Chapter 6: The First Thing She Asked For
Mateo had faced hostile investors, collapsing deals, and men who threatened to destroy everything he owned.
He had never been afraid of a single sentence the way he feared Camila's request.
I don't feel safe talking to you alone.
He stood beside her bed, unable to decide whether he should let go of her hand or hold it tighter.
“Camila,” he whispered, “please don't say that.””
Her eyes remained closed.
“I need Alejandro.””
“You have me.””
She opened her eyes.
For a moment, she simply looked at him.
Then she asked, “Did you come home when I called?””
Mateo felt the question cut through him.
“I came as soon as I learned you were in the hospital.””
“That isn't what I asked.””
He swallowed.
“No.””
“How many times did I call you?””
He looked away.
“Seventeen.””
“And how many times did you answer?””
“Once.””
“Did you listen to what I said?””
He couldn't speak.
Camila's fingers moved weakly against the blanket.
“Did you believe me when I told you I was bleeding?””
Mateo lowered his head.
“Yes.””
The room went silent.
A monitor beeped steadily beside the bed.
Camila turned her face toward the window.
“Then why didn't you come?””
He had rehearsed answers during the drive to the hospital.
He had been busy. He had been drinking. He had thought she was exaggerating. He had believed she would call a doctor if something was genuinely wrong.
Every excuse now sounded like a confession.
“I was selfish,” he said.
She closed her eyes.
“I know.””
“Camila, I'm sorry.””
“I know that too.””
He moved closer.
“I was wrong. I should have come home. I should have answered every call. I should have—”
“Mateo.””
He stopped.
“Please don't make me comfort you right now.””
The words silenced him.
She had always been the person who softened his anger, who helped him find the right words, who made him feel like the man he wanted to believe he was.
Even now, he had begun apologizing in a way that invited her to reassure him.
He stepped back.
“You're right.””
Camila looked toward the door again.
“Please call Alejandro.””
Mateo nodded.
He walked to the doorway, where Alejandro stood with Gabriel.
Alejandro looked up.
“Is she awake?””
“Yes.””
“How is she?””
“She wants to see you.””
Alejandro's expression changed.
Mateo swallowed.
“She doesn't want to speak to me alone.””
For a second, Alejandro said nothing.
Then he nodded and walked into the room.
Mateo followed him but stopped near the wall.
Camila's eyes softened when she saw Alejandro.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
Alejandro approached the bed.
“For what?””
“For calling you in the middle of the night. For dragging you into this.””
He shook his head.
“Don't apologize for asking for help.””
She looked down at her hands.
“I didn't know who else to call.””
Alejandro pulled a chair beside her bed.
“You called the right person.””
Mateo turned away.
The sentence was not meant as an insult.
That made it worse.
Camila took a shaky breath.
“Did you see him?””
“Your son?”” Alejandro asked.
She nodded.
“The doctors said he's alive, but he's in the neonatal unit. They're taking care of him.””
“Does he look like Mateo?””
Alejandro glanced toward the wall.
“I haven't seen him yet.””
Camila smiled faintly.
“I hope he has Mateo's eyes.””
Her voice broke.
“And his heart. The good part of it.””
Mateo pressed a hand over his mouth.
Alejandro reached for the tissue box and placed it beside her.
“Camila, you need to rest.””
“I need to know something first.””
“What is it?””
“Did you read the document in my handbag?””
Alejandro hesitated.
“Yes.””
“Did Mateo see it?””
“Yes.””
She turned toward her husband.
“Then you know why I named Alejandro as my emergency contact.””
Mateo stepped forward.
“No, I don't. That's what I want you to explain.””
Camila watched him for a long moment.
“Three weeks ago, I went to the hospital because I was dizzy and had been experiencing pain. The doctor told me my pregnancy needed closer monitoring. She explained the warning signs and told me not to wait if I noticed bleeding or changes in the baby's movements.””
Mateo's face tightened.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I did.””
“No, you didn't.””
Camila's eyes filled with tears.
“I called you from the hospital parking lot. You said you were in a meeting. I sent you a message with the doctor's recommendations. You replied with a thumbs-up.””
Mateo stared at her.
He remembered the message.
He had seen it while negotiating a property purchase and tapped the first response that appeared on his screen.
He had not read the attachment.
“I thought you were sending me the appointment summary,” he whispered.
“I was sending you the doctor's instructions.””
She turned her face away.
“I tried to explain that I was frightened. You told me not to let anxiety ruin the pregnancy.””
Mateo sat down heavily.
Camila continued.
“After that appointment, the doctor asked me to choose someone who could be reached in an emergency. I asked you if you could come to the next appointment with me.””
“I was busy.””
“You said you had a meeting.””
“I did.””
“You told me to ask the housekeeper to drive me.””
Mateo lowered his head.
“I remember.””
“I asked you whether you could take one afternoon off before our son was born.””
He closed his eyes.
“I remember.””
“You said the company couldn't survive without you.””
Camila gave a small, exhausted laugh.
“But the company survived when you went away with Valeria. It survived when you spent three hours at dinner. It survived when you disappeared into your office on Sundays.””
