The hospital corridor smelled of antiseptic and rain.
Elena stood against the wall, staring through the glass at Victor’s room.
The monitors continued their steady rhythm.
For several minutes, she had been afraid to breathe.
Victor had almost died before telling them which sister had been born first.
Now the answer remained locked inside him.
Adrian stood beside her.
He had barely spoken since the doctors took Victor away.
His jaw was tight, his hands clenched at his sides.
Elena reached for one of them.
He looked down.
“He’s going to live,” she said.
Adrian nodded.
“They said the medication stabilized him.”
“Then we’ll wait.”
He looked through the glass.
“My grandfather spent years lying to me.”
Elena squeezed his hand.
“Maybe he was trying to protect you.”
“That doesn’
