Adrian's Pov
Hospitals always smelled like fear and bleach. I’d grown used to that mix over the years, but this time, it hit harder. Maybe because Mom looked smaller than before, fragile beneath the thin sheets, her breathing shallow, the heart monitor keeping rhythm in the quiet room.
I sat by her side, holding her hand. Her skin was cold. I tried to smile when her eyes fluttered open.
“Adrian,” she whispered.
“I’m here,” I said softly.
She blinked weakly. “You shouldn’t have come alone.”
I forced a laugh. “You’re the one lying in bed, Mom. I’m fine.”
She tried to smile but it faded. “He was here, wasn’t he?”
My throat tightened. “You mean Soren?”
She nodded slowly. “He loves you, you know.”
I stared at the floor. “Love doesn’t fix everything.”
“No,” she said, her voice faint.
