A comfortable silence settled over the hospital room.
The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, bathing everything in a warm glow.
Elara sat beside her foster mother's bed, holding her hand as if she feared letting go.
Sebastian stood quietly a few steps away, giving them the privacy they deserved.
Mrs. Quinn watched the two of them with gentle, observant eyes.
Although Elara insisted that theirs was only a contract marriage...
A mother's heart noticed the little things.
The way Sebastian's gaze instinctively searched for Elara whenever she moved.
The way he subtly adjusted the chair behind her before she sat down.
The way his usually stern expression softened whenever she smiled.
Those were not the actions of a man merely honoring a contract.
---
"My dear," Mrs. Quinn
