Consequences

Sofia's POV

“What the hell?” I shouted into the phone once I recovered from my first shock.

My mother repeated herself with her own voice shaking. 

“I said your father collapsed today. In a board meeting. They rushed him to the hospital… Sofia, the doctors just told me he’s been sick for a long time with something very serious and they think it’s… life-threatening.”

My stomach flipped. 

“What? No… no, Mom, what hospital? Tell me the address. I’m on my way now.”

She gave it to me and before she even finished speaking, I was speeding down the street like a mad woman. My hands were shaking on the wheel with my vision a little blurry from everything that had happened today. I didn’t even realize how fast I was going until I heard sirens behind me.

“Oh, great,” I muttered. “Of all days… of course.”

I slowed and pulled over. A police officer walked up to my window, ready to lecture me and then he froze.

“Wait… you’re Sofia Esteban,” he said.

“Yeah,” I nodded wearily. “Yes. I am.”

His eyes widened with recognition. 

“Daughter of Carlos Esteban? CEO of Esteban Global Conglomerate?”

“Unfortunately,” I muttered before catching myself. “I mean... yes. That’s me.”

“Ma’am…” He leaned down, suddenly looking awkward. “Is something wrong? You were overspeeding.”

“My dad is in the hospital,” I said quietly. “I just got the call.”

His face softened. 

“Oh. I’m so sorry.” He cleared his throat. “Look, you can go. Just… slow down, okay? We don’t need two Estebans in the hospital today.”

A tiny and painful smile tugged at my lips. 

“You’re right. Thank you.”

I drove off again... faster than legal, but slower than deadly... and soon the tall white building of San Rafael General Hospital came into view.

By the time I parked and ran inside, I felt breathless both from worry and the sprint. I kept checking room numbers until I finally spotted the right one.

My mother was standing outside with her arms folded and looking ten years older than she had yesterday. Next to her stood my brother Julian.

The moment Julian saw me, his face turned dark.

“Oh,” he said softly, almost like he tasted something bitter and then he stepped away from my mother, walked right past me without a single word and disappeared around the corner.

I let out a sigh. 

“Well, he’s still charming.”

I guess he was still mad at me for supposedly 'abandoning the family.'

My mother sighed. 

“Sofia…”

I walked over and hugged her. She held onto me tighter than I expected and for a moment, I almost cried again but I swallowed it down.

“How’s Dad?” I asked.

“They’re treating him and the doctors haven’t given me an update yet.” She rubbed her forehead. “It’s been a long day.”

“Did he… ask about me?” I didn’t know why I said it. Maybe I hoped.. maybe I was stupid.

She hesitated and that was my answer.

I exhaled. 

“Right. Okay. I shouldn’t be here. He clearly doesn’t want...”

“Sofia.” My mother grabbed my arm. “Your father still loves you. It broke his heart when you chose that Santoro boy.”

I scoffed. 

“Well, that makes two of us broken now.”

She looked at me sadly. 

“He’s still your father and he’s dying. As the eldest, you need to see him. Properly. At least once.”

Before I could answer, the door opened and a doctor stepped out.

“Mrs. Esteban?” he said. “Your husband is stable now. You can go in.”

My mother gently nudged me. 

“Go. Please. He needs to see you.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” I whispered.

“Go.”

So I did. I pushed the door open and slipped inside quietly.

My father lay in the bed, pale with tubes and wires everywhere. He looked smaller and weaker. But his eyes opened and he stared at me in shock.

“Sofia?” His voice was rough.

“Hi, Dad.”

He blinked with his expression clearly displaying his displeasure. 

“You came.”

“Well,” I shrugged, “Mom threatened me with emotional guilt and she’s very good at it.”

He didn’t smile.. not even a twitch. So much for humor. I pulled a chair closer. 

“How do you feel?”

“Like a man who collapsed in front of his entire board,” he muttered. “How do you think I feel?”

I winced. 

“Okay… fair.”

We sat there for a moment in awkward silence until finally, I tried, “Look… I’m sorry. For everything. For how things happened three years ago.”

His jaw tightened. 

“You chose him.”

