Chapter 54

Nights in Paris were silent, and the uncertainty about Adrien's condition had become unbearable. The void of not having answers was emotionally draining her. Sometimes, she felt that the only way to cope was to stay busy, but something always stopped her: the idea that if she reached out to him, the words she might hear might not be what she wanted.

One afternoon, while reviewing some documents in her apartment, the phone rang. Seeing the name on the screen, her heart skipped a beat. It was Adrien.

Without hesitation, she answered.

-Adrien? -Her voice trembled, barely able to contain the mix of relief and anxiety that washed over her upon hearing his voice again.

On the other end, Adrien exhaled deeply before speaking.

-It's me, Margaret... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't call sooner. Things have been complicated here. How are you? And Mateo? -His voice was soft, but he sounded exhausted.

Margaret closed her eyes for a moment, letting his words settle in her heart. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk about everything that had happened, but her need to know about him was stronger than her fear.

-I'm fine I don't know if that really matters, but... Mateo's fine. He's been strong, as always. -She replied, omitting how hard it had been for her, yet carrying the weight of everything unsaid.

Adrien stayed silent for a moment, clearly wrestling with his thoughts.

-I'm glad to hear Mateo's okay. -He sighed, as though feeling some relief. -I... I don't even know where to start. Everything has been such a whirlwind, and I feel lost.

The sincerity in his voice made Margaret feel like perhaps the moment to finally talk had arrived, to clear things up. But she couldn't simply spill everything she'd kept bottled up for so long.

Adrien took a deep breath before continuing, still recovering from his surgery but determined to be honest. The truth was, everything that had happened in his life-his unexpected trip to Argentina-had been so confusing and rushed that he didn't know how to put it into words.

-Margaret... I... -His voice faltered at first. -I went to Argentina because Ana called me urgently. It was unplanned. She needed me there, and when someone calls you like that, you can't do anything but go.

Margaret, completely taken aback, couldn't help but interrupt him.

-Ana? Who is she? -Her tone was curious, but a hint of worry crept in. She hadn't expected this answer. The name meant nothing to her, but something inside told her this wouldn't be a simple story.

Adrien paused, as though weighing whether he should really tell her everything, but he knew he couldn't hide what had happened, especially not from Margaret, even if they were just friends. He took a breath and explained.

-Ana... is someone from my past. -He spoke slowly, as if the words burned him. -We had a history... years ago. It wasn't easy, but it was something real, though it didn't end well. And now, well... -His voice cracked for a moment. -She and I have a son, Luca.

Silence filled the line, and Margaret tried to process the revelation. A son. Ana. Everything was happening so fast she didn't know how to react. Adrien, on the other end, couldn't see her face, but the tense calm that followed only confirmed that his news had hit her hard.

-A son? -Margaret repeated, trying to absorb the information. The words were there, hanging in the air, but she still couldn't grasp the full extent of what Adrien was telling her. -But why now? What's going on with him?

Adrien let out a sigh of exhaustion and pain.

-Luca... was very sick. -His voice softened. -He needed a bone marrow transplant, and I went to Argentina to get tested. Everything happened so fast, Margaret, and even though... -He paused, his heart heavy. -Even though I hadn't planned for it, I ended up undergoing surgery to donate my bone marrow to my son.

Margaret felt like the world was spinning around her. Everything Adrien had said was hitting her like a sharp blow. A son, a surgery, and a past love that apparently still had a significant place in his life. Her mind raced in circles, and the pain of not having known any of this consumed her.

-Adrien... -Margaret spoke firmly, though her thoughts were in turmoil. -Why didn't you tell me any of this before? Why didn't you talk to me about Ana or Luca? I'm... I'm completely confused.

Adrien closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the situation. He knew Margaret deserved an explanation, but the words didn't come easily.

-I swear I didn't know anything about this, Margaret. And then I didn't know how to tell you... I was lost in my own world when Ana called, and everything happened so quickly. My mind was focused on saving Luca, and now... -He stopped, letting out a long sigh.

Margaret nodded slowly, though she wasn't sure how to feel. It had been so long since she'd heard from him, and now she was faced with an entirely new situation, one she hadn't expected. Her mind struggled to make sense of everything she had just heard.

-And now what, Adrien? What's going to happen with Luca? -She asked, her voice weak. -What about Ana?

Adrien sighed deeply, his heart heavy with conflict.

-Now, all that matters is Luca. -He said, almost in a whisper. -I'm going to be there for him. I'll make sure he recovers. And with Ana... I don't know what's going to happen. I'm not sure, Margaret. The only thing I know is that now, more than ever, I need to be there for my son.

-Alright, Adrien... -She finally said, her voice tired. -I just want Luca to be okay. And for you to be okay too. That's what's most important.

Adrien exhaled, relieved though his heart was still filled with uncertainty. He didn't know how to move forward from all this, but something inside told him that maybe, just maybe, there was a future beyond the mistakes of the past.

The call ended with unresolved words but with a small glimmer of hope. No one knew what the future held, but what they did know was that, for the first time in a long time, the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place.