After two weeks, Camila miraculously got better.
But then
the fever arrived.
The worst of all.
Camila screamed in pain, trembling all over.
Rodrigo fell to his knees.
« No… please… don’t take it from me… PLEASE… »
The doctor worked for hours: herbs, oils, poultices, chants, pressure on specific points.
Claudia hugged Camila tightly and whispered to her:
« Fight, my love. Fight. »
Finally,
after an endless night,
Camila opened her eyes.
« Daddy…cake… »
Rodrigo wept like a broken man.
« Now she is stable, » said the doctor. « She will live. »
But then he turned to Rodrigo.
« And now you must hear the truth. »
Rodrigo froze.
The doctor continued:
« Your daughter didn’t survive solely because of the care she received… but because SHE stayed by her side. »
He stared directly at Claudia.
Rodrigo blinked.
« What do you mean…? »
The doctor sighed.
« Rodrigo… Camila carries your blood. But she also carries Claudia’s heart, and that matters much more than you think. »
Claudia’s eyes widened.
« Doctor, no… »
Rodrigo narrowed his eyes.
« What are you saying? »
Silence fell.
Then the doctor uttered the words that changed EVERYTHING:
« Claudia is the reason your daughter is alive… because she’s not just her nanny. »
« She’s the woman your daughter sees as her REAL mother. »
Rodrigo felt the world waver.
He had never known.
He had never seen.
He had never realized.
Camila’s first smile.
Her first words.
Her comfort.
Her sense of security…
… had always been with Claudia.
And suddenly, everything made sense.
*For illustration purposes only*
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