I nodded. 

“Yes. I did.”

“You were warned.”

“I know.”

“And you still walked out of this family for a boy who was clearly after your money.”

I stared at him. 

“Dad, I didn’t walk out. You cut me off.”

His eyes flashed. 

“Because you disobeyed me. You disrespected the family and you threw away your inheritance for a man who had nothing to offer you.”

“Maybe I didn’t need the inheritance,” I snapped.

“Then where is he now?” he shot back and I froze.

I couldn’t tell him about the divorce. I wasn’t going to stand in a hospital room while my father lay half-dead and admit he’d been right all along.

He watched my face and he knew. I didn’t even say it but he knew. His lips curled in disappointment. 

“I warned you. I told you that man would bring you misery but you said you loved him. Love.” He scoffed. “Look at you now.”

My throat tightened. 

“Dad, I didn’t come here for you to lecture me.”

“Then leave,” he snapped, suddenly angry. “Get out. I don’t want you here and I don't want to see you ever again!”

I stared at him... my father, who once lifted me on his shoulders, who called me his star. Now he couldn’t even look at me without disgust.

“Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll go.”

He coughed harshly, wheezing and turning away as if the sight of me hurt him as I slipped out of the room and shut the door gently.

My mother jumped to her feet. 

“Sofia? What happened? Did you two...?”

“I can’t,” I whispered painfully. “I just… can’t.”

“Sofia...”

But I walked straight past her. Straight through the hallway and straight out of the hospital, ignoring her calls.

***

I drove to Santoro’s house... my old home... because I needed my things. Just a few clothes and a few documents. My life in a small bag.

I stepped inside without knocking and there they were.

Lucia, Santoro and Lady Marta eating dinner like they were the royal family and laughing happily. I was the ghost.

Lucia spotted me first. 

“Oh, look who came back.”

Santoro didn’t even flinch. 

“What do you want?”

“I just came to get some of my things,” I said calmly. “Don’t worry, I won’t stay long.”

I went straight to the bedroom... our bedroom... and started grabbing the essentials and of course Queen Bee had to follow me.

Lucia leaned on the doorframe with that annoying smirk. 

“You know, it’s kind of sad. You’re like a stray cat returning to the wrong house.”

I ignored her. 

“Lucia, please. Not today.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said sweetly. “Is it a bad day for you? Losing your husband? Losing your family? It must be rough.”

I stopped folding my shirt and turned to her slowly. 

“Lucia. Don’t push me.”

“Oh, look at her,” she mocked. “Trying to act tough. If you were half as strong as you pretend, he wouldn’t have left you.”

That was it. My hand moved before I could think and…

SLAP.

Her head jerked sideways and she gasped. 

“You hit me!”

“Congratulations,” I said. “You noticed.”

That’s when Santoro stormed in.

“What the hell is going on?!” he shouted.

Lucia pointed at me dramatically. 

“She slapped me!”

“She earned it,” I said.

Santoro’s face twisted in anger. 

“Get out, Sofia.”

I glared at him. 

“I’m still your wife for the next thirty days until the divorce finalizes...”

“Get. Out!” he roared. “This is not your home anymore!”

For a moment, I genuinely thought he might drag me out so I grabbed the bag with whatever I had managed to pack and walked past him.

Lady Marta stood in the hall with a smug look. 

“Good riddance.”

I rolled my eyes. 

“Someone should really check your heart. I’m sure it’s made of stone.”

Then I left.

I got into my car, tossed the bag onto the passenger seat and started driving toward Aunt Paloma’s house. She was the only family member who still talked to me, the only one who didn’t care about Santoro or the scandal.

My head wasn’t in the right place and my heart was hurting.. Everything hurts.

I wiped a tear with the back of my hand.

“Focus, Sofia,” I muttered.

But the more I tried to focus, the more the road kept tilting. My mind drifted and then...

A loud horn, a flash of headlights and a screech of tires.

“Wait...!”

I jerked the wheel but it was too late. The car slammed hard into something, my head whipped forward and pain shot through me.

Everything spun and the last thing I felt was the cold air rushing in through the shattered window before the darkness…