Page 51 of Please, Forgive Me

But it didn’t. Nothing changed.

It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. My breathing turned shallow, and suddenly I felt trapped inside a bubble, cut off from the world outside.

Pregnant.

The word thundered in my head. This wasn’t part of my plan. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Panic began to take over, blending with a crushing wave of confusion.

What now? What was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to tell… Diego?

The thought of him hit me hard, sending a chill down my spine.

Diego Bittencourt. The man who always had everything under control. The man who’d told me he’d never wanted anyone the way he wanted me.

I knew this news would change everything between us. It would change everything in my life.

I sank to the bathroom floor, too weak to stand. Shock settled over me, heavy and cold, while the weight of reality pressed down harder by the second. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely think.

The fear and uncertainty were overwhelming.

I’d always been independent, always fought for everything I had—but this… this was something I wasn’t sure I could face on my own.

And yet, the idea of depending on him for anything terrified me even more.

CHAPTER 21

“Change is inevitable, but growth is a choice…”

MARIA GABRIELA

Head down, I knocked on my friend’s door that Sunday.

Carol opened it with her usual big smile—the kind of smile that normally rubs off on me—but today it felt far away. She read me instantly; her smile faded the second her eyes met mine.

“What happened, Gabi?” The worry in her voice was obvious. As always, she pulled me inside without hesitation, and we made our way to the couch.

I took a deep breath, searching for the right words, but the truth was as simple as it was cruel.

“I… I’m pregnant, Carol,” I blurted out, my voice low and weak.

Carolina’s eyes widened for a heartbeat, then she quickly composed herself.

My friend had always been good at staying calm, even when the world was falling apart. She squeezed my hand, trying to steady me, but I could feel the disbelief behind her gaze.

“Gabi…” she began, as if trying to wrap her head around what I’d just said. “Pregnant?! How…?”

I shook my head, a wave of emotions rising inside me. It felt like everything was spinning out of my control. I’d never imagined myself here.

“I took the test,” I said, my eyes dropping to the floor, unable to meet hers. “I didn’t want to believe it, but the two lines were there… clear as day. And now… I don’t know what to do.” My voice cracked at the end, betraying the fear I’d been trying to hide.

She stood up, pacing the room the way she always did when she was thinking. Then she planted her hands on her hips, like she was trying to line up her thoughts, to find some magic fix for my situation.

But there wasn’t one.

“And Diego?” she asked suddenly, stopping mid-step. “Have you told him yet?”

I shook my head fast. Just the idea of telling Diego made my stomach churn all over again.