She paused to catch her breath.
“The only thing that couldn't survive was my belief that I could count on you.””
Mateo's eyes filled.
“I never wanted you to feel alone.””
“But I was alone.””
Her voice was quiet, which made every word harder to bear.
“I was alone when I sat in the doctor's office. I was alone when I came home and tried to explain what she said. I was alone when I woke up at night wondering whether our baby was moving enough.””
She looked at him.
“And tonight, when I fell, I was alone again.””
Mateo covered his face.
“I know.””
“No, Mateo. You know what happened. You don't know what it felt like.””
She took a slow breath.
“I was at the bottom of the stairs. I couldn't stand. I could feel blood beneath me. I kept calling you because I thought that if you heard how frightened I was, you would come.””
Her voice trembled.
“When you told me to stop panicking, I thought you didn't understand. When you hung up, I thought perhaps the call had dropped. When you rejected the next one, I understood.””
Mateo looked at her.
“Understood what?””
“That I was not important enough to interrupt your evening.””
He shook his head.
“That's not true.””
“Then why did you leave me there?””
He had no answer.
Camila turned toward Alejandro.
“I named him as my emergency contact because I knew he would come.””
Alejandro looked uncomfortable.
“You didn't have to explain that.””
“Yes, I did. Mateo deserves to know.””
She looked at her husband again.
“Alejandro never promised me that he could save me. He promised that if I called, he would answer. That was all I needed.””
Mateo's shoulders shook.
He wanted to ask when she had stopped trusting him.
But the answer was obvious.
Trust had not disappeared overnight.
He had worn it down until there was nothing left.
A nurse entered to check Camila's monitors.
“Mrs. Villarreal, you need to conserve your strength. Your blood pressure is still unstable.””
Camila nodded.
“Can I see my baby?””
The nurse exchanged a glance with Alejandro.
“Not yet. The neonatal team is monitoring him closely. We will update you as soon as he's stable enough for a visit.””
Camila's lips trembled.
“Is he suffering?””
“The doctors are giving him the care he needs.””
“Please tell them I want to see him as soon as it's safe.””
“I will.””
The nurse adjusted the blanket and left.
Camila watched the doorway for several seconds.
Then she whispered, “I need to ask you both something.””
Alejandro leaned closer.
“Go ahead.””
“If I don't recover as quickly as the doctors hope, I need you to make sure my son receives the care he needs.””
Mateo stepped forward.
“Camila, don't talk like that.””
She looked at him.
“I'm not asking you to leave. I'm asking you to listen.””
He stopped.
She continued.
“Mateo, you're his father. Nothing I say changes that. But if I'm unable to make decisions, I need someone who will listen to the doctors and respect my wishes.””
Mateo nodded slowly.
“I will.””
“Will you?””
“Yes.””
“Even if the doctors tell you something you don't want to hear?””
He hesitated.
The pause was brief.
Camila noticed it anyway.
Alejandro did too.
Mateo took a breath.
“Yes. I'll listen.””
Camila studied his face.
“I hope you mean that.””
“I do.””
She looked at Alejandro.
“And you?””
Alejandro reached for her hand.
“I'll help however I can. But your son belongs to you and Mateo. I'm not trying to take anyone's place.””
“I know.””
She squeezed his fingers weakly.
“That's why I trust you.””
Mateo turned toward the window.
Outside, dawn had not yet broken. The glass reflected the three figures in the room: a woman fighting to recover, a man who had abandoned her, and the man who had come when she called.
For the first time, Mateo understood that Alejandro had not stolen his place in Camila's life.
Mateo had surrendered it, one selfish decision at a time.
Then Camila spoke again.
“Mateo, I need you to do something for me.””
He turned immediately.
“Anything.””
“Go to the neonatal unit.””
He looked confused.
“Why?””
“Because our son is there. I want you to see him.””
Mateo's eyes filled.
“Of course.””
“But before you go, I need you to understand something.””
He waited.
“You are allowed to love him. You are allowed to be his father. You are allowed to hold him and tell him that you will protect him.””
She swallowed.
“But you are not allowed to use him to make me forgive you.””
Mateo nodded, unable to speak.
Camila looked away.
“I'm not ready to forgive you.””
He felt the words settle inside him.
For years, he had assumed that an apology could repair anything if he delivered it at the right moment.
Now he understood that some damage could not be undone by saying the right words.
He stood slowly.
“I understand.””
Camila closed her eyes.
“Please go.””
Mateo walked toward the door.
Just before he reached it, she spoke again.
“Mateo?””
He turned.
“Yes?””
“Don't tell our son that you were a hero tonight.””
His throat tightened.
“I won't.””
“Tell him the truth when he's old enough to understand.””
Mateo nodded.
“I will.””
He left the room without another word.
The neonatal intensive care unit was quieter than Mateo expected.
Soft lights illuminated rows of incubators. Monitors displayed tiny numbers beside each bed. Nurses moved between the machines with careful, practiced steps, speaking in low voices.
A nurse named Elena approached him.
“Mr. Villarreal?””
“Yes.””
