The room went silent the moment the monitor beeped irregularly. Aaliyah felt the pressure in her abdomen tighten again, sharper this time, stealing her breath and making her grip the hospital sheets. Damiano shot up instantly from the chair beside her bed.
Damiano: "Aaliyah? Hey—hey, look at me. What's happening?"
Aaliyah: "It hurts… it—it feels different this time…"
The nurse rushed in, checking the screen.
Nurse: "We need the doctor. Now."
The words cut through the air like a knife.
Suddenly it wasn't just another scare—this was Estrella forcing an emergency decision.
Damiano's heart hammered against his ribs.
Damiano: "Is she okay? Is the baby okay?"
Nurse: "We don't know yet. Stay with her. Don't let her panic."
But how was she not supposed to panic?
Outside the door, fans around the world were pushing back harder than ever—defending Damiano, defending Aaliyah, defending Estrella.
Hashtags flooded every platform:
#ProtectAaliyah
#WeStandWithDamiano
#SaveEstrella
For the first time, everything was calming. The hate was shrinking. The support was overwhelming.
But none of that comforted Damiano as he watched the woman he loved struggle to breathe.
He held her face gently.
Damiano: "Listen to me. You're safe. Our daughter is safe. I'm not going anywhere."
Aaliyah tried to speak, her voice trembling.
Aaliyah: "I'm scared… Damiano, I'm so scared…"
Damiano: "I know, amore. But look around—everyone is fighting for you now. We're not alone anymore."
Before she could answer, the door swung open.
A man stepped inside—tall, tense, eyes filled with worry.
Aaliyah froze.
Damiano turned slowly, confused.
Damiano: "…Who—?"
The man swallowed hard.
Dylan: "I'm her father."
The room shifted with the weight of those words.
Aaliyah's eyes widened, her breath catching—not from the pain this time, but from shock.
Aaliyah: "Dad…?"
Dylan stepped closer, voice shaking.
Dylan: "I came as soon as I heard. I—your mother called me. I had to be here."
Aaliyah didn't know whether to cry or scream or collapse into his arms.
Their relationship had been broken for years, shattered pieces no one tried to rebuild.
But now… in her most dangerous moment… he was there.
Damiano stood back, giving them space.
Dylan took her hand gently.
Dylan: "I know I failed you. But I'm not leaving this time. Not when you and your daughter need me."
Aaliyah's tears finally fell—quiet but heavy.
Aaliyah: "I can't do this… everything hurts… everything is too much…"
Dylan: "You're stronger than you think. And you're not doing this alone."
The doctor rushed in then, pulling up the ultrasound screen.
Doctor: "The baby is in distress. We need to decide quickly how to proceed."
Damiano stepped forward immediately.
Damiano: "Do whatever you need to save them both."
The doctor nodded but didn't soften the truth.
Doctor: "This is the most dangerous phase of her pregnancy. Every minute counts. Aaliyah, you need to stay calm or the situation will worsen."
Aaliyah squeezed both Damiano's and Dylan's hands, trembling violently as another contraction-like pain hit.
She looked at them—two men who had hurt her, protected her, left her, and now stood united at her side.
Aaliyah: "Don't let… anything happen to her… please…"
Damiano kissed her forehead.
Damiano: "Nothing will happen. Estrella is a fighter. Just like her mother."
The doctor moved quickly, checking vitals.
Doctor: "Prepare for immediate stabilization. If this continues, we'll have to discuss premature intervention."
The words were cold. Terrifying.
Aaliyah felt the room spinning.
Her pregnancy—the one she fought so hard to protect—
had entered its most dangerous moment.
And all they could do was hold on.
Damiano looked at her, at the monitors, at the doctor—everything tightening around him like a vice.
This wasn't a scandal.
This wasn't media.
This wasn't a fight with the label.
This was life or death.
And for the first time since everything began…
he was truly afraid.