Zary Galli, that's my name, I am a 32-year-old woman. With a degree in Business Administration and the sole heir to a small family business of Italian origin, well, small wouldn't be the right description, but I want to see it that way so I don't feel overwhelmed by it.

The truth is, my desires don't lead me to be the CEO of "Vinos finos Galli," that's right, my family, like any good Italian family, likes to drink good wine, so my great-grandparents ventured into the artisanal production of a delicious table wine that has enchanted anyone who tastes it. And that's how the family business started, reaching all of Europe and America.

Anyway, as I was saying, I don't see myself taking the reins and responsibilities of something as important as the family business, I want something calmer, something that catches my attention and forces me to exceed my goals and expectations, and I found it in the hotel industry.

Maybe many of you consider me a bit stupid (I've actually thought about it too), to despise being the absolute owner of an international company, to be the general manager of a Resort where I'm busy 24/7, 365 days a year, but to be honest, it's the best thing that could have happened to me.

I love my job, every day is different, interacting with the employees (or battling with them), receiving clients from all over the world, finding that behind a face there is a story, some good, some sad, and even wonderful.

That's how I'm forming my story, one that already has hundreds of pages of effort, sweat, and tears, but the page I long to write is where I can finally be a mother, I dream of the day I see my children running around everywhere, that they know every corner of this place better than I do, and brighten my days with their smiles.

"Hello Zary" greets me Camila, my best friend, confidante, and gynecologist, she works in a specialty clinic focused on assisted fertilization, and we are in her office

"Hello friend" I return the greeting with a big smile

"You look in a very good mood" she says raising her eyebrows with a smile just like mine

"I've been feeling a little unwell in the mornings for the past three days, I think that's good, isn't it?"

"It's good, very good, we'll do the tests you already know and see the result"

Since I was 15 years old I have had very strong discomfort every time I had my menstrual period, after a check-up I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries, and with that they explained to me how difficult my reproductive cycle would be, as well as how complicated it will be to get pregnant.

During my youth I didn't worry about any of that, I was focused on my career, then on the start-up of my small hotel that has been growing over the years, but now my desires are to become a mother.

For a year now I met a wonderful man, a man who has filled and exceeded my expectations, a man I love and loves me intensely, but unfortunately he is sterile, he told me since we started to relate formally. Still he supports my dream of being able to be pregnant, he encourages me, takes care of me and supports me, especially since six months ago we are trying an assisted pregnancy through artificial insemination, his name is Abraham Ordaz

"Is Abraham not accompanying you this time?" asks my friend while taking a blood sample from my arm

"I came without telling him, I hope to bring him the surprise"

"It's better that way" she replies coldly, Camila doesn't like Abraham, since I introduced them she has told me that there is something about him that she doesn't like, she has even asked me to watch him, I just think that maybe she is a little jealous, it has always been her and me against the world, now she has to share me with my boyfriend

"Well, you know, we'll wait half an hour to get the results" and she leaves the room...

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

Hello everyone, starting a new story with all the love in the world.

I think that like any writer I am a loving reader, I started reading a story that addressed a similar topic and unfortunately the author left it paused or forgotten

So I said to myself, why not make my own version??? 🤔

I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it

Greetings and blessings, plus a huge hug from Monterrey 🇲🇽

❤️ Iris ❤️

Half an hour, what can I do to make 30 minutes pass quickly?

I took my phone in my hands, not knowing what to do. I opened a gossip app, but didn't see anything interesting. I looked around my friend's office for something different, but nothing, the same paintings, diplomas, and her degree.

I ended up standing in front of a diagram of the male and female reproductive system, unconsciously touching my belly while murmuring, "I wish you were here."

Finally, I made a call to the hotel, asking anything nonsensical, and that's how I passed the minutes...

I saw my friend come in with an envelope in her hands. I was so excited that I didn't notice her apologetic look.

"Let's sit down," she said. I immediately obeyed.

"So?" I was desperate, waiting only for the good news that would confirm that my discomfort was caused by a being growing inside me.

Camila held out the envelope, which I opened urgently. I read as quickly as possible, and my spirits fell along with the sparkle in my eyes and my smile.

NEGATIVE

It was the third attempt at pregnancy, the third artificial insemination in six months. After the first failed attempt, my friend reorganized and planned the methods she would use again. After the second failure, she said it was more common than people thought. If the first one didn't work, the second one was almost certain to be the same, statistics said so, but the third one was very likely to be the one. Everything was planned and meticulously calculated, there was no room for errors, or well, there shouldn't be.

"Zary, I'm sorry," my friend said, wiping away a tear that inadvertently rolled down my cheek. "I failed you. I don't know, I really don't know what happened. I... I'm sorry, I don't know what to say."

"It's not your fault," I said sincerely in a subdued voice. "Maybe it's just my destiny."

"Don't say that," Camila replied, raising her voice. "We did the pertinent studies, checked every aspect, and had every possibility on our side. Honestly, I don't know what the hell happened?"

"Calm down," I said, managing a sad smile. "It's not your fault, I would never think it was. It just... it just happened," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"Oh, Zary," she came closer and put her arms around me. "You're my little sister, the most important thing I have, and I swear I won't rest until I see you completely exhausted from carrying a four-kilo baby in your belly, and I'll laugh when I see you suffer in your labor."

A small smile escaped my mouth as I stroked her hair and said, "Promise?"

"Promise," she replied.

We agreed to do new studies, so I stayed another hour in this hospital. In two days I would return for the results.

"Wait a little longer and I'll take you to the hotel."

"No, thank you, I'll go with Abraham." Camila twisted her mouth. She does it every time she hears about my boyfriend, I even think she does it more out of habit than anything else. "It's what I need."

