Diegos Epilogue

A few months later…

I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have escaped the cartel. I never thought that would happen, but it did. I was happy I managed to pull that off.

For years, I had lived on the edge, constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering if today would be the day my past caught up with me. But now, here I was, free from that life and about to become a father.

I really couldn't believe my life had changed so much in such a short time. Me, a father.

As I stood there, contemplating my fortune, my phone buzzed urgently in my pocket. Even though I didn't know what the call was going to be about, I felt a knot in my stomach.

It was Lila, I was able to tell after looking at the number on the screen.

Her voice, usually so composed, was frantic and breathless. It looked like my worry wasn't completely unfounded. "Diego, you need to get to the hospital now! Rowan's in labor. Aurora is coming."

My heart skipped a beat. Aurora. Our daughter. I had been waiting for this moment, but now that it was here, a wave of panic washed over me. I had to get there, and fast. There was no time to waste.

I rushed out of the house, my mind racing as fast as my feet. The drive to the hospital was a blur, my thoughts consumed with Rowan and our child. My heart was in my throat and I was a mental wreck.

As I pulled into the hospital parking lot, I barely remembered to turn off the engine before sprinting inside.

The sterile smell of the hospital hit me as I navigated the labyrinthine hallways, my heart pounding in my chest. In a sense, it felt similar to a dream.

I followed the signs to the maternity ward, my mind a whirlwind of emotions. Relief, anxiety, excitement, and fear all mingled together as I approached the room where Rowan was. I just hoped he was okay.

I burst through the door just as the sound of a newborn's cry filled the air. I arrived in the nick of time.

Rowan lay on the bed, exhausted but radiant, holding a tiny, squirming bundle. Our daughter. Aurora. It had to be her.

Lila stood by the bed, a wide smile on her face. "You made it just in time," she said, her voice filled with relief.

Yeah, I did. Just in time.

I approached the bed, my eyes fixed on the tiny figure in Rowan's arms. He looked up at me, his eyes shining with tears of joy. "Diego, meet Aurora. Aurora, meet your second father."

Carefully, I took Aurora in my arms. She was so small, so fragile. Her eyes were closed, and she had a tuft of dark hair on her head. I felt a rush of emotions, my heart swelling with love and protectiveness.

"She's beautiful," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. I looked at Rowan, who was watching me with a soft smile. "Thank you," I said.

Rowan reached out and took my hand, his grip weak but firm. "We did it, Diego. We're a complete family now."

I nodded, unable to speak as I looked down at Aurora. She stirred in my arms, her tiny fingers curling around my thumb. Even though I couldn't know this for sure, I took it as a sign she understood I was her father as well.

In that moment, everything else faded away. The danger, the fear, the uncertainty of the past — they all melted away, leaving only the overwhelming joy of the present. It felt like it had all happened in a different life.

As I stood there, holding my daughter for the first time, I knew that I had been given a second chance. A chance to be the man I wanted to be, for Rowan and for Aurora. And I was not going to waste it. If I did something like that, I would never forgive myself.

The journey had been long and hard, but it had led me to this moment. And as I looked at my daughter, I knew that it had all been worth it. My heart overflowed with joy, and for the first time in a long time, I felt truly at peace.