Chapter 22 - The Birth of the Heir
Three months later, the private maternity wing of the Zambrano Hellion Hospital was entirely secured by Grupo Villalobos personnel.
No paparazzi, no unwanted guests, and certainly no ghosts from her past were allowed within a mile of the delivery room. Valeria was surrounded by the finest obstetricians in the hemisphere, but the only hand she held on to was her mother's.
After eight grueling hours of labor, the sharp, beautiful sound of a newborn baby's cry shattered the tense silence of the medical suite.
"It is a boy, Ms. Villalobos,"
The senior doctor announced, placing the warm, crying infant onto Valeria's chest.
Tears of absolute, pure joy streamed down Valeria's face. She looked down at the tiny, perfect features of her son, his head covered in thick, dark hair. He was beautiful. He was flawless. And most importantly, he was entirely hers.
"Hello, Alejandro,"
Valeria sobbed, kissing his incredibly soft forehead.
Elena stood beside the bed, her usually impenetrable, iron facade melting into tears of profound maternal pride as she looked at her grandson.
"He is a Villalobos,"
Elena whispered fiercely, resting her hand over Valeria's.
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"He will never know fear. He will never know scarcity. He will rule the world, Valeria."
Alejandro opened his dark eyes, staring up at his mother. The trauma of the dining room incident, the fear of losing him to Carmen's violent, jealous rage, evaporated completely. He had survived the fire, just like his mother.
