Amelia pushed through the hospital corridor, her mind still lingering on Jonathan's pathetic attempt to act friendly after everything he had done. The memory of his insincere smile and hollow words clung to her like smoke. She shoved those thoughts aside as she approached Brad's room, her strides purposeful and sharp, her heels striking against the linoleum floor like a steady drumbeat announcing her arrival.
Inside, the sterile air of the hospital pressed down on her, heavy with the scent of antiseptic and quiet hums of machines. Cathrine glanced up from her tablet when Amelia walked in, giving her a subtle nod. There was no mask today, no cap, no trace of the carefully constructed disguise. Amelia was not bothering with her Doctor Emily persona around Brad. She did not need to.
"How are you feeling today?" Amelia asked, her voice calm and direct, cutting straight to the point without preamble.
