Damian and Pearl entered the room just as two masked figures slipped past them in the hallway. Damian didn’t suspect anything unusual, assuming they were nurses. He was focused entirely on Melissa and Pearl.
Getting inside, Pearl’s eyes widened as she saw her mother lying in bed, connected to a maze of life-support machines. Her small face fell, and a sob escaped her lips.
Damian pulled her close, pressing her head to his chest as he whispered, “It’s okay, princess. Mummy is getting better, okay? She’s just… tired.”
But more tears spilled from Pearl’s eyes as she looked up at Damian, her voice trembling. “What happened to mummy?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Was… was she the one who got hurt?”
Damian nodded slowly, his own heart aching with guilt and helplessness. He l
