Chapter 68

Leo’s POV
Zara’s eyes were brimming with tears. “I… I really hope to have twins. “It feels like we’ve lost something,” she said, her voice shaking, betraying the depth of her pain.
I reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to soothe her heart. “I know this is hard, Zara. But we have a healthy baby, and we have to love him with all our hearts. We’re going to be together and focus on this baby—protecting him and giving him all the love we have.”
Zara looked up at me again, the sadness on her face slowly fading. “You’re right. We can do this together. I’ll try to accept this,” she said, trying to wipe away the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.
“I’ll be by your side, no matter what. We’re going to make this a loving moment for our baby,” I said with conviction, determined that every moment that came would be an opportunity to share our love with our child.
In my heart, I prayed that no matter what happened next, we would be able to survive and go through this together, creating beautiful memories with the baby inside Zara. Because every life is a gift, and we will celebrate it, no matter what.
After the visit from the obstetrician, Zara and I decided to visit her father. We set off with mixed thoughts—although we tried to stay positive about our baby, the thought of Zara’s father’s health couldn’t be ignored.
When we arrived at the hospital, we were greeted by Zara’s mother. “In preparation, Dad will undergo a heart stent. He’s stable, but we have to take good care of him,” she said, looking worried but strong.
I was surprised to hear that Zara’s father had to undergo another medical procedure. “I didn’t know Zara’s father was sick, Mom. Is everything okay?” I asked, trying to show concern and care for the situation.
“He’s been having heart problems for a while now, but this time the doctor recommended immediate action. We hope everything will go smoothly,” my mother-in-law explained, looking at me with relief but still worry on her face.
Zara looked more anxious upon hearing this news, and I held her hand in support. I knew how important her father was to Zara, and this situation must have made her even more emotional.
As we waited in the waiting room, Zara’s little sister, Zena, came to greet us. “Zara! Leo!” she greeted cheerfully, but when she saw the worried expressions on our faces, her face turned more serious. “What happened? Why do you look so worried?”
We told Zena about her father’s condition, and she tried to cheer Zara up. “He’ll be fine! I’m sure of it! We’re all here with him,” Zena said, trying to smile, even though the tension in the air was still palpable.
In a way, looking at Zena, I was reminded of the past when I had ambitious intentions to share a better life. Back then, I would have considered taking her ovum without hesitation, but as life has progressed, that has been far from my mind. Now, the most important thing for me is Zara, our baby, and protecting the little family we are building.
As I waited for more information about her father, I couldn’t ignore the guilt that was starting to fill my mind. “Zara, I want you to know that no matter what happens to your family, I will always be by your side. We’ll get through this together,” I said softly, making sure she knew she wasn’t alone in facing all of this.
Zara nodded, tears still welling up in her eyes. “Thank you, Leo. This is all so hard,” she replied, her voice beginning to shake.
We continued to wait in the waiting room, looking out for each other and providing emotional support amidst the anxiety over her father’s health. Deep down, I knew that we had to focus on the positive steps forward, despite all the challenges we faced.
Every second in the waiting room felt like it was testing our patience and resilience. The ticking of the clock created a tense atmosphere that made us even more anxious. Zara sat down next to me, and when I took her hand, I could feel how tense she was. “We’ll be fine,” I said with a smile, trying to reassure her despite the difficult situation.
Zena, who was sitting across from us, tried to distract us by talking about light things, recounting childhood memories of our time together. We laughed, trying to lighten the mood even though underneath it all, the worry about my father’s health still loomed.
Finally, after a long wait, the doctor emerged from the operating room. All eyes were on him, and I could feel my heart pounding. He smiled, and as he approached, he seemed calm. “Good news, the surgery was a success and your father is now back in the recovery room,” he said.
Zara and Zena immediately cheered, tears of joy streaming down Zara’s face. “Thank you, doctor! That’s such a relief,” she said, hugging Zena tightly. An indescribable sense of relief filled the room as we shared smiles of hope.
When we were allowed to visit Dad, I promised myself that I would always be there. Seeing him lying in the hospital bed, even with his pale face, he looked better after the surgery. “Dad, we’re here,” Zara said, her voice full of affection.
Dad opened his eyes and smiled, even though he looked tired. “Zara… Leo… I’m fine. Thank you for coming,” he replied in a low voice, but I could feel the depth of affection in his words.
“Zara, you know, don’t overdo it. Take care of yourself too,” Dad said, looking at his daughter with love. “You're going to be a mother, and that takes energy.”
Zara nodded, and as she held her Dad’s hand, I felt an incredible strength in their bond. At the same time, I realized how much this family meant to me, and how much we fought for each other. In the midst of this complicated journey, we all supported each other with unconditional love.