The afternoon Laura and her father, Ernesto, entered the pediatric clinic, Dr. Valeria Gómez immediately noticed something was off. Laura, a sixteen-year-old, walked with her shoulders slumped, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Her father, on the other hand, seemed tense, almost vigilant, as if he feared something might spiral out of control at any moment.

“Good afternoon, what brings you here?” the doctor asked, with a professional smile.

Ernesto answered before his daughter could even open her mouth.

“Stomach pains. For days now.”

Laura clasped her hands in her lap. She said nothing.

During the initial interview, the doctor asked routine questions: diet, sleep, menstrual cycles. Every time Valeria directed a question to Laura, Ernesto intervened, answering for her or placing a hand on her shoulder, a gesture that seemed more intimidating than reassuring.

The doctor, accustomed to noticing the small details that others overlooked, decided to order an abdominal ultrasound.

“Just to rule out any complications,” she said, though something in her intuition was beginning to alarm her.

When Laura lay down on the examination table, Ernesto tried to stay in the room, but Valeria politely insisted he wait outside.

“I’ll need space and to concentrate. Don’t worry, I’ll call you as soon as we’re finished.”

As soon as the door closed, Laura let out a shaky sigh.

“Does it hurt a lot?” the doctor asked as she applied the gel.

The girl shook her head, but her eyes filled with tears.

“No… it’s not that.”

The doctor moved the transducer across her abdomen, examining each area. Everything seemed normal, until she noticed something unexpected: a gestational sac. Laura was pregnant, probably about twelve weeks along.

The girl’s breathing quickened. Valeria lowered the transducer and sat beside her.

“Laura… I want you to know you’re safe here. I need you to tell me if you wanted this, if you’re okay with this pregnancy.”

The teenager burst into tears.

“I… I didn’t know. And I can’t say anything. He…” She covered her mouth with her hand. “I can’t.”

Valeria’s heart raced. Her mind ran through all the child protection protocols. They had to act carefully, but quickly.

“Laura, look at me,” she said gently. “Whatever’s happening, I can help you. No one has the right to hurt you.”

The door burst open. Ernesto poked his head in, looking impatient.

“Are you finished?”

Valeria sat up, hiding her concern behind a professional expression.

“I need to talk to you for a few minutes, Ernesto. Alone.”

Laura closed her eyes, as if the mere sound of her father’s voice was enough to shatter her completely.

The doctor understood that this was only the beginning… and that what she was about to discover could be far worse than she imagined.

The doctor led Ernesto to a small adjoining room, away from the examination table where Laura was trying to stifle her sobs. She closed the door carefully, without rushing. Her tone was firm, but measured.

“I found something on the ultrasound,” she began. “Laura is pregnant.”

For a moment, Ernesto showed no reaction whatsoever. No surprise, no worry, no anger. Just a slow blink.

“I see,” he replied, too calmly.

A chill ran through Valeria. That reaction wasn’t the natural one for a father who had just received such news.

“I need to ask your daughter some questions unsupervised,” she continued. “It’s a medical and legal requirement. And I have to notify social services. It’s protocol.”

Ernesto’s face hardened.

“There’s no need to involve anyone. I’ll take care of it.”

The tone was dangerous. Controlled, but threatening. Even so, Valeria wasn’t intimidated.

“It’s mandatory,” she repeated. “And I’ve already asked someone to come. I ask you to wait in reception.”

The man clenched his jaw, but finally left. The doctor waited a few seconds and returned to Laura.

The teenager was huddled on the examination table, breathing in short, shallow breaths.

“Laura,” Valeria said gently, “I need you to tell me the truth. Do you know who the father is?”

The girl took several seconds to answer. Finally, she shook her head.

“I don’t want any trouble… He says that if I talk, he’ll ruin everything. That he’ll leave us with nothing.”

“Him?” Are you referring to your father?

The silence was confirmation.

Valeria felt a mixture of indignation and deep sadness, but she kept her face calm.

“Laura, what you’re going through is extremely serious. You’re not alone. I’m going to protect you, okay?”

The teenager looked at her with desperate eyes.

“He never leaves me alone at home. He’s always watching me. And if I cry, he says it’s my fault. That I have to behave. That…” Her voice broke. “…that I should be grateful.”

Valeria made a decision.

“I’m going to call a social worker and the police. They’re going to help you. No child should have to go through this.”