"It's true, Ms. Johnson," Lena said on the phone, her voice careful, almost apologetic. "Mr. Dike gave me the order."
Natalia sat stiffly on the edge of the hospital bed, the white sheets bunched beneath her clenched fingers.
Her face was pale, but her eyes burned with restrained fury.
The sterile smell of antiseptic hung in the air, mixing with the faint scent of the wilting flowers someone had brought days ago. "Why does Thea keep showing up like a bad penny?" she muttered, more to herself than to Lena, yet the phone was still pressed to her ear.
The words tasted bitter. The name alone stirred something ugly in her chest; jealousy, resentment, and something darker she refused to name.
She pulled the phone away abruptly, her teeth grinding together as if she could crush her though
