PART 1
The steady beeping of the monitors filled room 507, one of the most luxurious maternity suites in a private hospital in Polanco, in the heart of Mexico City. Harsh fluorescent lights cast a cold glow over Valeria Garza’s sweat-soaked face. Each contraction felt like fire tearing through her body. Her eyes, wide with fear and exhaustion, searched desperately for a familiar presence.
—Please… where is my husband? —Valeria whispered weakly, gripping the Egyptian cotton sheets.
Next to her stood a tall nurse with brown hair tied into a perfect bun and flawless makeup, who did not answer right away. Her name tag hung from her uniform, but the name on it was not hers. She was not part of the medical staff. That woman was Camila Rojas, the mistress of Mauricio Villarreal, Valeria’s husband and one of the country’s most powerful real estate developers. Camila had slipped past hospital security using Mauricio’s influence and a carefully built lie.
Camila leaned over the bed. Her cold breath brushed Valeria’s ear.
“Your husband won’t be long, my dear,” Camila said with chilling sweetness. “He’s outside, waiting for this to be over.”
Valeria gave a faint smile, believing it was meant to comfort her. But Camila’s lips curled into something cruel. Without hesitation, she took Valeria’s oxygen mask, adjusted it carefully over her face, and with one precise movement, disconnected the tubing from the main tank.
The hiss of oxygen stopped instantly. The silence that followed was immediate and terrifying.
At first, in the chaos of delivery, no one noticed. The lead doctor was searching for surgical gloves, while a young assistant recorded data on a tablet. But Valeria’s breathing turned violent. Her eyes rolled back. The heart monitor spiked into frantic, high-pitched beeping.
“I can’t… breathe!” Valeria tried to scream, clutching at her mask.
Camila moved quickly, pretending to assist while shielding the disconnected tube with her body.
“It’s just a strong contraction, doctor. She’s panicking, it’s normal,” Camila said in a low, perfectly controlled voice.
“Give her more oxygen!” the doctor ordered without looking up.
Camila tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with quiet malice. She leaned closer to Valeria and whispered only for her to hear:
—Do you think you deserve to give him a child? You ruined my life. You don’t deserve a happy ending, princess.
Valeria’s vision blurred. Her hands shook as she reached for the tube, but Camila pushed her away. The fetal monitor began to scream with warning alarms.
“The baby’s heart rate is dropping!” a nurse shouted, rushing to the bed. “Check the oxygen line!”
Chaos erupted. A nurse lifted the tank and immediately went pale.
—Doctor, someone disconnected the oxygen line!
Two nurses rushed in to reconnect the tube while another slammed the emergency button. Alarms echoed through the hallways. Amid the chaos, Camila slowly stepped back, arms folded, watching like nothing more than an observer. Valeria coughed desperately as oxygen finally returned to her collapsing lungs, tears streaming down her face as she begged for her baby’s life.
Then, the oak doors slammed open. Mauricio Villarreal entered. His tailored suit was still immaculate, his tie barely loosened. He didn’t look alarmed—only irritated by the commotion.
“What the hell is going on here?” he demanded sharply.
“They cut off your wife’s oxygen, Mr. Villarreal!” the doctor said angrily. “Someone tampered with the tank! Who let this woman in?”
Mauricio looked at Camila. For a brief second, a dark, silent understanding passed between them. Then, completely calm, Mauricio said:
“It must have been a mistake on their part. She’s here to support my wife.”
Valeria, still struggling to breathe, heard it. She turned her head, weak and betrayed, and through blurred tears saw something that froze her blood. In the corner of the ceiling, a small security camera blinked a red light. It had recorded everything. What neither the mistress nor the husband knew was that this hospital was hiding a far greater secret—and Valeria could not yet comprehend what was about to come next…
