pte

ge'

ldn't. Camila lay there on the metal table, covered by a white sheet that did nothing to hide the reality. Her pale face was motionless,

s as freezing as the marb

, my voice breaking in

ous impact, but his words were lost to the void. There was no comfort to be foun

her icy forehead, and something

ing under the endless rain. But

ose children she had wanted so desperately. The

se Camila had insisted on cooking, even though we employed five chefs-was now frozen in

o longer echoed acro

the hallways like a spell, capab

dies, no longer filled the kitch

the living proof that the world could snatch awa

no one wanted to say out loud: it all started with that pregnancy. With those children growing in another

ke exotic birds ready to devour each other. I was a Valcourt. She was... unexpected. Amidst designer gowns and Swiss watches, Camila had appeared in a simple white d

ng I hadn't even known existed-click into place. She

this place," she had t

despise it,"

ed. "Then we can de

amila, with her absurd, brilli

cts, lawsuits, and power struggles. I learned that som

s the only thing missing to secure the inheritance. Your brother is already

agreed to it-not for the inheritance, at least not entirely-but becau

ents. Endless waits. Tears she hi

ted to give her the one thing she desired most. And because the inheritance would ensure our family was pro

like a sweet ghost, following my every step. I couldn'

e someone had ripped my soul straight from my body. I, a man who never cried in front

w her-with her huge belly, clutching her stomach, panting heavily-something insid

y... were now nothing but living proof that she was gone. That the light of

, the boxes of toys still sat untouched on the floor. She had left them there right before she died. And I was

I was burning alive. I couldn't think of the triplets without feeling

me. He wanted to make sure I did the right thing

athing. Not him. Not the man who had always wanted to see me fall. Even so... none o

ompletely irrelevant th

til the butler walked in, his face as pale as a ghos

irritated gl

rembling. "She gave birth tonight. Two boy

stopped

bo

gi

ple

ight, right afte

rief had pushed Lía i

omach, nausea rising i

e hoarse but explosiv

children. And the inheritance... your father stipulated it

e table. The echo cracked through the empty mansion. "The inheritance can go to hell! Those children took

poison. "Tell them to let Lía keep them. Pay them more. Whatever it take

turned, heavie

o see Lía... but just imagining h

ned my stomach. Because I knew that if I felt that mixture of l

I was. Maybe losing the woman I loved had

couldn't look at them without remembering how Camila died. How

erent, while I remained trapped in the exact moment the light went ou