IVY
"You already did," I said, shoving his hand away from mine. The look on Vladimir’s face was torn, part wounded, part unreadable. I turned from him, forcing my legs to carry me away as quickly as possible. My only focus was on reaching my mother’s ward.
The polished floors of the hospital reflected the fluorescent lights above as I made my way through the quiet corridors. When I finally reached the VIP ward, I hesitated before pushing the door open.
Inside, my mother sat upright on her hospital bed, her posture steadier than I remembered. A woman in scrubs stood beside her, speaking softly. Their quiet exchange stopped the second I stepped in.
I closed the door gently behind me, the click echoing faintly. The nurse turned, her expression shifting to polite neutrality.
"Ivy," Mum s
