The first drop of rain hit the back of Sabrina's hand just as her voice cracked.
"I know what you did."
The words came out quieter than she expected, but they still landed heavy between them.
Alejandro froze.
For a second, he just stared at her like he didn't understand the language she was speaking. Like if he blinked hard enough, she would take it back.
"Sabrina… what are you talking about?" he asked, his voice low, careful.
She shook her head, stepping back. Her chest was rising too fast, like the air around her had suddenly thinned.
"Don't," she said. "Don't lie to me."
The wind picked up, brushing through the trees behind the west wing of the vineyard. The place was as isolated as always—quiet, hidden, perfect for secrets.
Perfect for lies.
"I saw you," she continued, her voice trembling now. "I saw everything."
Alejandro's jaw tightened.
"Saw what?"
Her lips parted, but for a second, no words came out. The image flashed again in her mind—fresh dirt, trembling hands, his mother's voice cutting through the night like a knife.
Her stomach turned.
"You buried him."
Silence.
Not the peaceful kind. The kind that presses against your ears until it hurts.
Alejandro's face changed.
It wasn't sudden. It was worse than that—slow, like something inside him was collapsing piece by piece.
"Sabrina—"
"I was there," she cut in quickly, almost desperately. "I came early. I heard voices and I hid and I—" Her breath hitched. "I saw you and your mother."
Another drop of rain fell. Then another.
"I saw Señor Pedro's body."
This time, Alejandro didn't speak.
Didn't move.
And somehow… that scared her more than if he had shouted.
"You helped her," Sabrina whispered. "You were crying… and she kept telling you it would be okay. That no one would ever know."
Alejandro dragged a hand through his hair, pacing once before stopping again. "You don't understand what you saw."
"Then explain it!" she snapped, the fear finally turning into anger. "Explain why your father is in the ground and everyone thinks he's missing!"
Her voice echoed faintly through the empty stretch of vineyard.
For a moment, neither of them noticed the figure approaching from behind.
"Well," a calm voice cut in, "this is… interesting."
Sabrina turned sharply.
Doña Valeria.
Alejandro's mother stood a few steps away, perfectly composed despite the growing rain. Her heels sank slightly into the damp soil, but she didn't seem to notice.
Her eyes were on Sabrina.
Cold. Measuring.
"How long have you known?" Valeria asked.
Sabrina's throat went dry.
Alejandro stepped forward quickly. "Mamá, it's not—"
"How long?" Valeria repeated, sharper this time.
Sabrina swallowed. "A while."
That was enough.
The slap came so fast she didn't see it.
Her head snapped to the side, a sharp ringing filling her ears. For a second, the world tilted.
"Don't lie to me," Valeria said quietly.
Sabrina barely had time to react before Valeria grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her forward.
"Agh—!" Sabrina cried out, grabbing at her wrist.
Alejandro rushed forward. "Mamá, stop!"
But Valeria didn't let go.
"You've been walking around with this?" she demanded, her voice rising now. "Watching us? Waiting for the right moment?"
"I wasn't—!" Sabrina struggled, tears springing to her eyes. "I didn't tell anyone!"
"Yet."
That one word settled everything.
Alejandro hesitated.
Just for a second.
And Sabrina saw it.
"Tell him," she said quickly, her voice breaking. "Alejandro, tell her I wouldn't—"
"She heard everything, Alejandro."
Valeria's grip tightened.
"She knows enough."
The rain began to fall harder now, soaking through Sabrina's clothes, making her grip slippery as she tried to pull free.
"We can fix this," Alejandro said quickly, his voice strained. "We just need to—"
"There is nothing to fix," Valeria cut in.
Her gaze shifted to her son.
And something in it made Sabrina's heart drop.
"She is a problem."
The words were simple.
Final.
"No," Alejandro said immediately.
Valeria stepped closer, lowering her voice.
"If she speaks, everything is over."
"I said no," he repeated, louder now.
But there was something wrong with his voice.
Something uncertain.
Sabrina's breathing grew shallow.
"Alejandro…" she whispered.
He looked at her.
And for a moment, she saw him again—the man who used to sneak away just to see her, who smiled like the world didn't matter when she was around.
But it flickered.
And then—
"She will ruin you," Valeria said softly.
Silence.
The kind that decides things.
Sabrina didn't wait to see what he would choose.
She yanked herself free and ran.
The rain came down harder, soaking the ground, making every step unstable.
"Sabrina!" Alejandro shouted behind her.
She didn't stop.
Her heart pounded violently against her chest as she ran toward the lights of the mansion in the distance. Her shoes slipped against the wet earth, her breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts.
She could hear him behind her.
Closer.
Faster.
"Alejandro, please—!" she cried, not even sure what she was begging for anymore.
Her foot caught against something.
She stumbled but didn't fall, pushing forward again, panic taking over completely now.
The gates were just ahead.
Almost there.
Almost—
Headlights.
Too bright.
Too sudden.
A car was turning into the driveway, its tires hissing against the wet ground.
Sabrina didn't have time to stop.
The impact knocked the air out of her lungs.
For a second, everything went silent.
No rain.
No sound.
Just a strange, empty ringing.
She hit the ground hard, pain exploding through her body as something warm spread beneath her.
Voices started to blur in.
"Oh my God—!"
"Someone call an ambulance!"
Her vision flickered.
Through the haze, she saw a figure rushing toward her.
Alejandro.
His face was pale, his eyes wide with something that looked like fear… or regret.
She couldn't tell.
Everything was fading too fast.
Her lips parted slightly.
She wanted to say something.
Ask something.
But the darkness came before she could.
Beep.Beep.Beep.
The sound was steady.
Annoyingly steady.
Sabrina's fingers twitched slightly against the stiff hospital sheets.
Her eyelids felt heavy, like they didn't belong to her.
Voices.
Soft at first.
"still not waking up"
"doctor said we should just
That one voice felt familiar.
Her brows pulled together slightly as she forced her eyes open.
Light flooded in immediately, making her wince.
Everything was blurry.
White walls.
Machines.
A figure sitting beside her.
"Sabrina?"
The voice broke.
She turned her head slowly.
"Abuela…?" her voice came out dry, barely above a whisper.
Her grandmother let out a shaky breath, grabbing her hand. "Gracias a Dios… you're awake."
Sabrina blinked, trying to focus.
Her head hurt.
Everything felt… off.
Like she had just woken up inside someone else's life.
The door opened quietly.
A man stepped in.
Tall. Familiar.
Relief washed over his face the moment he saw her awake.
"Sabrina…"
She stared at him.
Something clicked.
Not clearly—but enough.
"You're here," she said softly.
He paused.
Her hand slowly moved to her stomach.
"I was so scared…" she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "But it's okay now."
The room went still.
She gave him a small, weak smile.
"We're having a baby… right?"
Silence.
Her grandmother froze.
The man didn't speak.
Didn't move.
And just like that—
everything changed.