"Okay, but tonight I'll come over and we'll drink a bottle of your Galli reserve, no excuses, we both need it."

"I'll put it to chill," I said as we hugged again and said goodbye.

Camila and I met in school while we were in High School, she was a very serious and studious girl, a total Ned, on the other hand, I was more than excited to make friends in this new continent, but as always, for people being different is enough excuse to make fun of someone, I suffered bullying for my accent and customs, besides being a pretty girl (I don't say it, I have been told many times), the popular girl in school was against me all those years.

It was during a chemistry class, I as always offered to help the teacher and while I was carrying some samples someone tripped me and I fell flat throwing everything I had in my hands on Camila, the laughter was not long in coming and I totally embarrassed helped her to go to the bathroom to clean herself

"I'm sorry it wasn't my intention"

"I'll make it up to you, I'll buy you clothes, which one do you want?, a matching one, wait for me, I'll bring it already"

I turned around and was about to leave the bathroom when she took my hand, when I saw her I saw the most sincere smile I had received since I moved to North America. She started laughing out loud, the kind that is contagious, in an instant we both ended up with tears in our eyes and stomach ache.

"I'm Camila"

"And I'm Zary"

"I love your accent"

"And I love your smile"

Since that moment we have been together, living great moments and suffering many more. A year later her parents died in a car accident, when we turned 25 the aunt she lived with also died of cancer, her only brother left since then and no one knows about him, that's why when she says that I am the only or most valuable thing she has I know she means it, although I don't consider myself that way...

I was driving lost in my thoughts, still unable to understand what had happened, was it really my destiny not to have children of my own?

I parked about four blocks before the apartment building where Abraham lived, I didn't feel safe continuing in my car and walking would do me good. My path ran along the edge of a park, listening to the laughter of the little ones and the shouts of the parents made me feel even more nostalgic, I needed my boyfriend, in his arms I always felt better and his comforting words calmed my soul.

I entered greeting the doorman, a man in his 50s who I admired greatly, always with his uniform spotless and him well-groomed, with a radiant smile that credited his wife, "she doesn't let me out if I'm not properly dressed and combed," he said happily while telling anecdotes. That's what I wanted for myself, a love that transcends time

I went up in the elevator to the fourth floor, standing in front of his door I took the copy of the key he gave me and opened it slowly, it wasn't intentional, but my spirits and energy were almost null.

Upon entering I heard voices laughing loudly, then a conversation that completely crumbled me

"I still can't believe that poor Zary keeps insisting on having a baby" it was a female voice I didn't recognize

"She's obsessed" that was Abraham's voice "she has so much hope that I even feel sorry to cut off her dreams"

"What are you worried about, you've been lying to her from the beginning, imagine telling her that you're sterile, ha, ha, ha, when you had a vasectomy because you hate the idea of being a father"

"Don't even mention it" he expresses annoyed "I hate children, just thinking that I would have to endure a bastard because Zary wants a child makes me very upset"

"Hahahaha, poor Abraham, enduring a child that is not yours, hahaha"

"Shut up, the good thing is that I found a solution that has worked perfectly"

"Who would say that your last lover would give you the answer you were looking for"

"It was a miracle that I saw Zary's vitamins in the medicine cabinet, and that they were identical to some morning-after pills that she has bought"

"And that you have the cold blood to give them to her right after her inseminations"

"Before and after"

"How?"

"Yes, so there would be no failures I gave her one the day before, that same day and one day after, I didn't want to take risks"

"You are really despicable" the woman's voice sounded flirtatious

"What can I say, I couldn't lose her, besides being beautiful she is the perfect candidate to make me rich, really millionaire"

Rivers of tears ran from my eyes, with both hands I covered my mouth to not let out a sound, instead, the sounds that came from the room of my now ex left nothing to the imagination of what was being done there.

I looked for the door, took staggering steps, but managed to get out of there, my sight was clouded by all the tears that kept coming out, I had trouble breathing, I don't know how I managed to go down and stand in front of the reception, when I heard the doorman's voice I broke and sobbed uncontrollably, he took me to his desk and demanded that I give him the number of someone who could pick me up. Recovering a little stability I thanked him, I didn't want to see anyone, I didn't want to know anything, I just wanted to lose myself in my pain for a few hours, and that I would get in a room inside my beloved hotel.

With a worried face he didn't let me go on my own, he asked for a taxi that took me directly and without comments, which I appreciated. Upon arriving I find a great chaos

"Miss Zary how good that you arrive" Mr. Marquez is the second in command here, a man who has earned my complete trust, always attentive and formal, seeing him almost in a state of despair is synonymous with something serious

"The Paraiso hotel is burning!!!!"

"What!!!" I respond astonished, that hotel is the closest to us, that is, our main competition

"Well, it doesn't burn completely only the linen warehouse, but for security they have closed the hotel until it is checked, but the important thing is that all its clients are looking for accommodation here!!!" he began to hyperventilate "we don't have enough rooms, and there are a couple who are important, very important!!"

"Marquez calm down!!" I take his shoulders and for the first time he details my face opening his eyes completely

"Zary, are you okay?"

"I will be, now to solve this" the poor man just nods and walks behind me towards reception

Upon arriving I detailed the scene that I never thought I would see, clients fighting for the rooms arguing who arrived first, ladies insulting gentlemen and putting their children in front of them as small human shields, but to one side a couple of imposing figures stood out from the others, and not only for their physique, since they were taller, more muscular and extremely attractive, their presence radiated status, power and at the same time refinement

"Go to them and take them to the presidential suite, do it discreetly" Marquez nodded and did what was asked, while the receptionist and I arranged the chaos in front of us, out of the corner of my eye I saw how the gentlemen were escorted, I felt how my back bristled to see the cold and slightly despicable way in which they looked at me before leaving