Chapter 36
The Labor
Two months later, the quiet peace of the Valdés mansion was broken by a sudden urgency. It was a stormy Tuesday night, the rain lashing against the massive windows, when Elena’s water broke.
Unlike the terrifying night on the roof, there was no panic. Alejandro had prepared for this moment meticulously. Within minutes, a private, secure ambulance was driving them to the city's top maternity hospital.
Elena gripped Alejandro’s hand in the back of the ambulance, breathing through a painful contraction.
"I'm scared," she admitted, the trauma of her last hospital experience creeping into her mind.
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"Look at me, Elena," Alejandro said, kneeling beside her stretcher. "You are not alone this time. I am right here. I will not leave this room. I will watch everything they do, and I will keep you safe."
His unwavering confidence grounded her. When they arrived at the VIP maternity suite, the doctors moved efficiently. Alejandro stood right by her pillow, holding her hand, wiping the sweat from her forehead, and murmuring words of encouragement as the hours of labor stretched on.