“Your son is in this room. He's receiving respiratory support, and we're monitoring his oxygen levels and heart rate.””
Mateo stared through the glass.
“Can I touch him?””
“If the medical team confirms it's safe, you may place your hand gently against the incubator opening. Please follow the nurse's instructions.””
He nodded.
Elena led him to a small incubator near the far wall.
Inside lay a tiny boy wrapped in a white blanket, his skin pink beneath the soft lighting, a small cap covering his head.
Thin tubes and sensors were attached to his body.
Mateo stopped breathing.
His son was smaller than he had imagined.
So small that the watch on Mateo's wrist suddenly seemed grotesque, a heavy piece of metal belonging to a different universe.
Elena spoke gently.
“He was born prematurely, and he's working hard. We're giving him support while his lungs and other systems adjust.””
Mateo stared at the baby's face.
“Can he hear me?””
“His hearing may respond to voices, but we don't want to overstimulate him. You can speak softly.””
Mateo washed his hands and followed Elena's instructions.
Then he placed one trembling finger through the opening in the incubator and touched the baby's tiny hand.
The fingers curled around his.
It was barely a movement.
But Mateo felt it everywhere.
“Hello, little man,” he whispered.
His voice broke.
“I'm your dad.””
The baby remained still, his chest rising with the rhythm of the support being provided.
Mateo bent closer.
“I don't know if you can hear me. I don't know if you know I'm here.””
He swallowed.
“But I need you to know something. I should have been here before tonight.””
A tear dropped onto the edge of the incubator.
“I should have been there when you kicked for the first time. I should have gone to your appointments. I should have listened when your mother told me she was frightened.””
Elena quietly stepped away, giving him a little privacy while remaining within sight.
Mateo rested his forehead against the cool edge of the incubator.
“I can't promise you that I'll never make another mistake. But I can promise that I won't pretend my mistakes are someone else's fault.””
The baby's fingers loosened.
Mateo pulled back, frightened he had disturbed him.
Elena checked the monitor.
“That's all right. Let him rest.””
Mateo nodded and stepped away.
At the doorway, he turned for one last look.
He had built an empire to leave his son.
But standing beside that incubator, he realized that his son needed something he had never learned how to give.
A father who showed up.
A father who listened.
A father who understood that love was not measured by the size of an inheritance.
He walked back toward Camila's room, determined to begin making things right.
But as he reached the corridor, Gabriel hurried toward him with a phone in his hand.
“Mateo, we have a problem.””
Mateo's expression tightened.
“What now?””
“Your company's legal director called. Someone has submitted a formal request to review the emergency authorization Camila signed.””
Mateo stared at him.
“Who?””
Gabriel hesitated.
“A law firm representing your wife's interests.””
“My wife's interests? She's in the hospital!””
“I know. But the request includes an instruction to preserve certain financial records, emails, and communications relating to the pregnancy and the emergency tonight.””
Mateo's stomach tightened.
“What financial records?””
Gabriel lowered his voice.
“The records from the construction company. Specifically, the transfers that were made three weeks ago from Camila's personal account into the emergency medical trust.””
Mateo went completely still.
Camila had a medical trust?
He had never heard of it.
“How much money?”” he asked.
Gabriel glanced at his phone.
“Four million pesos.””
Mateo stared at him.
“Why would she move that kind of money without telling me?””
Gabriel swallowed.
“There's something else.””
“What?””
“The trust wasn't created three weeks ago. It was established five years ago, shortly after Alejandro left the company.””
Mateo felt the blood drain from his face.
Five years ago.
The same month Alejandro had been accused of stealing company funds.
The same month Mateo had stood before the investors and declared that his best friend had betrayed him.
He looked at Gabriel.
“Who funded the trust?””
Gabriel hesitated.
Then he turned the phone so Mateo could see the document.
The original transfer had come from an account connected to Alejandro Serrano.
Mateo stared at the amount.
Then at the date.
Then at the signature authorizing the transfer.
It was Alejandro's.
For five years, Mateo had believed that Alejandro had stolen money from the company.
But the first financial document connected to the trust suggested something far more disturbing.
Alejandro had transferred money into an account intended to protect Camila and her future child.
And he had done it before Mateo publicly accused him of betrayal.
Mateo looked toward the neonatal unit.
His son was fighting for his life.
His wife had trusted another man enough to name him as her emergency contact.
And now, buried beneath five years of lies, was evidence that the man Mateo had tried to destroy might have been protecting his family all along.
Gabriel lowered the phone.
“Mateo, there's one more thing you need to know.””
Mateo looked at him.
“What?””
“The original complaint that destroyed Alejandro's career wasn't filed by Alejandro's department or the company's auditors.””
Gabriel took a breath.
“It was filed under your authorization.””
Mateo stared at him.
“That makes no sense.””
Gabriel's voice dropped to a whisper.
“Your signature is on the complaint, too.””
May you like
For the second time that night, Mateo looked at a document bearing his own name and realized that the truth might be far worse than he remembered.
And somewhere in the hospital, Camila was waking up to a world in which the man she had once loved had finally begun to discover what he had done.
