I think, perhaps, this is my punishment. For losing my way. For falling away from the virtues the nuns tried so hard to instill in me. I allowed my rage to fester until it was a malignant disease, metastasizing to every cell, blackening my soul.

I prayed for forgiveness. I promised to be a better man. To do right by her, if I could only have the chance. Just one more chance. Because I know now that nothing else matters. Not if she isn't here. I tell her so every day, and still, she will not come back to me.

Admittedly, my mood swings on a pendulum from profound sorrow and grief to hurt and anger. How could she leave me here alone? Why won't she stop punishing me?

"Please." I bow my head, kissing the back of her hand as I cling to it. "Please forgive me, Ivy."

The monitor beside the bed changes rhythm, beating faster. I snap my eyes up, glancing at her heart rate and then back to her face.

"Ivy?"

Her arm goes rigid in my grasp, and a nurse enters the room, her brows furrowed as she glances at the monitor.

"What's going on?" I ask her.

She ignores me and starts checking Ivy's vitals. Her temperature, blood pressure, and continually increasing heart rate.

"Tell me what's happening," I demand.

"She could be going into labor, Mr. De La Rosa. I need you to step outside—"

The on-call doctor appears, followed by several additional nurses. Within seconds, they have Ivy's bed surrounded, and a hospital guard enters, trying to usher me out of the room.

"It's too early," I protest. "It hasn't been nine months."

"Sir, I need you to step outside."

I shrug off the guard, glancing back at Ivy, and I could almost swear I see her face pinch in pain. But she doesn't move.

"What's going to happen to her?" I plead.

I watch on helplessly as the doctor lifts the bedding and examines between Ivy’s legs. He rattles off some information I don’t understand and then turns to me.

"Mr. De La Rosa, she's in good hands. We'll need to give her some medication to increase contractions. If they are strong enough, we won't need to take her to surgery. But right now, you can't be in here. It's not safe for her or the baby. Do you understand?"

"Santiago?" Marco's voice comes from behind me, his hand settling over my shoulder. "Come outside with me. Let them take care of Ivy."

I don't want to leave her because I'm fucking terrified I might not get her back. The helpless uncertainty hanging over me makes me desperate.

"Please take care of her." I reach out and grab the nurse by the arms. "Please don't let anything happen to her."

She swallows, sadness reflected in her eyes. "I will treat her as if she were my own sister, Mr. De La Rosa. We'll do everything we can."