The silence stretched unbearably as Isabella sat frozen in her chair. Her husband knelt beside her, his face wet with tears.
"Isabella," Raphael whispered. "Please. I'm begging you."
She looked up at him with haunted eyes. "If I do this, I'll never be able to hold my head up again. People will know I groveled to a child."
"People will know you saved our daughter's life," Raphael said desperately.
Isabella's phone suddenly rang. She answered with trembling hands.
"Mrs. Cruz? This is Dr. Webb from the surgical team. Your daughter's condition is deteriorating rapidly. We need to operate immediately, but I have to warn you - the chances of success are minimal."
Isabella's face crumpled. The phone slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor.
"She's dying," she whispered. "My baby is dying."
Raphael stood slowly, his face transformed by grief and rage. "Isabella, if our daughter dies because of your pride, I will never forgive you. Never."