OLIVIA
When I returned to Noah’s private room, he was already lying in bed, the steady rhythm of the IV drip the only sound filling the quiet space.
I walked over and placed the necklace on the bedside table.
Almost immediately, Noah opened his eyes.
He hadn’t been asleep.
It felt less like I had woken him and more like he had been waiting—waiting to see if I would come back, or if I had already left.
He turned his head toward me, but the moment he did, his expression tightened as pain shot through his neck.
I reached out right away, sliding my hand behind his neck to support him before the movement could strain him further. Then I adjusted the pillow beneath his head, making sure it supported him properly.
He stilled slightly after that, his breathing easing, as
