Episode 1

My name is Enzo Bianchi, I'm 32 years old and I'm a doctor specializing in pediatrics. I live in the capital of Italy, where my routine is divided between the hospital, city life, and managing the wineries I inherited from my grandfather, Lorenzo. He is my biggest supporter and one of the only people I truly trust. Lorenzo is a simple, kind man, and his calm demeanor always makes me feel secure.

My family is another story altogether. My mother, Donatella, is a woman who likes everything to go her way. Controlling, detail-oriented, with a strong personality that sometimes suffocates me, but which I have learned to respect over time. My father, Lorenzo Junior, is the opposite. He is fun, kind, and has a smile that can light up any room. But don't be fooled: when necessary, he knows how to be strict and firm, especially with serious matters.

My story is not simple. I have had many failures throughout my life, especially in the field of relationships. There were loves that didn't work out, friendships that turned out to be self-serving... All because of the Bianchi surname—a name that carries weight in Italy, and which, unfortunately, brings expectations and prejudices that only complicate life. But, for me, this name is just a word. What really matters is who I am, not what my surname represents.

Since I was young, my biggest dream has been to be a father. I don't care about money, nor the family's fame. I want something simpler, more real: to watch my child grow, to accompany him from the womb, to hear his first cry, to follow each ultrasound, to feel that unique connection that only a father can have. However, I haven't found the right woman yet, the one I could truly love, with whom I could share this dream. A woman whose eyes revealed her heart and soul.

The truth is, after so many frustrating attempts, I ended up giving up on the search for the woman of my dreams. But I never gave up on the dream of being a father. This is something that is rooted in me and that I do not intend to give up, no matter what happens.

Because of this, I spend a lot of time with children—I work in various orphanages, I participate in social projects to help the little ones who need it. I could simply adopt a child, but for me it's not the same. I want to feel every moment of the gestation, I want to follow life from the beginning, and this is something I cannot give up.

It was then that, on one of those days, my longtime friend, Betina, entered my life in a different way. We were at her house, talking about the future and reminiscing about our college days, our adventures, the plans we made when we were younger and believed everything would be easier. We were talking about life, dreams, disappointments, when the subject ended up falling on the question of finding someone to love.

"Oh, friend," Betina said, sighing, "I think my dream of finding a decent guy is dead."

I looked at her and smiled, trying to cheer her up.

"Be, you still have plenty of time to find the right person," I replied, with that tone of a worried friend, wanting to comfort her.

She laughed, but with a glimmer of sadness in her eyes.

"You say that, but what about you?" she asked, staring at me straight on. "Why don't you go after your dream? The woman of your life?"

I was silent for a moment. It was a question I avoided answering.

"You know I gave up on that," I said, somewhat awkwardly. "I just haven't given up on being a father."

Suddenly, Betina jumped up and, excitedly, exclaimed:

"Enzo! Enzo! Enzo! I had an idea!"

I looked at her, startled, not quite understanding what was happening.

"Woman, you must be crazy, you have to be. What's with this outburst?" I asked, half laughing, half worried.

She replied with the utmost seriousness:

"Friend, what if I lend you my uterus so you can have your child?"

I froze, trying to absorb what I had just heard.

"What do you mean, Betina? I don't understand," I said, still in shock.

"Let's go to an artificial insemination clinic," she explained, confidently. "Let's do the tests to see if I can carry your child. Since I'm not using this uterus anyway, I can help you realize your dream."

I looked at her, touched and surprised. I never imagined that anyone could do this for me, and even less someone as special as Betina.

"Betina, are you really willing to do this for me?" I asked, feeling a lump in my throat.

She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, friend. I want you to realize that dream."

We hugged, and at that moment I felt a mixture of joy, hope, and an emotion that could not fit inside me. For the first time in a long time, I felt that it might even be possible to be a father, without having to wait for an idealized love that might never come.

I didn't waste time. I started researching clinics, talking to specialists, and together, Betina and I, filed all the necessary paperwork. She would be my surrogate, my partner on this journey that was just beginning.

It was a new chapter in my life, full of challenges, but also of possibilities. And, for the first time, I felt that the dream of being a father could finally become a reality, no matter what came ahead.

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