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“I’ve gotten a taste of independence—a taste of what my life could be like on the outside. I don’t want to die here, Noelle. I don’t wantyouto die here. So no matter what it takes, we’ll make it out of the hacienda.”
“When you say it like that, I can’tnotbelieve you,” Noelle chuckled.
They both shared a smile, conviction shining bright in both their gazes.
Noelle felt a wave of confidence wash through her as she watched her friend. Lucero was right. They weren’t going to die there.
Sergio wouldn’t win.
And despite feeling as though her very soul was on the verge of collapsing under the weight of her worries and sorrows, she needed to push through. Now, more than ever, she needed to be strong.
The time came for her to check the tests. She’d taken three of them, just to be sure.
“So?” Lucero asked from behind.
Noelle closed her eyes, her heart beating loudly in her chest.
“What is it?” Her friend repeated, coming to her side.
Noelle couldn’t talk.
Maybe one test could have been faulty. But what were the chances that all three were? Slim to none.
She was pregnant.
“Pregnant,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I’m pregnant, Lulu.”
Her legs were shaky and she barely kept herself upright. Her breath came in short spurts as she felt the walls of the bathroom close in on her. Slowly, her vision started to fade to the point that she could barely see anything.
“Noelle!” Lucero cried out as Noelle swayed on her feet, about to collapse.
Lucero was quick to grab her, barely able to hold her from falling.
They both sank to the floor. Noelle wailed while Lucero held onto her, doing her best to lend her some strength in that trying moment.
“God, Lulu, Sergio can’t find out about this. He canneverfind out. We need to leave before I start showing, otherwise…” she trailed off, hiccups racking her body.
“I know,” Lucero whispered. “And we will. We’ll find a way to leave this place. I promise you. Sergio won’t harm your child. Hewon’t,” she said with such conviction, that Noelle couldn’t help but believe her.
Yet not a few minutes later and the door to the apartment burst open. Sergio strode forward, a sick smile on his face as he stopped a few feet away from where Noelle and Lucero were sitting on the ground.
Noelle’s eyes widened in shock as she scrambled to put herself together, moving to cover the existence of the pregnancy tests. But it was too late. Going by the satisfied expression on Sergio’s face, he already knew.
“What do we have here?” He took a drag of his cigarette as he perused Noelle from head to toe. “It seems that my luck hasn’t left me after all.
“What are you doing here, Sergio?” Noelle leveled him with her stare, showing him she wasn’t scared of him.
“Someone whispered something very interesting into my ear,” he said, puffing his cigarette towards her. His gaze moved past her into the bathroom as he inclined his head. “What are you hiding there?”
“Hiding? It’s a bathroom, Sergio. I’m not sure whatyoustore in your bathroom, but mine is a very regular one.” She shrugged.
“Is that so?” he asked, his smile strained. “I wouldn’t happen to find a pregnancy test now, would I?”
Noelle’s eyes widened.
“Of course not,” she replied. “What are you talking about, Sergio? Where would I even get a pregnancy test from? We’re in the middle of nowhere,” she said casually.
Sergio smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
