CHAPTER 3 – THE DNA SECRET THAT DESTROYED AN ENTIRE FAMILY
The hallway of the hospital became deathly silent.
Rafael couldn't breathe.
“You're lying,” he said, his voice barely audible.
No one answered.
He looked at Camila.
Then at his mother.
Then back again.
“Tell me this is some kind of sick joke.”
Doña Guillermina slowly sat down.
For the first time in years, she looked old.
Very old.
“I wish it were a joke,” she whispered.
Rafael's eyes filled with tears.
“So… my father wasn't my father?”
The old woman closed her eyes.
“No.”
The single word hit him harder than any punch.
“But… how?” he asked.
No answer.
“HOW?” he shouted.
Several nurses turned to look.
Doña Guillermina finally lifted her head.
“Thirty-two years ago, your father and I were going through a terrible time. He was always traveling for work. We barely spoke.”
Her hands trembled.
“I made a mistake.”
Silence.
“A terrible mistake.”
Rafael felt the ground disappear beneath him.
“You had an affair?”
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Yes.”
Nobody moved.
“And I became pregnant.”
Camila began crying again.
“I wanted to tell your father the truth, but when I found out I was expecting, he was happier than I'd seen him in years.”
She looked at Rafael.
“He believed you were his miracle.”
The man's chest tightened.
“He held you in his arms and cried the day you were born.”
Tears filled Rafael's eyes.
“He loved you more than life itself.”
“Then why…” Rafael whispered, “…why are you telling me this now?”
The old woman's face darkened.
“Because your father found out before he died.”
Silence.
“He knew?”
She nodded.
“He took a DNA test after he became sick.”
Rafael's legs nearly gave out.
“And he still loved me?”
A sob escaped Doña Guillermina.
“He loved you until his last breath.”
The corridor filled with quiet crying.
Then Rafael asked the question that had haunted him since childhood.
“Did he ever hate me?”
“No,” she whispered immediately.
“Not even for a second.”
Rafael covered his face.
For thirty-eight years, he had believed one thing about his life.
In one night, everything had changed.
Then another thought entered his mind.
He looked at his mother.
“Is that why you hated Emiliano?”
She froze.
Nobody moved.
“Because I'm not your husband's son?”
The old woman remained silent.
“Answer me!”
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Yes.”
The word echoed through the hallway.
“I looked at Emiliano and saw my own sin.”
Sofía couldn't believe what she was hearing.
“You punished a child… because of your guilt?”
Doña Guillermina broke down.
“I know! I know I'm a horrible person!”
“You called him a stranger!”
“I know!”
“You never hugged him!”
“I KNOW!”
Her cries filled the corridor.
For the first time, the woman everyone feared looked completely broken.
Then Rafael asked quietly:
“Does Emiliano know how much he loves you?”
The old woman looked up.
“What?”
“My son talks about you every day.”
Silence.
“He asks why his grandma doesn't like him.”
A fresh wave of tears appeared.
“He made drawings for you.”
Sofía began crying.
“He wanted to give you flowers on your birthday.”
Doña Guillermina covered her mouth.
“He waited by the window every Christmas because he thought maybe this year you'd hug him.”
The old woman collapsed into sobs.
“I didn't know…”
“Because you never cared enough to ask.”
The words struck like a knife.
At that moment, the emergency room doors opened.
A nurse appeared.
“The child is awake.”
Sofía gasped.
“Can we see him?”
“Yes, but only for a few minutes.”
She and Rafael immediately ran toward the room.
Doña Guillermina remained seated.
She looked completely destroyed.
A few seconds later, a small voice came from inside the room.
“Mommy?”
“I'm here, sweetheart.”
“Daddy?”
“I'm here too.”
Then came another question.
“Is Grandma mad at me?”
Everyone outside the room froze.
Even after everything…
Even after being humiliated…
Even after nearly dying…
The boy's first concern was his grandmother.
Tears streamed down Doña Guillermina's face.
Then they heard Emiliano's weak little voice again.
“Can I give her another plate of capirotada when I get better?”
The old woman let out a broken sob.
She couldn't take it anymore.
She slowly stood up and walked into the room.
The child looked tiny in the hospital bed.
Pale.
Connected to wires.
But the moment he saw her, he smiled.
“Hi, Grandma.”
The woman burst into tears.
“Why are you crying?” the little boy asked softly.
She fell to her knees beside the bed.
“Because… because I've been very cruel.”
Emiliano reached out his tiny hand.
“Don't be sad.”
The old woman took his hand and began shaking.
“Can you forgive me?”
The child looked confused.
“For what?”
“For hurting your feelings.”
The little boy thought for a moment.
Then he smiled.
“It's okay. Mommy says people make mistakes.”
The room erupted into tears.
Even Rafael couldn't hold back anymore.
Doña Guillermina pressed the boy's hand against her face.
For the first time in four years…
she finally whispered the words Emiliano had waited his entire life to hear.
“My grandson.”
The little boy's eyes sparkled.
“You called me your grandson!”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes, my love.”
He smiled weakly.
Then he said something that made everyone cry even harder.
“I knew you'd love me one day.”
At that exact moment, a police officer entered the room.
“Excuse me,” he said quietly.
Everyone turned.
“We need to speak with Camila.”
The woman standing outside the room turned pale.
The officer held up a small evidence bag.
Inside was the glass bottle from the video.
“The laboratory identified the substance.”
Silence filled the room.
“What was it?” Rafael asked.
The officer's expression became serious.
“It wasn't poison.”
Everyone stared at him.
“What?”
“It was a powerful sedative.”
The room fell silent.
Then the officer said something even more shocking:
“But someone added poison to the bottle afterward.”
Nobody breathed.
“What do you mean?” Sofía whispered.
The officer looked directly at Camila.
“According to the fingerprints…”
He paused.
“There was another person involved.”
A cold chill swept through the room.
Because the nightmare wasn't over.
The person who truly wanted Emiliano dead…
May you like
was still among them.
To be continued…
