The hospital room is dim, the blinds half-closed, Aaliyah resting while Damiano stands guard beside her like a man ready to burn the world down.
His phone vibrates again. He clenches his jaw.
Damiano: "If it's another headline, I swear—"
Victoria (voice message): "Dami, call me back. We need to talk. The label is panicking."
He deletes it without listening further.
Another message.
Thomas: "Bro, the press is destroying us. We need to address the situation."
Another.
Ethan: "Man, the band's name is tied to this now. Do something."
Damiano throws the phone onto the chair.
Damiano: "Of course. They care about the band. About the image. Never about the person actually suffering."
Aaliyah opens her eyes weakly.
Aaliyah: "Damiano… you should answer them."
Damiano: "I'm not leaving you."
Aaliyah: "This isn't your fault. Your band shouldn't fall apart because of me."
He steps closer.
Damiano: "My band can handle themselves. You and the baby come first."
Before she can respond, a nurse knocks softly.
Nurse: "There's… people outside asking for him."
Aaliyah: "Fans?"
Nurse: "Reporters. And… someone else."
Damiano frowns.
He walks to the window.
His blood turns ice.
Giorgia is outside.
With cameras.
Talking.
Giorgia (outside): "I just want him to be careful. Aaliyah has a history… I'm worried for him."
Damiano's nostrils flare.
Damiano: "She's doing interviews now? Fantastic. Perfect timing."
Aaliyah covers her face with her hands, overwhelmed.
Aaliyah: "Damiano, stop. I don't want this to get worse."
Damiano: "It's already worse."
He storms toward the door.
Aaliyah grabs his wrist with all the strength she has left.
Aaliyah: "Please… don't go out there. For the baby. Please."
Her voice breaks.
He softens instantly, returning to her side.
Damiano: "Okay. Okay, amore. I won't go."
His phone rings again — this time, Victoria calling repeatedly.
He answers.
Damiano: "What?"
Victoria: "Dami, calm down. The label is demanding a statement. And Giorgia just gave an interview saying Aaliyah is unstable."
Damiano closes his eyes in pure rage.
Damiano: "She does that and you expect me to be calm?"
Victoria: "The label wants YOU to speak. They think your silence makes it look like the rumors are true."
Damiano: "I don't give a damn about the label right now!"
Aaliyah tenses, listening.
Victoria: "You should. Because if we don't get ahead of this, the band could lose the tour. And the fans are turning on Aaliyah."
Damiano opens his eyes—dark, sharp, furious.
Damiano: "Then I'll speak. But I'm not throwing her under the bus."
He hangs up.
Aaliyah's voice is small.
Aaliyah: "What are you going to say?"
He sits beside her, takes her hand.
Damiano: "The truth. That you're being hunted for no reason. That you're pregnant with my daughter. That you didn't deserve any of this."
Aaliyah's eyes widen.
Aaliyah: "Damiano, you can't announce the baby. Not like this."
Damiano: "Why not? Maybe then they'll stop."
Aaliyah: "Or maybe they'll attack harder."
A beat of silence.
Then—
Aaliyah: "…Can I hear it? The statement?"
He squeezes her hand and begins speaking softly, like he's rehearsing:
Damiano:
"I'm not going to let the media create a monster out of the woman I love.
She's not unstable. She's not dangerous.
She's someone who survived pressure no one talks about.
And now she's carrying my daughter, and the world is putting both of them at risk."
Aaliyah covers her mouth, tears falling.
Aaliyah: "Dami… you'll destroy your career saying that."
Damiano: "Better my career than our baby."
But before she can respond, the door flies open.
Victoria enters, breathless.
Victoria: "We have a bigger problem."
Damiano: "What now?"
She holds up her phone.
AUDIO LEAKED:
Aaliyah crying backstage
Ex-bandmate saying: "She's losing it again."
Aaliyah freezes.
Her heart stops.
Everything goes silent.
Aaliyah: "No… no… that was private… why… why would they—"
She breaks down completely.
Damiano grabs her, holding her tightly.
Damiano: "Hey, hey, look at me—look at me—don't listen to that."
But she's shaking uncontrollably.
Aaliyah: "They're ruining me… they're ruining everything—"
Her breathing turns rapid again.
Victoria panics.
Victoria: "Not again—Damiano! Call a doctor!"
Damiano lifts her face.
Damiano: "Aaliyah, breathe. Breathe for our daughter, okay? Stay with me."
Aaliyah gasps, clutching her stomach.
Aaliyah: "It hurts—it hurts—Dami—"