CHAPTER 3: Leaving for good

MARIA'S POV

For a while, I didn't want to wake up.

The darkness had been peaceful.

There were no divorce papers.

No Susan.

No Ethan.

No painful memories of the man I had loved for three years.

I wished I could stay there forever.

But slowly, I became aware of a steady beeping beside me.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

I opened my eyes.

A white ceiling greeted me.

I blinked several times, trying to understand where I was.

This wasn't my bedroom.

I tried to move.

Pain shot through my entire body.

I gasped.

My hand immediately went to my stomach.

The memories came rushing back.

Susan.

Her angry face.

Her hands pushing me.

The fall.

My baby.

My eyes widened.

“My baby…”

I tried to sit up, but my body felt too weak.

“Help…”

My voice barely came out.

I tried again.

“Help me.”

The door opened.

Someone hurried toward me.

“Maria!”

I recognized the voice immediately.

“Aunt Maggie?”

She rushed to my bedside and grabbed my hand.

“Oh, thank goodness. You're finally awake.”

I stared at her.

My throat felt dry.

“What happened?”

She tried to smile, but her eyes were filled with tears.

“I'll tell you everything, but you need to rest.”

I shook my head.

“No.”

My voice trembled.

“My baby.”

I looked down at my stomach.

“Did something happen to my baby?”

Aunt Maggie squeezed my hand.

“You're in the hospital.”

My heart dropped.

“What happened?”

“You were unconscious for four days.”

Four days?

My eyes widened.

I couldn't believe it.

“I've been here for four days?”

She nodded.

I swallowed.

“What about my baby?”

Aunt Maggie looked away.

My heart began pounding.

“Aunt Maggie, please.”

She turned back to me.

“You and the babies are alive.”

I froze.

“The… babies?”

She smiled through her tears.

“Yes.”

I stared at her.

“I don't understand.”

“You were carrying more than one baby, Maria.”

My lips parted.

“How many?”

Aunt Maggie's smile grew wider.

“Three.”

I stopped breathing.

“Three?”

She nodded.

“Three beautiful babies.”

Tears filled my eyes.

I covered my mouth with my hand.

“How?”

“We didn't know either. You went into premature labor after you were pushed. You were bleeding heavily, and the doctors had to perform an emergency procedure.”

I felt tears slide down my cheeks.

“My babies…”

“They're very small,” Aunt Maggie continued. “They're premature, so they're in incubators. But the doctors are taking care of them.”

A broken laugh escaped me.

Three babies.

I had been carrying three babies all this time.

My heart filled with something I hadn't felt in days.

Hope.

For a brief moment, I forgot about Ethan.

Forgot about Susan.

Forgot about the divorce.

All I could think about were my babies.

“Can I see them?”

“Not yet.”

“Please.”

“You're still too weak.”

I lowered my head.

“I just want to see them.”

“You will.”

Aunt Maggie stroked my hair.

“You need to get stronger first.”

I nodded reluctantly.

Then another thought crossed my mind.

“Ethan.”

Aunt Maggie's hand stopped.

I looked at her.

“Does Ethan know?”

She didn't answer.

“Aunt?”

“He knows you were brought to the hospital.”

My heart lifted.

“Then he's coming, right?”

She looked away.

“He knows about the pregnancy.”

I smiled weakly.

“He'll want to see his babies.”

Aunt Maggie's expression changed.

“Maria…”

Something about her voice made my smile disappear.

“What?”

“He isn't here.”

I stared at her.

“Where is he?”

She hesitated.

“He's in Miami.”

“Miami?”

I couldn't understand.

“Why?”

Aunt Maggie took a deep breath.

“Because Ethan and Susan got married.”

Everything inside me went still.

“What?”

“They got married the day after you were brought here.”

My mouth opened, but no words came out.

The room suddenly felt too quiet.

Too cold.

I stared at Aunt Maggie, waiting for her to laugh and tell me it was a joke.

She didn't.

“They got married while I was unconscious?”

She nodded.

I felt something break inside me.

“They didn't even come to the hospital?”

“No.”

My eyes burned.

“Not even once?”

Aunt Maggie shook her head.

“No.”

I turned my face away.

A tear escaped.

Then another.

I pressed my lips together, trying desperately not to cry.

But I couldn't.

I had loved Ethan.

I had loved him even when he didn't deserve it.

I had spent three years believing that one day he would look at me and realize I was the woman he wanted.

And now, while I lay unconscious fighting for my life and the lives of our children, he had married another woman.

“Does he hate me that much?”

Aunt Maggie immediately shook her head.

“No, Maria.”

“He does.”

“He called yesterday.”

I looked at her.

“What did he say?”

“He asked about you.”

My heart betrayed me.

For one foolish second, hope returned.

“Really?”

Aunt Maggie nodded.

“He doesn't know about the babies yet.”

My eyes moved toward the window.

The hope disappeared as quickly as it had come.

“He doesn't deserve to know.”

“Maria…”

“No.”

I wiped my tears.

“He chose Susan.”

“He still has a right to know about his children.”

I shook my head.

“Did he come here?”

“No.”

“Did he ask to speak to me?”

Aunt Maggie hesitated.

“No.”

I laughed bitterly.

“Then what does he want?”

“He's probably confused.”

“I'm not confused.”

My voice cracked.

“I know exactly what I want.”

Aunt Maggie stared at me.

I looked down at my hands.

“I want to leave.”

“Leave?”

“This town.”

She immediately shook her head.

“You just gave birth. You're too weak to travel.”

“I'll get stronger.”

“Maria, think carefully.”

“I have.”

I looked toward the window.

The life I had dreamed about was gone.

The husband I had waited for had chosen someone else.

The house I had called home had become my prison.

And now I had three reasons to leave it all behind.

“My babies will grow up without him.”

Aunt Maggie sighed.

“Don't make decisions because you're hurt.”

I looked at her.

“I am hurt.”

My voice trembled.

“But I'm also angry.”

I wiped my tears.

“He told me our marriage meant nothing. He told me to leave. He locked me inside that house. Susan pushed me, and I almost lost my life.”

I placed a hand over my chest.

“And while I was fighting for my babies, they were getting married.”

Aunt Maggie lowered her eyes.

“I can't stay here.”

She held my hand.

“Where will you go?”

“I don't know yet.”

“But you have no money.”

“I'll find a way.”

“Maria—”

“I'll work.”

I looked at her with tears in my eyes.

“I'll do anything for my babies.”

Aunt Maggie sighed.

“Does Ethan know you're leaving?”

I shook my head.

“He doesn't need to.”

“But when he calls—”

“Tell him they're dead.”

Aunt Maggie's eyes widened.

“What?”

“Tell him the babies didn't survive.”

“Maria!”

“I don't want him to find us.”

“But he's their father.”

“He chose Susan.”

My voice broke.

“Now he can live with that choice.”

Aunt Maggie stared at me for a long moment.

I knew she didn't agree.

But I couldn't change my mind.

I had spent three years giving Ethan everything I had.

My love.

My patience.

My dignity.

My heart.

Now I had only one thing left.

My children.

And I wasn't going to let Ethan take them from me.

I wiped my tears and looked toward the window.

“I am leaving this town, Aunt Maggie.”

I took a shaky breath.

“And this time, I'm leaving for good.”