Chapter 52

Ana was in the clinic's waiting room, clutching her purse tightly. Seconds felt like hours, and every time she saw a nurse or doctor pass through the hallway, her heart leapt into her throat. It had been hours since Adrien had gone into surgery, but the agony of not knowing what was happening was almost unbearable.

As she stared at the floor, memories of their last conversation came rushing back. His words, his tone, the way he looked at her before disappearing behind those double doors

-"If something happens to me, take care of him. Please, Ana. Promise me."

That plea had left her speechless. How could he even think of such a possibility? Adrien had to pull through. She couldn't lose him now, not after finding him again.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated in her purse. She quickly pulled it out, hoping for news about the procedure. However, what she found was an unexpected message.

-Margaret: "I'm sure everything will be fine. Mateo is waiting for you. He needs you, Adrien. You're his hero."

Ana read the message several times. Her eyes lingered on the last sentence: "Mateo is waiting for you." Her mind couldn't stop imagining Adrien with another child, building a family that didn't include Luca or her.

A sharp pang of jealousy and sadness hit her instantly, but beneath that pain was something deeper: guilt. She had deprived Adrien of the first years of his son's life. And now, the possibility that he had found comfort in another family made that guilt even heavier.

-"How did we get here?" -she whispered, clutching her phone to her chest.

A nurse approached her at that moment, pulling her out of her thoughts.

-"Ma'am, the procedure is ongoing. So far, everything is going well."

Ana nodded, momentarily relieved. But the uncertainty lingered.

Meanwhile, in the operating room, Adrien was fighting the unconsciousness that enveloped him. Memories of his life swirled like a whirlwind: happy moments with his family, the pain of losing Ana, the surprise of discovering Luca, and the warmth in Mateo's eyes when he called him "dad."

Everything was so intertwined, so confusing. But one thing was clear: he couldn't fail Luca. He couldn't fail that boy who had come into his life unexpectedly but was now part of his soul.

In the depths of his mind, one promise echoed: "I'll always be here for you. No matter what happens."

Hours later, Ana jumped when the doctor finally emerged from the operating room. She stood up quickly, her heart racing.

-"How is he?" -she asked, her voice full of urgency.

The doctor smiled slightly.

-"The procedure was successful. Adrien is stable. He just needs time to recover now."

Relief flooded her, and tears began streaming uncontrollably down her face.

-"Thank you thank you, doctor."

However, as the doctor walked away, Ana felt her joy mingling with a new unease. Adrien had survived, but what would that mean for them? Could she face him with everything left unsaid?

Taking a deep breath, Ana headed toward the recovery area. It was time to confront not only Adrien but also everything they had left in the past. Now that life was giving them another chance, the question was whether they could seize it.

Ana slowly approached the recovery room, her steps heavy and her heart pounding. Every exhale seemed to release a flood of emotions she couldn't contain: relief, fear, and even a glimmer of hope. Adrien was alive. He had survived.

When she reached the door, a nurse stopped her.

-"He's awake but still weak," -she explained calmly. -"Try not to overwhelm him."

Ana nodded, taking a deep breath before entering. As she opened the door, she saw him lying in bed. His skin was pale, but his eyes, though tired, held the same warmth she'd always known.

-"Adrien" -she whispered, approaching him slowly.

He turned his head toward her, a faint smile appearing on his face.

-"Hi, Ana." -His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper, but his words carried a warmth that made her tremble.

Ana took the chair by his bedside and sat down, unsure of what to say. For a moment, she simply looked at him, letting the reality of his survival comfort her.

-"Thank you," -she finally murmured, breaking the silence. -"For doing this for Luca. I don't know how to thank you"

Adrien looked at her intently, his expression serious.

-"You don't have to thank me. He's my son. There's nothing I wouldn't do for him."

The words hit her hard. Even though she knew they were true, hearing them from Adrien's lips made them even more real.

-"How is he?" -Adrien asked after a moment, breaking the tension that had built between them.

-"Stable, for now. The doctors say his levels will improve with time. Thanks to you." -Ana leaned forward slightly, letting out a shaky sigh.

Adrien closed his eyes, nodding slightly.

-"That's all that matters."

Ana watched him in silence, her heart torn. There were so many things they still needed to say, so many wounds that needed healing, but now wasn't the time. However, one question tormented her.

-"Why did you ask me to write to Margaret?" -she blurted out suddenly, her voice barely a whisper but heavy with emotion.

Adrien opened his eyes, looking at her with some confusion.

-"Because I couldn't leave without explaining to her why I wasn't there for Mateo. He's part of my life now too, Ana."

The confession left her breathless. Even though she had suspected it, hearing him confirm that someone else was part of his life was a blow she hadn't expected to face at that moment.

-"So, you have a new family?" -she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, even though she knew she was on the verge of tears.

Adrien frowned, noticing the pain in her words.

-"It's not a new family, Ana. Margaret and Mateo are different. You don't understand because I haven't explained it to you, but"

-"I don't need explanations." -Ana interrupted him, abruptly standing up from the chair. -"I know I have no right to demand anything, but it hurts to know that while I was struggling alone, you"

She trailed off, unable to continue.

Adrien sat up slightly, ignoring the pain coursing through his body.

-"Ana, you chose to disappear. You never gave me the chance to be with you, to be part of your life or Luca's. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be here now."

Ana looked at him, tears finally falling.

-"It wasn't a choice. I was forced to leave, Adrien. But I never stopped loving you, even when I knew I couldn't come back."

Her words hung in the air between them, heavy with years of pain and regret. Adrien didn't know what to say. For the first time in a long time, he felt completely vulnerable.

Ana slowly stepped closer, placing her hand over his.

-"Luca needs you. That's all that matters now."

Adrien gently squeezed her hand, nodding.

-"I know. But that doesn't mean we can't fix things between us, Ana. I want to understand everything that happened. I want Luca to grow up with both of us."

Ana looked into his eyes, a mix of hope and fear.

-"First, we need to recover. Then we'll see if that's possible."

Silence settled between them again, but this time it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a silence full of unspoken promises, of a possibility they had both feared for so long. Fate had brought them together once more, and though the path ahead was uncertain, both were willing to walk it.