Lyla's POV
Hospitals had never really bothered me before. In fact, I had always kind of liked them in a strange way. Not because they felt cold or carried that strong smell of disinfectant everywhere, but because they stood for something hopeful. They represented possibility, real recovery, and second chances for people who needed them most. I had seen it so many times—people walking into medical buildings scared, uncertain, and full of worry. Many of them walked out later carrying a little more hope than when they arrived.
But as I followed Declan through the familiar hallways of Thornvale's sports medicine wing, I realized this place meant something completely different to him. It wasn't just another medical stop.
The moment those automatic doors slid open with a soft whoosh, his enti
