The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 76

There was a stirring that echoed like gentle ripples in her ear. At first, she thought it was the sound of the wind. But the sensation soon began at her fingertips, traveled up her arm, and softly tapped her whole body.

It was like a voice quietly, but earnestly, asking her to ‘wake up.’ Yulania slowly opened her eyes.

It felt like waking from a distant dream. Like someone who had been submerged in deep water for a very long time, and was only now rising to the surface. As her consciousness returned to its place, she slowly recalled what world she had been in. The moment her emotions were unleashed, the explosion of yellow light, and a sensation so desperate it felt like her heart was tearing.

And finally, the warmth of a hand holding hers reached her mind.

Her vision slowly cleared like mist, and as the blurred scenery gradually took shape, the first thing she saw was a large hand enveloping hers. A familiar warmth, a firm but trembling touch. Yulania moved her fingers very slightly.

Santiago, his senses instantly revived, snapped his head up.

He had been holding her hand with his head bowed, but he lifted his face to check Yulania’s face and his eyes widened in disbelief. His eyes were bloodshot, and his cheeks were a little pale and sunken. It was the face of someone who hadn’t slept for a single moment. The expression filled with despair and self-reproach crumbled in that brief moment, then wavered again with relief.

Yulania cautiously opened her mouth. Her throat was dry and her lips parched, but she looked into his eyes and whispered as if repeating the words she had to convey.

“Santiago? How did you? How long have I been unconscious?”

But Santiago didn’t answer immediately. He just stared at her in silence. As if he couldn’t believe the reality before his eyes, with eyes full of deep hesitation. He stared at her intently, as if afraid that blinking would return him to a nightmare.

Yulania called his name again.

“Santiago? Are you okay?”

Only then did Santiago slowly exhale and nod. But even in that nod, there was still something complicated intertwined. He carefully took Yulania’s hand in his trembling hands, and kissed it. As if confirming with his lips, his forehead, his whole body, that she was alive before his eyes.

“Thank you.”

His voice was so low that it was hard to tell if it was a whisper or a sigh.

At the sound of his voice, maids rushed into the room as if they were going to pounce. Joel soon followed, and upon seeing her, he sighed in relief and began his examination. Yulania willingly and quietly submitted to his touch. Warm hands felt her pulse, checked her breathing, and looked into her eyes.

“No fever, and stable. No abnormalities. I’m so glad, Princess.”

Santiago still didn’t let go of her hand. From the moment she lost consciousness and collapsed, he hadn’t let go of that hand for a single moment in three days. Joel offered medicine and recommended rest, but Santiago shook his head. He existed only by Yulania’s side, as if he had stopped everything else.

Yulania looked closely at his face. The shadows cast on his face, the gaunt contours that looked as if they had been carved, and the eyes flickering weakly like a burnt-out candle. She slowly raised her other hand and placed it on his cheek. Santiago’s eyes flickered wildly at the touch of her warm hand.

“You! You’ve been through a lot too.”

He lowered his head. Her touch on his cheek caused a tremor, and that tremor soon spread to his shoulders, like a quiet sob. But he didn’t shed tears. He just took a long breath, exhaling deeply as if releasing the emotional cords that had been holding him.

After a while, Joel and the maids left the room. Only the two of them remained in the room. The sound of birds chirping outside was faintly audible. Occasionally, sunlight from outside the window seeped through the curtains, making her hair sparkle.

Yulania said quietly.

“Santiago.”

He raised his eyes.

“The baby will be okay, right?”

Santiago quickly nodded.

“Yes. Joel said there was no shock. Everything, He said everything is fine.”

She closed her eyes. And smiled. After taking a short, peaceful breath, she said to him.

“Then that’s good.”

A sense of relief more important than words spread across her face, and Santiago felt as if he had finally, truly returned to reality as he looked at that expression. She was alive. And alive, she was reassuring him.

He took her hand again. Now it was not a touch that was careful not to break her, but a touch of conviction that grasped a living hand.

Finally, Santiago whispered in a low, almost inaudible voice, as if to himself.

“Now I can breathe.”

At those words, Yulania quietly closed her eyes. She wanted to rest again, even for a moment. Now, even if she stayed in her dream a little longer, Santiago would be at the end of it.

Santiago carefully sat on the edge of the bed. Yulania, who had only recently opened her eyes, still seemed to lack energy, so he watched her in silence for a long time, then very slowly, as if handling something made of glass, he pulled her into his arms.

His hand gently wrapped around her back. There was no word for a while. Yulania, in his arms, closed her eyes slightly and savored the warmth of being in his embrace. The long silence between them was rather comforting. A stillness followed, as if breaths were intermingling and heartbeats were blending.

But it was at that moment. Yulania’s eyes widened slightly. Inside, clearly from deep within her belly, she felt something gently tap. She inadvertently straightened her back.

“Yulania?”

Santiago quickly looked at her and asked.

“Are you in pain?”

He looked at her with tense eyes, as if he were about to call Joel right away. Yulania raised her hand and gently grabbed his arm as if to calm him down.

“No. Just hold on a moment.”

She was smiling, though a little flustered. She slowly brought her hand to her lower abdomen. She took a careful breath and waited, hoping that the earlier sensation was not a mistake.

And, once more.

Tap—.

A small but definite kick was felt from the inside, as if someone was lightly tapping with their finger.

Yulania gasped. It was the first time she had felt this sensation. Something that she couldn’t imagine at all when Joel had only explained it to her before was now becoming a reality in her hand.

“Santiago.”

She looked at him and smiled brightly. That smile contained emotion, joy, and even a fleeting fear.

“Put your hand here, on my belly.”

Yulania led his hand and placed it on her stomach. Santiago looked surprised, but without hesitation, he covered the back of her hand and carefully placed his palm on her belly.

For a moment, there was no reaction.

Santiago was trying hard to hide his expression, but a strange shadow was spreading in his eyes. Before he could speak again, Yulania said affectionately.

“Say hello too.”

“Yes?”

“Say something. That her father is here.”

The cloud-like emotions swirling in his face stopped at once. Yulania held his hand tightly and murmured.

“It’s okay, say something. The baby might be listening.”

Santiago hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth. His voice was somewhat low and awkward, but it contained a clear sincerity.

“I am your father.”

It was at that moment.

Once again, this time a little stronger. Tap, the same spot inside her belly was tapped. It was definitely a movement as if someone was sending a response.

Yulania and Santiago stopped breathing at the same time. And the next moment, they looked at each other and smiled softly.

“I think our baby woke me up.”

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