Chapter 2 – The Balcony Door Opens
The first person to notice something was wrong wasn't Alejandro.
It was his father.
Carlos returned from taking out the trash and frowned when he saw the sliding door covered in faint handprints.
"Why is the balcony door locked?"
No one answered.
He walked closer.
Outside, through the fogged glass, he saw Isabella collapsed against the railing, one hand wrapped around her swollen stomach.
"Open the door!" he shouted.
The room exploded into motion.
Alejandro rushed forward, fumbling with the lock.
The moment the door slid open, freezing air swept through the apartment.
He dropped to his knees beside his wife.
"Isabella! Baby, look at me!"
Her lips were blue.
Her hands were ice cold.
She barely managed to whisper.
"The... baby..."
Then another violent contraction bent her body.
Carlos immediately pulled off his coat and wrapped it around her.
"Call an ambulance!"
Paola stood near the kitchen island, suddenly pale.
"It was only supposed to be a few minutes."
Nobody looked at her.
Nobody answered.
Alejandro carried Isabella inside while his mother dialed emergency services with trembling fingers.
Within minutes, paramedics filled the apartment.
One of them pressed a monitor against Isabella's abdomen.
His expression changed instantly.
"We're losing the baby's heartbeat."
The room went silent.
They rushed Isabella onto the stretcher.
As the ambulance doors slammed shut, Alejandro climbed inside beside her, refusing to let go of her hand.
Back at the apartment, everyone remained frozen.
Carlos slowly turned toward Paola.
"You locked her out?"
Paola crossed her arms, trying to sound confident.
"She exaggerates everything. She needed to toughen up."
Carlos had never struck anyone in his life.
But for the first time, his hand rose before he caught himself.
Instead, he pointed toward the front door.
"Leave."
Paola blinked.
"Dad—"
"Leave before I forget you're my daughter."
May you like
She walked out without another word.
For the first time in her life, nobody tried to stop her.
