************ WARNING: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN **************
My body is consumed by pain and fatigue. Every breath I take feels like a fire burning through my lungs, and my muscles ache as if they have been stretched beyond their limits. But even in this state, I have to get up.
However, as I try again, pain shoots through my body. My hand instinctively goes to cradle my belly, where my child grows inside me.
"Please let it be okay," I whisper.
I close my eyes and take deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. The room is spinning around me, and I can feel bile rising in my throat. But I have to fight through this pain, for the sake of my child.
Suddenly, there's a knock on the door, followed by Giovanni's voice calling out to me. "Rica? Open this door."
