Dr. Salinas looked at her.
“Finding out two months ago is not the same as becoming pregnant two months ago.”
Paula’s mouth closed.
For the first time, she had nothing to say.
The Test That Changed Everything
Diego looked at me.
“Laura…”
I didn’t answer.
“I thought…”
“You thought I cheated.”
He looked down.
“I was wrong.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You didn’t just think I cheated.”
I pointed toward Paula.
“You left me.”
He lowered his head.
“I was angry.”
“You moved in with her.”
“I didn’t know what to believe.”
“You didn’t ask me.”
He had no answer.
Then I asked the question that had been sitting inside me for weeks.
“Did you ever even get your follow-up test?”
He remained silent.
That silence told me everything.
“No,” he finally admitted.
I closed my eyes.
Eight years of marriage.
And he hadn’t even taken the final medical step necessary to confirm the procedure had worked.
Yet he had been completely certain that I was guilty.
Paula suddenly stepped forward.
“This changes nothing.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
She glanced at Diego.
“You still have to prove those children are his.”
My attorney had told me not to argue.
So I simply said:
“Then we can prove it.”
The DNA Test
Several weeks later, after consulting our attorneys and physicians, Diego agreed to genetic testing.
The results took longer than I expected.
During those weeks, something changed.
Diego started calling.
At first, he asked about the pregnancy.
Then he asked how I was feeling.
Then he began asking whether I had eaten.
It was almost insulting.
After weeks of treating me like a criminal, he suddenly wanted to know whether I was sleeping well.
I didn’t give him the emotional access he wanted.
Our conversations remained practical.
Medical appointments.
Legal paperwork.
Financial matters.
Nothing more.
Meanwhile, Paula became increasingly frustrated.
One evening, she called me.
“I think you should stop trying to destroy Diego’s life.”
I was stunned.
“I’m not destroying anything.”
“You’re keeping him trapped.”
“He made his choices.”
“He loves me.”
I took a breath.
“Then why are you calling me?”
Silence.
Then she hung up.
A few days later, Diego told me something I never expected.
“Paula left.”
I didn’t celebrate.
I didn’t feel victorious.
I simply asked:
“Why?”
“She said she couldn’t deal with the uncertainty.”
