Chloe’s POV
Morning came too fast.
I barely slept, my mind restless, my body heavy in a way that felt unfamiliar. I forced myself out of bed, showered, dressed, moved like a machine running on obligation rather than will. There was only one place I needed to be.
The hospital.
The drive there was quiet. Too quiet. I watched the city pass by, people living their lives without knowing how fragile everything could become in one night, one mistake, one betrayal.
When I stepped into the hospital, the smell hit me immediately. Antiseptic. Clean. Cold. It always made my chest tighten. I signed in, nodded at the nurses who now recognized me, and walked down the familiar corridor toward Hilda’s room.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
I pushed the door open gently.
She lay there exactly a
