Chapter 2 - The Birth Order
The hospital room erupted into controlled chaos.
Valeria’s monitor sounded an alarm.
A nurse rushed toward the bed while another called the obstetric team.
Sebastián kept his body pressed against the door, preventing Octavio from pushing his way inside.
“Move,” Octavio ordered.
“No.”
“You’re interfering with medical care.”
“The doctors can enter.”
Sebastián looked directly at him.
“You cannot.”
Rebeca appeared behind Octavio.
Her calm expression had returned, but Sebastián could now see the effort required to maintain it.
She placed one hand gently on her son’s arm.
“You’re frightened.”
“Take your hand off me.”
Rebeca froze.
Sebastián had never spoken to her that way.
Not as a child.
Not as a teenager.
Not even when his father died and Rebeca took control of nearly every decision in the family.
“Valeria has confused you,” Rebeca said.
Sebastián looked at the forged forms lying on the table.
“You prepared to take my son before he was born.”
“We prepared to protect him.”
“From his mother?”
“From instability.”
Lucía stepped closer to the door.
“The only unstable person here is the woman who believes she owns everyone.”
Rebeca’s eyes narrowed.
“You should have stayed hidden.”
“And you should have made sure I was dead.”
Valeria cried out.
The sound ended the argument.
Sebastián turned away from the door and rushed toward her.
A doctor entered with two nurses.
He introduced himself as Dr. Emilio Salgado, the physician on call for emergency deliveries.
The moment he approached Valeria, the doctor who had been standing with Rebeca earlier tried to follow him.
Lucía blocked the doorway.
“Not him.”
Dr. Salgado looked confused.
The other physician stiffened.
“I am Dr. Zamora.”
Valeria’s fear became immediate.
“No.”
Her fingers clutched Sebastián’s sleeve.
“Not Zamora.”
Dr. Salgado studied her expression.
“Do you refuse treatment from Dr. Zamora?”
“Yes.”
Her answer was weak but clear.
Dr. Salgado turned toward the other physician.
“The patient has refused.”
Zamora’s face tightened.
“She is not capable of making that determination.”
“On whose authority?”
Octavio raised the black folder.
“We have documentation requesting psychiatric intervention.”
Dr. Salgado held out his hand.
“Let me see it.”
Octavio hesitated.
That hesitation told the doctor more than the papers could have.
Dr. Salgado turned to a nurse.
“Call hospital legal counsel.”
Then he looked at Sebastián.
“Are you the husband?”
“Yes.”
“Does your wife have a documented psychiatric diagnosis?”
“No.”
Rebeca spoke from the hallway.
“She has a history of delusions and self-harm.”
Valeria stared at her.
“That is a lie.”
Dr. Salgado did not look away from Valeria.
“Have you ever attempted to harm yourself?”
“No.”
“Have you threatened your baby?”
“Never.”
“Do you feel safe with the people in the hallway?”
Valeria’s eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
Dr. Salgado turned to security.
“Remove everyone except the husband and Ms. Navarro.”
Rebeca’s voice hardened.
“You have no idea who I am.”
“I know exactly who you are,” Dr. Salgado said.
“You are not my patient.”
Security moved forward.
Octavio stepped back, but Rebeca remained still.
Her gaze settled on Sebastián.
“If you let them remove me, there will be consequences.”
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he gave security a single nod.
Rebeca was escorted away from the room.
Octavio and Dr. Zamora followed.
The door closed.
For the first time that night, the air changed.
Valeria was not safe yet.
But the people threatening her were no longer standing within reach.
Dr. Salgado examined her while the nurses prepared the room.
His expression grew concerned.
“The baby’s heart rate is dropping during contractions.”
“What does that mean?” Sebastián asked.
“It means we may need to perform an emergency cesarean.”
Valeria shook her head.
“No anesthesia from Zamora.”
“Dr. Zamora will not be involved.”
“No medication prepared by his team.”
Dr. Salgado nodded.
“I will personally supervise everything.”
Lucía moved to the head of the bed.
“I’m here.”
Valeria looked at Sebastián.
Her eyes carried fear, exhaustion, and something far more painful.
Distrust.
He wanted to promise that everything would be all right.
But promises from him had become worthless.
Instead, he said the only honest thing he could.
“I believe you.”
Valeria looked away.
The words had arrived three years too late.
Another contraction came.
The fetal monitor slowed.
Dr. Salgado’s expression changed.
“We’re going to the operating room now.”
The nurses unlocked the bed and began rolling it toward the door.
Sebastián followed.
A hospital administrator met them in the corridor.
“Mr. Alcázar, there is a legal dispute concerning the newborn.”
“The baby hasn’t been born.”
“The family attorney submitted a transfer request.”
“Cancel it.”
“I’m afraid your signature appears on the authorization.”
Sebastián stopped.
“My signature is forged.”
“That will need to be investigated.”
“Then investigate it while my wife is in surgery.”
The administrator lowered his voice.
“Until the matter is resolved, the newborn may be temporarily placed under protective supervision.”
Valeria heard him.
“No.”
She tried to sit up.
The monitor alarmed again.
“They’re taking him.”
“No one is taking him,” Sebastián said.
“You don’t control this hospital.”
“No,” Lucía replied.
“But someone else might.”
She took out her phone and called a number.
“Who are you calling?” Sebastián asked.
“The only prosecutor in Nuevo León who ever believed me.”
The call connected.
Lucía spoke rapidly.
“My name is Lucía Navarro.”
“I have evidence connected to Casa Esperanza.”
“I am at Hospital Santa Aurelia.”
“A woman is in emergency labor, and the Alcázars are attempting to remove her child.”
She listened.
Then she gave the phone to Sebastián.
A woman’s voice spoke on the other end.
“Mr. Alcázar?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Adriana Cruz.”
“I am a special prosecutor with the state anti-corruption unit.”
“I need you to listen carefully.”
Sebastián looked through the operating-room doors as Valeria was taken inside.
“Tell me what to do.”
“Do not sign anything.”
“Do not surrender your phone.”
“Do not allow the newborn to leave the surgical floor.”
“And most importantly, do not trust hospital security.”
Sebastián looked down the hallway.
Two security officers stood near the elevators.
One of them touched his earpiece.
Then he turned toward the operating-room doors.
The lights above the elevators flashed.
A private elevator opened.
Three men in dark suits stepped out.
The officer who had removed Rebeca from the room walked toward them.
Instead of stopping them, he shook one man’s hand.
Sebastián understood immediately.
Rebeca had not been removed from the hospital.
She had simply been given time to bring reinforcements.
Inside the operating room, Valeria screamed.
A baby cried.
For one beautiful second, the entire hallway seemed to stop.
May you like
Sebastián’s son had been born.
Then the lights went out.
