Valeria’s gaze remained steady, though there was something fragile beneath it, something that suggested she was already preparing for disappointment.
The doctor closed the file gently, his role in the room nearing its end, though the real conversation had only just begun.
“Medically speaking,” he said, “this clarifies the biological aspect. The rest… is a personal matter.”
He stood, offering a small nod, giving them space, leaving behind a silence that no longer felt neutral, but charged with decision.
The door closed softly behind him.
Ricardo remained seated, his hands resting on his knees, his fingers slightly curled, as if holding onto something invisible.
He could feel their eyes on him now, not all at once, but in turns, each waiting for something, anything, that would define what came next.
He thought about speaking immediately, offering clarity, drawing a line, ending the uncertainty with a single, firm statement.
But the words did not come.
Instead, memories surfaced again, not just of his past, but of the recent weeks—the dinners, the conversations, the laughter that had felt genuine.
Had he been careless?
Or had he simply allowed himself to believe in something he had long thought was no longer possible?
The distinction mattered now more than ever.
Mariana shifted slightly, her hand resting on her abdomen, a small, instinctive gesture that carried more meaning than any words spoken so far.
Ximena’s gaze softened just a little, though the tension remained, her expression no longer defensive, but questioning.
Valeria looked away briefly, then back again, as if deciding whether to stay emotionally present or begin distancing herself.
Ricardo inhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the moment settle fully into his chest, no longer something he could avoid or postpone.
He understood now that this was the real turning point.
Not the trip, not the messages, not even the pregnancies.
This.
This was where he chose what kind of truth he would live with.
He could accept the medical reality, step back, and allow each of them to move forward without him, justified, protected by facts.
