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Confession

When Jared Sinclair received the news that Alice Taylor had given birth, he dropped everything he was doing and, upon learning which hospital she was admitted to, headed straight there without hesitation. He knew her sisters, and they were the first people he saw when he arrived at the hospital.

"Sofia," he greeted with a kiss and a hug. Besides Alice, Sofia was the other Taylor he had confidence in, the one he was closer to. "Long time no see, everyone's here," he observed the Taylor family, who remained silent, saddened by the loss of Alice's baby. "What is it? A girl or a boy?" he asked in a low voice, not knowing what was happening, somewhat excited because it would be Alice's child, and even though it wasn't his, it made him happy. Her happiness also brought him joy.

He looked around the waiting room, trying to spot Robert, assuming he would be with Alice and their new baby since he didn't see him there.

He knew he might feel jealous seeing Robert so happy with his family, with his baby, but he would also be genuinely happy for them. He tried to keep his feelings at bay, wanting them to disappear, but he hadn't succeeded despite all the time that had passed since he last saw her.

"Jared," Sofia approached and hugged him, crying on his shoulder, all of them devastated by the loss of little Ethan and by how desolate Alice was. She hadn't uttered a word since she learned of her son's death, didn't want to see anyone, didn't want to eat anything, even though it had been twenty-four hours since she was told about Ethan's passing.

The rain was still falling that morning, it was a very gray, cold, and sad day for everyone, a date they would likely never forget.

"What's going on, Sofia?" Jared asked, consoling her with a hand on her back, still not knowing anything. "What's happening? Did something go wrong?"

His skin crawled at the thought that something had happened to Alice.

"His name was Ethan," she said through tears, feeling a lot of pain for the loss of her nephew. She sniffled and then stepped away from Jared, taking a few steps back. "Alice's baby has died. Just a few hours after being born."

Upon hearing that, Jared understood the somber atmosphere surrounding the Taylor family in the waiting room. It was the first child born of this marriage, and it had already passed away.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he felt profound sadness. He felt the pain of the couple, especially for the woman forbidden to him, and for his best friend, knowing that both of them would be devastated by what had happened.

"What happened?" he wanted to know how this had occurred because Robert always told him that everything was fine whenever he asked about Alice's pregnancy.

"The doctor can't explain what happened," Sofia explained through her tears. "He said the entire pregnancy was fine, that there were regular check-ups, but he suspects that something might have been detected earlier if Alice had gone to the clinic like other pregnant women. However, she was always attended to at home, and that might have caused them to overlook something. Now, her baby isn't with her."

"But..." Jared couldn't comprehend it. This new information left him confused. How could it be that Alice hadn't gone to the hospital for her pregnancy check-ups? Why had she been treated at home? He decided not to ask these questions now, as this wasn't the time to question it. The most important thing was Alice, who had just lost her child.

"Where is she? Is she with Robert?" he inquired, concerned about her well-being.

"Robert?" Sofia furrowed her brow with annoyance upon hearing that name. "Ha! That scoundrel hasn't shown up here. His son died, and he hasn't given any sign of life. He's just... gone. His parents too, none of the Grahams. It's clear he doesn't care about Alice or their child. No one came, and I even called him, not just me. His phone rings, but there's no answer from him."

How could Robert not be present at such an important moment?

Jared was puzzled. How could Robert not be with his wife? He assumed he would be by her side. Why wasn't he there during this crucial moment of their child's birth or to console his wife after such a great loss?

"Who is Alice with?" Jared asked.

"She's alone, doesn't want to see anyone, doesn't talk, doesn't eat, just lying on that damn bed without saying or doing anything," Sofia explained. "It pains me to see her like this; she'll waste away quickly. She's in so much pain, and I don't blame her. She lost her child."

"I need to see her," Jared said with desperation. "I need to see her; she can't be alone. She's very sensitive, very fragile, and must be suffering in pain. I have to be with her."

With those words, looking at her face and realizing how much Alice meant to Jared, Sofia could see the love he felt for her sister. She could tell that he was in love with Alice.

"Jared, you love her, don't you?" Sofia asked.

Jared lowered his gaze, tears still in his eyes.

"She's my best friend's wife now, and Alice is my friend too," he said, excusing himself, not admitting what he felt for young Alice Taylor, yet not daring to deny it. His feelings were clear in his expression, the pain that also reflected in him knowing that she was alone.

Sofia approached him with confidence, lifted his face, wiped his tears, and looked into his eyes.

"You have to tell her how you feel someday, so you don't get trapped in these feelings," she advised. "Alice isn't happy in her marriage; her husband hates her, abandons her, and doesn't care about her or their child. You see, he's not even here. She's unhappy, and that wedding was a mistake. Maybe..."

Jared didn't let her finish and withdrew his hands from her.

"She's married to my best friend," he reiterated more firmly, clearing his throat and wiping away his tears. "Can I see her?"

"Of course, but I don't know if she'll want to see you. Like I said, she hasn't spoken to anyone. She's been silent since she heard the news," Sofia explained. She guided him to Alice's room. "It's here. I'll be in the waiting room. Don't expect her to talk to anyone."

Sofia left him in front of the door.

He opened it slowly, feeling nervous. It had been many months since he last saw her, and when he thought he would see her happy at the birth of her child, this terrible tragedy happened.

He closed the door behind him and stood there, looking at the figure on the bed. A woman lay there, and she didn't move upon hearing someone enter. The sheets covered her up to her shoulders, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't asleep; she hadn't been able to sleep since her son's death. Although the pain from the cesarean section was tormenting her, she didn't ask for painkillers because she didn't want to sleep.

There was a chair beside her bed, and he sat down in silence, thinking she was asleep.

"The first time I saw you, my heart raced in a very erratic way; I was scared because I thought something was wrong with me at that moment when Sofia introduced us. I thought I was feeling sick, that I was going to get sick, and I remember apologizing and leaving. Maybe you don't remember, Alice," he paused and rubbed his knees, remembering that moment as if it were yesterday. "But then we met again, and you smiled in that dazzling way of yours. I felt my heart acting strangely again, and it wasn't until many encounters later that I realized what was happening. Alice, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, but you were so young, so beautiful. I thought we would meet again later, after you graduated. I always thought about you, always had you in my mind, waiting for the time when we would meet again. And yes, we did meet several times, but those moments were so fleeting. But when I found out you were marrying Robert, I thought... Maybe he will make her happy. And I forced myself to smile and feel happy for both of you, but all I felt was pain. Now I realize you're unhappy with him, and it seems you don't love each other. But you're still forbidden to me. How did we get to this point? When did we drift so far apart? I know you're not listening to me, and that's the only reason I dare to say this now, because I respect you a lot, and you're my friend. But..."

He took a brief pause, stood up, and walked around the bed to her side. He knelt beside the bed and looked at her sleeping face, running a hand gently over her cheek.

"I love you, Alice Taylor," he said. "And I have since the first moment I saw you. You are and always will be the woman I'm in love with, even though it can never be."

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