Chapter 13

Gabriela looked at Vien's face, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Gabriela swallowed hard, her own eyes widening at Vien's words. Slowly, Vien's grip on her collar began to loosen.

"What?" Gabriela whispered, her voice trembling in shock.

"Shocking, right?" Vien smirked, but the pain in her eyes betrayed her. "I got pregnant. It was a girl... again. My husband always wanted a son. When he found out it was another girl, he told me to have an abortion." Vien chuckled bitterly, swallowing a lump in her throat.

"I know. It was stupid of me to agree," Vien said with a hollow laugh, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I thought it would prove how much I loved him. So we went through with it. But what caught me off guard..." She paused, her voice cracking, "...was that while I was unconscious, my ex-husband asked the doctor to remove my womb entirely. He had me undergo a hysterectomy without my consent."

She slapped her forehead with a sharp laugh that bordered on despair.

"Vien..." Gabriela reached for her, steadying her by the waist.

Vien looked up, tears streaming down her face. "And do you know what's worse? I still tried to save our marriage after that. Even though he destroyed me—as a woman, as his wife, as the mother of his daughter—I stayed. I thought I could make it work for our daughter's sake. But..." She swallowed hard, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I couldn't mend what was already broken. Staying meant losing myself completely. So I left. I got a divorce. And it ruined my life, Gabriela."

Her voice rose as she stepped back, pushing Gabriela away. "So now, tell me. Do you really want to get tangled up with someone like me? A single mother. A sinner."

Gabriela closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Vien's fists lightly struck her chest as she broke into sobs.

"Vien, stop," Gabriela said firmly, grabbing her wrists.

"Do you want to be ruined too, Gabriela? Don't love me. Don't love me because—" Vien's words were cut short as Gabriela suddenly leaned in, capturing her lips in a soft but steady kiss.

When Gabriela finally pulled back, she cradled Vien's face, her thumbs gently brushing away the tears on her cheeks.

"W-why did you... kiss me?" Vien stammered, stepping back, almost stumbling. Gabriela caught her, pulling her close again.

"Listen," Gabriela said softly, steadying both their breaths. "I'm so sorry for everything you've been through. No one should ever have to experience such betrayal."

Vien stiffened in Gabriela's arms but didn't pull away. Her steel-blue eyes searched Gabriela's face for answers—for judgment, pity, anger—but found none.

Gabriela took a deep breath. "But that doesn't make you unworthy of love, Vien. Your past, no matter how painful or messy, doesn't define who you are or what you deserve. It doesn't scare me. If anything, it makes me want to be here for you even more."

Vien scoffed and looked away, blinking back fresh tears. "You don't understand, Gabriela. I'm broken. I've made mistakes, trusted the wrong person, and now... Now, I'm just trying to hold it together for Blair. That's all I have left."

"And you're doing an incredible job," Gabriela said, her voice warm and earnest. She took a small step closer. "Blair adores you. She's growing up surrounded by love because of you. But, Vien..." Gabriela hesitated, carefully choosing her words. "You deserve love too. You deserve someone who sees all of you and chooses you—flaws, scars, and everything."

Vien let out a shaky breath. "You say that now, but what happens when my baggage becomes too much? When my scars—visible and invisible—start suffocating us both?"

Gabriela's eyes softened, and she smiled. "Then we'll carry it together. I'm not here to fix you, Vien. You're not broken. You've been hurt. Healing doesn't mean erasing the past—it means learning to live with it. I'm willing to walk that journey with you, no matter how long it takes."

Vien's lips quivered, her defenses faltering. "You really mean that?" she whispered, her voice breaking.

Gabriela nodded. "With all my heart."

A heavy but comforting silence settled between them. Vien's shoulders slumped slightly, as though the weight she carried had eased just a little.

Blair's laughter rang out from across the street, breaking the moment. The little girl was hopping in place, clearly trying to eavesdrop.

Gabriela chuckled and glanced at Vien. "I think someone's rooting for me."

Vien exhaled a small laugh, shaking her head. "Blair's always been too nosy for her own good."

"Smart kid," Gabriela teased. Then, more seriously, she added, "I'm not going anywhere, Vien. Take your time. I'll be here when you're ready."

Vien studied Gabriela for a long moment, her walls still standing but cracked enough to let a sliver of hope shine through. "We'll see," she said softly.

Gabriela smiled, understanding that even a small step forward was a victory. "We'll see," she echoed.

As Vien crossed the street to rejoin Blair, Gabriela watched her retreating figure, feeling a cautious but undeniable warmth blooming in her chest. Maybe, just maybe, Vien was starting to believe she was worth the love Gabriela was so ready to give.

Vien stepped out of the bathroom, her silk spaghetti strap tank top and matching shorts clinging softly to her tired frame. She stretched her arms above her head with a groan, her body aching from last night's grueling hospital shift. Just as she reached for the doorknob to leave her room, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her abdomen.

She gripped the knob tightly to steady herself, her breath hitching as she closed her eyes. Slowly, she turned and staggered back toward her bed, each step labored.

Another wave of pain struck, stronger this time. Vien doubled over, clutching her abdomen with one hand while the other gripped the edge of the bed for support.

"Shit," she hissed through gritted teeth, her voice strained. "Not again."

Reaching for the nightstand with trembling fingers, Vien grabbed the bottle of painkillers. She hastily poured two tablets into her palm and swallowed them dry, following up with a few gulps of water. Despite the cool air from the AC, beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and her skin felt clammy.

She climbed onto the bed, curling into a fetal position and pulling the blanket over her trembling body. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as she tried to suppress a groan of agony.

"Mommy?" Blair's small, concerned voice broke through the silence. "Mommy, are you okay?"

Vien peeked out from under the blanket, forcing a weak smile. "Y-yes, baby," she said softly. "Mommy's fine. Why do you ask?"

Blair tilted her head, her innocent eyes filled with worry as she climbed onto the bed. "I'll stay here with you, Mommy," she declared, wrapping her tiny arms around Vien. Then, with a cheeky grin, she added, "But can I borrow your phone?"

Vien clicked her tongue, amused despite the pain. "Oh, so that's why you're staying," she teased with a faint chuckle. "Go ahead, it's on the bedside table."

Blair giggled and retrieved the phone, holding it up to her mother. "How do I unlock it?"

Vien extended her hand, her movements slow and deliberate. "What do you want to watch?" she asked, unlocking the device. Blair eagerly requested a video, her excitement momentarily easing Vien's discomfort.

"Here you go," Vien said, handing the phone back. "Once it's done, let Nana prepare your food, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Blair chirped, settling beside her.

Vien exhaled a shaky sigh and shut her eyes. "Mommy's just going to rest now, alright?"

Blair nodded, leaning over to kiss her mother's forehead. "Sleep well, Mommy," she said sweetly.

Vien smiled weakly, her heart warming at her daughter's care. She pulled the blanket higher to hide her face as another jolt of pain coursed through her abdomen. Clenching her teeth, she bit down on her knuckles, her breathing shallow and uneven.

The minutes felt like hours, but gradually, the painkillers began to dull the sharp edges of her agony. Her body grew heavy, the fatigue from her long shift and the relief from the medication finally overtaking her.

As sleep pulled her under, Vien's tense frame relaxed, the pain retreating into the shadows of unconsciousness—for now.