The hospital corridor stretched before me like a battleground as I followed Gavin toward my mother's room. Each step felt heavier than the last. I'd left Nathaniel behind, but his fierce promise to protect me still warmed my heart even as fear chilled my bones.
My phone buzzed with his text: *I've dealt with Jasper. Stay safe. I'll be there soon.*
Something about the terseness of his message made me uneasy. Whatever had happened between him and Uncle Jasper, it hadn't gone well.
"She's in here," Gavin said, stopping outside Room 304. "Are you sure you want to do this alone? I could stay."
"I'll be fine," I assured him, summoning a confidence I didn't entirely feel.
As I pushed open the door, I was met with the sight of my mother, Ivy Ollie, pacing near the window. Her head snapped up at my entrance, eyes narrowing to slits.
"You," she hissed. "You've finally decided to show your face."
I closed the door behind me, steeling myself. "Mother."
