The encounter with Ian at the hospital lingered in Aira's mind for days. Before she realized it, it was almost time for Shasha's engagement.
Shasha dragged Aira from one boutique to another with Ryan in tow.
To Aira's surprise...
Ian joined them.
Preparing for such a grand celebration couldn't be finished in a single day.
The following days became a whirlwind.
The house buzzed with excitement as everyone threw themselves into the engagement preparations.
Relatives came and went.
Shopping bags piled up in every corner.
Music echoed through the halls.
Laughter filled every room.
Everyone had something to do.
Everyone...
except Aira.
She smiled whenever someone looked her way.
Laughed when the conversation called for it.
Helped with the decorations.
Accompanied her cousins while they searched for the perfect outfits.
Posed for countless family photographs.
To everyone else, she seemed perfectly fine.
Only she knew how exhausting it was to keep pretending.
Every night, after retreating to her room, her hand drifted instinctively to her stomach.
There was still no visible bump.
Nothing had changed on the outside.
Yet everything inside her had.
Every now and then, she'd catch Ian watching her from across the room.
His gaze lingered for a second too long.
As though he wanted to ask something.
As though neither of them had forgotten what happened at the hospital.
She always looked away first.
Perhaps that was for the best.
Some questions were safer left unanswered.
Soon, the day of the engagement arrived.
The house overflowed with music, dancing, and endless teasing from relatives.
As Shasha and Ryan exchanged rings, Aira found herself smiling.
They looked genuinely happy.
The kind of happiness people dreamed about.
Silently, she wished them a lifetime of it.
Then, almost against her will...
Her thoughts wandered elsewhere.
To another man.
To another future.
One that had never even been given a chance to begin.
Before anyone could notice the sadness in her eyes, she lowered her gaze.
The days passed quickly.
Her mother's condition improved with each passing week.
The stitches healed well.
The medications were gradually reduced.
Eventually, the doctor cleared her to return to her normal routine.
Only then did Aira realize how much time had slipped away.
Her university had already resumed classes.
Meanwhile, her father's expanding business overseas needed someone he could trust to oversee operations in his absence.
Responsibilities were waiting for her.
Responsibilities she could no longer postpone.
The night before her departure, she packed in silence.
Each neatly folded piece of clothing reminded her of one quiet truth.
This time...
She wasn't leaving alone.
She rested a hand over her stomach for a long moment before finally zipping her suitcase shut.
The following morning, the family gathered to see her off.
Her mother embraced her more tightly than usual.
"Take care of yourself," she whispered.
Aira forced a small smile.
"I will."
The words sounded simple.
Yet they carried a promise only she understood.
After one last look at her family, she boarded the plane.
Hours later, the familiar skyline came into view through the aircraft window.
The city looked exactly as she had left it.
She was the one who had changed.
Her apartment welcomed her with silence.
Her books remained neatly arranged on the shelf.
The curtains still carried the faint scent of fresh laundry.
Everything had waited patiently for her return.
Everything...
Except time.
She unlocked her phone and glanced at the date.
Twelve weeks.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the device.
It had already been twelve weeks.
The next morning, she returned to the same hospital where her world had changed.
After waiting for a while, she was led into the consultation room.
The same obstetrician entered with her medical file in hand.
"It's good to see you again," the doctor said warmly as she took a seat.
"I've reviewed your previous reports, but I'd like to examine you first."
Aira nodded.
The examination began.
The room fell silent, broken only by the soft hum of the ultrasound machine.
Aira lay motionless as the doctor carefully guided the probe across her abdomen. The cool gel against her skin made her shiver, though she barely noticed.
Several long moments passed.
The doctor studied the monitor intently.
Her expression, calm only moments ago, slowly turned thoughtful.
She adjusted a few settings before leaning in for a closer look.
Aira noticed the change immediately.
Her fingers curled tightly around the edge of the examination bed.
"...Is something wrong?" she asked, unable to hide the uneasiness in her voice.
The doctor looked at her before offering a reassuring smile.
"Let's talk once we're done."
Those few words only made Aira's heart pound faster.
Another minute passed before the doctor finally switched off the monitor and wiped away the gel.
She pulled her chair closer and opened Aira's file.
"You're almost twelve weeks pregnant now."
Aira gave a small nod.
"I'm afraid medication is no longer an option."
Her breath caught in her throat.
"The pregnancy has progressed beyond the stage where it can be safely terminated with medication. If you decide to end the pregnancy now, the procedure will have to be surgical."
The room seemed to grow quieter.
The doctor glanced back at the ultrasound images before speaking again.
"There's something else I'd like you to know."
The doctor continued gently, "One of the twins is measuring noticeably ahead of the other. Small differences in growth can happen, but I'd like to monitor the pregnancy closely.
Aira stared at the ultrasound images resting on the screen.
She couldn't make sense of what she was seeing.
Just a few blurry shapes.
Yet somehow...
Those blurry shapes suddenly felt more precious than anything else in the world.
The doctor hesitated before continuing.
"There's one more thing we need to discuss."
Aira slowly lifted her eyes.
"If you choose to terminate the pregnancy at this stage, the surgery is generally safe."
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"However, as with any surgical procedure involving the uterus, there are risks. In rare cases, it can affect future pregnancies."
The words settled heavily between them.
Aira lowered her gaze.
She had expected pain and guilt.
She hadn't expected another impossible choice.
"...What are my options?" she asked quietly.
"The decision is entirely yours," the doctor replied.
"If you continue the pregnancy, we'll monitor you closely and support you throughout."
"If you choose to proceed with the surgery, we'll do everything we can to ensure your safety."
"There isn't a right or wrong decision."
Silence stretched between them.
The ticking of the wall clock suddenly sounded unbearably loud.
Aira closed her eyes.
Her parents.
Her studies.
The family business.
Ian.
Everything she had planned.
Everything she had dreamed of.
One decision threatened to change it all.
She wasn't ready to become a mother.
She wasn't ready to raise two children alone.
She wasn't ready to tell anyone.
She wasn't ready...
For any of this.
A single tear escaped before she could stop it.
She quickly wiped it away.
"I'll go ahead with the procedure."
The doctor didn't try to persuade her otherwise.
She simply nodded with quiet understanding.
"I understand."
She reached into the file and placed several documents on the desk.
"I'll schedule the procedure for three days from now."
"If you have any questions before then, or if you change your mind, you can contact us at any time."
Aira looked down at the papers.
Consent forms.
Each page seemed heavier than the last.
She picked up the pen.
For several seconds...
She couldn't bring herself to sign.
Then, taking a slow breath, she lowered the pen to the paper.
One signature.
Then another.
And another.
By the time she finished, the room felt strangely empty.
The doctor gathered the documents with gentle hands.
"I'll see you in three days."
Aira nodded faintly.
"...Thank you, Doctor."
She wasn't sure what she was thanking her for.
Perhaps...
For treating her with kindness when she could barely face herself.
Leaving the consultation room, she walked through the quiet hospital corridors without really noticing where she was going.
She stepped outside the hospital and stopped near the entrance.
She remained there for several minutes, the consent papers still clutched tightly in her hands.
Then, almost unconsciously, her hand rested over her stomach once more.
She closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry..."
The words were barely audible.
Whether she was apologizing to herself...
Or to the two tiny heartbeats growing within her...
Even she no longer knew.
Three days.
That was all the time left...
Before everything changed forever.