The harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor made Emma's eyes ache as she rushed towards her mother's room. Her heels clicked an anxious rhythm on the linoleum floor, echoing the frantic beating of her heart. She'd been in the middle of a crucial meeting with Mark about the new innovation division when she'd received the call from Diana's nurse.
"Mom?" Emma called softly as she entered the room, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of Diana's pale form in the hospital bed.
Diana's eyes fluttered open, a weak smile spreading across her face. "Emma, sweetheart. You didn't have to come."
Emma moved to her mother's side, taking her frail hand in both of hers. "Of course I did. How are you feeling?"
As Diana began to speak, Emma's phone buzzed insistently in her pocket. S
