a few more seconds, her hands resting on the cold marble, her shoulders slightly hunched—as if the weight of the last few weeks had finally decided to fall on her all at once.

The email appeared in her inbox.

She read it without rushing.

Confirmation of her obstetric appointment. All preliminary tests completed.

Friday, 9:00 a.m.

Her eyes lingered on the header.

Dr. Sofía Rojas.

And then, uninvited, another thought surfaced: the email address was still shared with Adrián. She hadn’t changed it before scheduling her prenatal exams.

It’s too late now, she thought. He probably already knows.

She had found out after returning from her trip.

The airport had been crowded, but she couldn’t distinguish faces or voices. Everything felt distant, muffled.

Her stomach had been unsettled