64 - Hope

3 MONTHS LATER
-Hi...I'm not sure why I'm making this video- she laughed nervously, tucking her hair behind her little ear- Maybe it's because it's not long to meet you and I've become sentimental over time- she caressed her 7 month old belly- I'm not sure if you'll see this, maybe they'll show it to you when you're 18- she murmured feeling tears coming out of her light blue eyes, wiping the drops with shame- Sorry, but your mother is very sensitive. I still don't know what's going to happen with you, I'm starting to get attached I'm not going to lie to you, don't hate me, but mom has made bad decisions in life and I think having signed that contract is one of the good decisions and even though I miss you terribly I know you're going to have a much better life than I could give you. ...maybe you wonder who your father is- Helena looked at her hands without being able to look at the camera lens- Believe me when I tell you that he is not worth knowing, on the other hand your adoptive father... he is a good man and-and... If he doesn't accept you for being a girl then I will raise you! she exclaimed laughing in tears- I'm so sorry Esperanza... I always wanted to be a mother, it has been my dream since I was a little girl, to be different from my own mother... but now I don't know if I'm ready. Whatever happens- she looked up at the camera- I want you to know that I will always love you, and even if they don't call you Esperanza, for me you will always be that. The only good thing I ever did in this life.
The redhead got up from the seat, with a little difficulty because of the new weight she had to carry, and turned off the camera.
The months had flown by for Sebastian and Helena, they had seen each other regularly once or twice a week and it was amazing to both of them how the redhead was already 7 months pregnant.
The birth felt just around the corner and the CEO still hadn't been able to grab the reins of his life and make a decision. He had stuck with the contract, still kept his agreement with Helena a secret and pretended that all was well with Katlyn, although things weren't like they used to be and they were growing further and further apart. But also his finances were going downhill, so his accountant had told him, if he kept it up, in a year he would have to declare bankruptcy.
The eldest Aller could not feel worse, he was being a lousy husband, a fatal boss and heir to his father's wealth and worst of all, the love he felt for Helena was being crushed by these things.
He loved visiting the redhead, seeing how the baby was growing more and more, how she looked more and more beautiful and how the awkwardness they had at the beginning had now turned into long but comfortable silences, the kind you can only share with the right one.
It was clear that in the blink of an eye the baby would be born and he could no longer ignore this whole situation. Helena didn't say anything, she didn't rush him with the decision and she thanked him for that, but she could see in his watery eyes how he silently begged her to do something once and for all.
He had to decide urgently.
It wasn't a weekday, let alone lunchtime, he still couldn't wait until Monday.
Katlyn, who had just arrived at the house she shared with her husband, after having gone to the clinic to check on her 3-month pregnancy, was not surprised when Sebastian walked past her without even seeing her, leaving the mansion in a hurry, as if there was something more important to do on the day off than to be with his wife.

