nervous. - Is that Dominic's number? It should be, considering that he himself saved it in my phone's calendar. - And yes. This is his wife. Who is talking? - Wife?! - I changed my voice, almost shouting, due to the shock. This is a nightmare, it has to be! - Yes my dear. Wife! - His arrogant tone made tears well up in my eyes instantly. - In what world do you live in? Don't you know he's married? - Layla? - I heard the male voice in the background and recognized it immediately. It really was Dominic. - Why did you answer my phone? Who is it? Give me this right here! He looked angry. Typical of a man who has something to hide and tries to turn the tables, intimidating, when the woman starts to get suspicious. - Sorry, ma'am - my voice came out in a weak whisper. Defeated. - I called the wrong number! Married? - Naughty, dog, shameless! - I threw the cell phone on the bed, damn it. The crying came with force as I threw myself back, burying my head in the pillow. All my frustration turning into anger at having fallen for the small talk of a handsome and seductive man. - He is married? - Laura hugged me as I burst into tears, thinking about how my life had been turned upside down since I got home from that vacation. - Yes... - How could I be so naive to believe him? - He is sure? - I heard his voice, talking to her. - I sat on the bed, running my hands over my face to dry the tears. - He asked who it was on the phone. Laura got comfortable on the bed and started running her hands through my hair, combing it with her own fingers. I was certainly a wreck since I got my answer. It was that same day, during my work break, my lunch break. I returned home to meet her so we could open the exam together. When I saw the positive result, I almost fainted. Desperate. Helpless. What am I going to do with my life now? - Why did you hang up? - Laura was as pissed off as I was. - He should tell his wife that her husband is a scoundrel! - I can't! - I shook my head, in a frantic denial. - Of course you can. - She was outraged. - You should! -What for, Laura? - I exploded, standing up and starting to pace the room, restless and scared. - Playing the role of a lover? The other? The odd job who went to bed with a married man? - The woman who was deceived by a married man! - She stood up to make me stop, holding me by the shoulders and looking at me seriously. - And in fact, she is pregnant by this married man! - No, Laura. I would much rather be judged for having a baby without a father than judged for being a home wrecker. My son will not be a bastard! - What did you expect, Val? - She softened her tone, compassion in her eyes. - That he would come running and marry you? - Not exactly. - I sniffled, still crying. - But having a single man assume paternity of my baby, even if we are not a couple, is much better than sharing custody of my child with a man who has a wife and cheated on her with me. - You're being unfair to yourself. - A society that is unfair to women, Laura! - I walked away again, returning to the desperate posture I had before. I couldn't stay calm. - What will my father say when I tell him I'm pregnant and will need help raising my child? I didn't even know if I was going to be able to afford the house and college with my salary, and now there's a baby on the way. - Why don't you call again? It must have been some mistake. - No mistake, Laura! When his friend told me that Dominic was on a stag trip, I thought he was lying. But that's precisely why I didn't get in touch with him before, as I had promised on our last night on Ilha do Sol. - You've only been together for three months. - If he was already engaged during the trip, that's enough time to have gotten married. - Every time I said that word, it was like a dagger was being driven even deeper into my heart. I thought our move was special... - And now, Val? What do you intend to do? I swallowed the new wave