Chapter 28

— Where am I? Where’s my baby? Alessio, where are you? — Isabella woke up in the hospital with clouded thoughts; she didn’t know exactly how everything had happened but had flashes of Paloma sitting on Alessio’s lap with her breasts nearly in his mouth.
— Calm down. You’re in the hospital, everything’s going to be okay. — The voice, so familiar, tried to soothe Isabella. It wasn’t exactly the voice she wanted to hear, but it was the only one in the room with her.
Isabella turned her head to see the owner of the voice and saw the face she wished she’d never seen again in her life.
— What are you doing here, you slut? You still have the nerve to be here after everything you’ve done?
— Calm down, friend, I’ll explain everything that happened, but first, you need to get better.
— You don’t need to explain anything; I saw it with my own eyes. Nurse, someone get this tramp out of here, please! — Isa tried to shout, but her voice was faint from the blood loss; she was very weak.
— Friend, for old times’ sake. Trust me just this once, I promise you’ll understand me.
— Get out of here, now! — Isa shouted, and the machines began beeping in random, erratic sounds.
Immediately, a medical team rushed into the room and called for a defibrillator, asking Paloma to wait outside. Paloma was the only family member left by Isabella’s side.
By the grace of a miracle, the doctors managed to revive Isabella and advised Paloma to let her rest a bit, as she needed to recover after losing so much blood.
— Paloma, go home, take a shower, change your clothes, and get some rest. You’ll need the energy to help your friend. — the obstetrician advised Paloma, who didn’t argue.
Paloma left and, in the distance, spotted someone familiar. The black Cadillac was parked in the hospital lot, and Paloma was sure it was her—the witch, Griselda. She tried to blend in so the woman wouldn’t recognize her, but like a hawk, the woman zeroed in on Paloma.
— Congratulations! You managed to fulfill our agreement. Within three days, the money will be in your account.
— You damn witch. My friend almost died because of you.
— It wasn’t my fault. I wasn’t the one naked in Alessio's lap, was I? — Griselda gave a wicked smile.
— You witch. No one will ever love you; you'll die alone. — Paloma spoke through gritted teeth, with hate burning in her chest.
— I don’t need anyone to love me. I have money. What more could I need?
— Oh, really? Then why are you scheming behind your son’s back? Don’t you want his attention?
— Shut up, you insolent girl. Don’t interfere in family matters. And don’t push your luck; I can still find your brother. — Griselda left arrogantly, feeling like the winner of the argument.
Paloma walked away, seething with anger. She needed to do something to help her friend and make her believe it was all just a setup. She went home, plotting how to make Isa trust her again and regain her friend’s confidence.
A few hours later, Paloma returned to the hospital with a serious expression and a troubled demeanor. Isabella, though reluctant, agreed to see her, sensing that something was wrong.
Upon entering the room, Paloma chose her words carefully, but her anxiety betrayed her.
— Isa, I need to tell you something. Alessio... — Paloma hesitated, afraid of Isa's reaction — he’s been arrested. It seems there are serious charges against him, and I thought you should know.
Isabella, stunned, felt the ground open up beneath her feet. The news seemed unimaginable, and she looked at Paloma for more details.
— Arrested? How? What happened? — Isabella asked, her voice choked with anguish.
Paloma, feigning sympathy, offered a sorrowful sigh.
— It seems he was involved in something he shouldn’t have been. I don’t know the details, but I thought you should be informed.
Isabella, unable to fully process the news, asked with apprehension.
— Where is my baby? Can I see him?
Paloma hesitated for a moment before revealing with a concerned look.
— Unfortunately, your baby is not available for visits at the moment. The situation is delicate.
As Isabella tried to process the shocking turn of events in her life, a persistent question arose in her mind. Why had Alessio gone to the bathroom and not come back? Something must have happened during that time, even within the hospital.
— Paloma, what happened before the arrest? Why did he leave and never return from the bathroom?
Paloma, hiding a sense of triumph behind her concerned expression, invented a convincing story about an important call that Alessio needed to take. However, she knew that the chosen words were merely a veil to obscure the dark truth that was beginning to unfold.
The revelation of Alessio’s arrest plunged Isabella into an abyss of confusion and pain. What she didn’t know was that this was only the first piece of a game manipulated by hidden forces, and the answers to her questions were shrouded in shadows yet to be revealed.
— I want to see my baby. — Isabella forced herself to get out of the hospital bed, and a nurse intervened.
— You can't get up right now; you need to rest. A doctor will come soon to tell you about the baby's condition.
— What do you mean, condition? My baby was fine; there was nothing wrong with him. — Isabella said, her voice trembling with anguish.
— The doctor is on the way; stay calm. — The nurse replied, maintaining a professional demeanor.
Isabella turned her gaze to the window, watching the blue sky outside. In a moment of despair, she longed to be with Alessio, sharing the joy of watching the sea waves with their baby in her arms, as they had planned. A single tear slid down Isabella's face.
The doctor entered with a serious expression and began to explain the results of the tests. What Isabella heard next made her heart race, and reality began to crumble before her eyes.
— Isabella, we regret to inform you that your baby's condition has suddenly worsened. There appear to be serious complications. We need to act quickly to understand the situation and take the necessary measures.
The words echoed in Isabella's mind, a mix of confusion and pain. Her gaze, once fixed on the serene blue sky, now turned towards a dark and unknown horizon.
As the gravity of the situation unfolded, a nurse hurried into the room holding a letter. To Isabella's surprise, it was a message written by Alessio. The content left her stunned and revealed a secret that would change everything.

"Isabella, I can't explain everything right now, but trust me. What happened is not what it seems. Look for answers, and remember our love.
Alessio."

The family's fate was entangled in invisible threads, and the revelations promised to unveil hidden and surprising truths.