The blonde was no longer surprised by this attitude in Sebastian, who had been distant the last few months, but what did hurt her was that she didn't notice his long absences when Alan called her at the time he wanted. The CEO simply didn't ask, as if he really didn't notice that his wife was missing from the other side of the bed, it also hurt that he didn't notice that his always flat and marked belly had now lost its shape and gained volume. For Katlyn, watching her body slowly lose the perfect figure it had always maintained, and become a bland and grotesque body, was something she simply couldn't stand and that her husband didn't notice it in the slightest made the blonde come to the painful conclusion that she had never interested her husband in the slightest.
Katlyn watched as Sebastian took his car and slowly disappeared over the horizon. She would have accepted this, except that her cell phone rang, with that little ring that made her nauseous to hear, she already knew who it was, she didn't have to open it.
It was Alan, asking for attention.
The blonde could not understand how that ruthless man still wanted her with her noticeable pregnancy, the very idea of thinking it was for morbid desire made her want to vomit.
But what she did want to empty from her stomach were all his lies, she wanted to scream in Sebastian's face everything he had been hiding, she couldn't stand her brother-in-law's threats anymore. If she didn't do something about it she would sleep with Alan for the rest of her life because of the man's constant extortions.
Helena put the camera away in the bottom drawer of her bedside table, wanting to hide the evidence of her moment of vulnerability.
-I don't know what I was thinking..." she exclaimed painfully.
She was beginning to romanticize everything, couldn't help but imagine a happy ending to all this, when she was far from it.
She turned to the bed, looking painfully under it, she knew what was hidden there, that which she hadn't been able to throw away, as if she was afraid to get over the past.
She reached down with difficulty and stretched her arm under the bed, pulling out a plastic bag. The redhead sat down on the floor and with trembling hands opened the bag, looking at the contents inside.
She felt the tears flowing steadily from her eyes, reminiscing about that day as if it was happening to her at that moment. Not that she was a masochist, but for Helena the scars of that night were still felt.
What she didn't expect, was that, seeing that gnawed dress, would make her travel into a vivid nightmare, back to that night and remember how it wasn't just one man who dragged her to the motel, but three. She could hear the murmurs of the three men, how they discussed who would be the first to possess her and how, the one who seemed to be the boss, was left alone with her in the room.
She could feel the pain in her body from the drug, and how she writhed in pain on the bed. The feeling of the mattress sinking from the new weight and the shadow that loomed over her. How those cold, rough hands touched her bare skin and tore off her dress.
The silent cry began to be a cry of pain as she hugged the old, dirty patchwork against her chest.

Sebastian insistently rang the doorbell of Helena's apartment, as he had been accustomed to do the last few months. But when the redhead didn't answer his calls he thought the worst. He didn't hesitate a second longer to enter the building and climb up to the apartment to enter without knocking.
He ran inside the home with his heart in his throat, fearing that something had happened to Helena and the baby as well. When she heard a muffled scream in her room and was quickly kicking the door open.
Helena heard the sound of the door opening and turned around full of terror, still with the memories of that night in her retinas.
As soon as the CEO saw Helena on the floor, teary-eyed and with a frightened expression directed at him, and holding something strange in her hands, he didn't know what to do, feeling his legs go slack from the shock.
Quickly the redhead hid the dress under the bed, embarrassed to be discovered by her boss, who had seen her vulnerability.
-What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, her voice congested.
-I'm sorry... you didn't answer the doorbell...
-You shouldn't barge in," she replied with annoyance, trying to pretend she hadn't been crying until just now.
If you don't need me, I'll leave..." -Yes, you're right- said the CEO in pain- if you don't need me, I'll leave...
The eldest Aller turned around ready to leave.
But at that moment Helena knew that she didn't want him away, she needed him.
-Don't go," she said, still on the ground.
Sebastian stopped and slowly turned around.
-Stay with me," she begged, feeling the tears fall from her face again.
Sebastian didn't waste another second, he quickly reached the redhead's side sitting next to her on the floor and welcoming her to his chest, wrapping his strong arms around her, while Helena was slowly wetting his shirt.
-Shh... it's going to be all right, I'm here.
-Don't leave me..." she begged in tears.
-I'm not going to do it," he exclaimed confidently, knowing he had made his decision.
Helena pulled her face from Sebastian's chest, looking at him with eyes full of illusion.
-Really?
-Yes.
The redhead had also made a decision at that moment. She slowly lifted her small hand and placed it on the CEO's cheek who let himself be cradled lovingly, closing his eyes slowly. The young woman stretched her neck and shortened the distance between them, resting her soft, pink lips against those of her boss, surprising him, who had not expected Helena to kiss him.
Quickly the redhead deepened the kiss, moving closer to the CEO, slowly climbing onto his lap.
-Wait Helena..." he spoke worriedly.
-I'm ready.
-Are you sure?" he asked nervously, feeling his own cheeks heat up.
-Yes.
Helena kissed Sebastian again, but this time increasing the speed of the kiss and allowing her boss's tongue to enter inside her mouth to start a dance between their tongues.
Sebastian felt like he would die right there, he had wanted this so badly, and finally the moment had come.