The spoon clattered to the floor of the hospital hallway, forgotten.
Ella stood frozen in front of the nurse's station, words echoing like gunshots in her skull.
“She passed three days ago."
“No," she whispered. “That's not—she was stable. You said—"
The nurse's eyes dimmed with practiced sympathy. “Her vitals collapsed during the night. The attending physician tried calling Mr. Hayes multiple times. He never returned the calls."
Ella's knees buckled. She caught the edge of the counter, lungs burning.
“She died alone?"
“We did everything we could."
“I should've been here," she whispered. “I should've—"
She turned and ran.
Down sterile corridors, past closed doors and silent machines, until she burst into the hospital garden. The cold wind hit like a slap.
Nathan was there, sitti
