“Why did you take so long?” he asked harshly. “All women give birth faster. My mother had five children and never complained as much as you.”

A chill ran down Camila’s spine. She knew that voice. It was the same tone he used when he was about to explode.

At that moment, Nurse Sofía Ramírez, a middle-aged woman, entered to check the new mother’s vital signs.

“Mrs. Mendoza, your blood pressure is a little high. It’s normal after childbirth, but you need to rest,” she said professionally, though she sensed the tension in the room.

Ricardo muttered, walking toward the window: “She always exaggerates everything. She’s probably just playing the victim to get more attention.”

Sofía frowned. In her years of work, she had seen many kinds of husbands, but something about this man’s attitude unsettled her.

Camila lowered her gaze, clutching her baby tighter. “Ricardo, please, I’m very tired.”

“Tired?” he sneered, turning abruptly. “I work twelve hours under the sun to support this household, and you get tired from doing what all women do naturally?”

Little Leonardo began to cry harder, as if he could feel the tension between his parents. Camila tried to soothe him, rocking him gently, but her hands were shaking.

“Make him stop,” Ricardo ordered, stepping closer to the bed. “I can’t stand that noise.”

“He’s a newborn, my love. It’s normal for him to cry,” Camila explained in a trembling voice.

“Don’t tell me what’s normal. You know nothing about raising children.”

Nurse Sofía lingered longer than necessary, rearranging instruments that were already perfectly organized. Her instincts told her she shouldn’t leave this young mother alone.

Suddenly, Ricardo exploded: “Breastfeed him! Can’t you see he’s hungry? Do something useful for once in your life.”

Nervously, Camila tried to position the baby to nurse, but her trembling hands and sheer exhaustion betrayed her. The child kept crying.

“You can’t even do this right!” Ricardo shouted, completely losing control.

What happened next unfolded in slow motion. Ricardo raised his right hand and struck Camila hard across her left cheek. The sound of the slap echoed like thunder in the hospital room. Camila fell to the side, instinctively shielding her baby. Her cheek reddened instantly, and a thin line of blood appeared where Ricardo’s wedding ring had cut her skin.

Nurse Sofía froze for a few seconds, unable to believe what she had just witnessed. Then she reacted like a lioness defending her cubs. “Sir, what do you think you’re doing?!” she cried, rushing to Camila. “You just hit a woman who gave birth barely three hours ago!”

Ricardo, realizing what he had done in front of a witness, immediately changed his expression. His face softened into a mask of false concern. “It was an accident,” he lied shamelessly. “She got dizzy and I tried to hold her, but my hand slipped.”

“An accident?” the nurse asked incredulously. “I clearly saw you hit her.”

“You’re mistaken,” Ricardo insisted, approaching Camila with fake tenderness. “My wife is very weak. Ask her.”

All eyes turned to Camila. The young mother, still holding her baby and with her cheek swelling fast, lifted her tear-filled eyes. For a moment, Nurse Sofía thought she would tell the truth. But then Camila spoke in a barely audible voice: “It was… it was an accident. I got dizzy.”

Sofía felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. She knew exactly what she had seen, but she also understood the fear in that woman’s eyes.

Ricardo smiled with satisfaction, knowing that once again his wife had protected him from the consequences of his violence. “See? My wife is very sensitive after childbirth. Sometimes women imagine things,” he said cynically. “She just needs to rest.”

But what Ricardo didn’t know was that in the hospital hallway, watching everything through the glass of the door, stood someone who would change his life forever: his own father, retired sergeant Miguel Mendoza, a man of honor who had just witnessed the true nature of his son.

Miguel Mendoza, with a heart full of shock and disappointment, quietly left the corridor. He decided he needed to act, not just as a father, but as a man who stood for what was right. He knew his son needed help, but more importantly, Camila and little Leonardo needed protection. Miguel was determined to ensure they got it.

Later that afternoon, Miguel approached the hospital administrators and Nurse Sofía, urging them to document the incident and offer support to Camila. With Miguel’s influence and firm insistence, the hospital took immediate action to ensure the safety of Camila and her child.

Simultaneously, Miguel reached out to family resources and law enforcement, advocating for Camila. He spoke candidly about his son’s actions, acknowledging the need for intervention and counseling. Ricardo was taken into custody for questioning, and an investigation was initiated.

For Camila, the days that followed were a whirlwind of emotions. She was moved to a safe location, surrounded by supportive family members and professionals who guided her through the process of seeking justice and healing. It was a long journey, but she no longer had to walk it alone.

Miguel, in his wisdom, understood the importance of accountability and change. While his heart grieved for the son he thought he knew, he was unwavering in his pursuit of justice for Camila and Leonardo. With the community’s support and the strength she found within herself, Camila began to rebuild her life, knowing that she and her son were finally safe.

The revenge she never expected wasn’t born out of malice or retribution, but from an unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and healing. Ricardo’s actions had consequences, and through this painful ordeal, Camila found the courage to stand up, not just for herself, but for her son and countless others who suffer in silence. Her story became one of resilience, hope, and empowerment, inspiring others to speak out and seek the help they deserve.